Fall‐planted cover crops improve nitrogen use efficiency but reduce garlic yield in a relay intercropping system amended with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Alexandra Smychkovich; Masoud Hashemi

doi:10.1002/jsfa.70215

journal article Sep 26, 2025

Fall‐planted cover crops improve nitrogen use efficiency but reduce garlic yield in a relay intercropping system amended with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Alexandra Smychkovich Masoud Hashemi

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture Vol. 106 No. 2 pp. 919-930 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/jsfa.70215

Abstract

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Integrating fall‐planted cover crops (CC) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi into hardneck garlic production can enhance the sustainability of garlic production in the northeast. We hypothesized that relay intercropping (RI) garlic into standing CC and inoculating with commercially available AM fungi would (i) influence garlic bulb yield and nutrient concentration as a result of increased nutrient retention in CC residues and (ii) enhance the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of garlic production by providing an alternative N source (decomposing CC residues) to garlic plants in spring.

RESULTS

Garlic yield response to RI depended on CC fall biomass accumulation (2301–3696 kg ha
−1
dry weight in 2021, < 1500 kg ha
−1
in 2020). Interspecies competition between CC and garlic reduced bulb yield by 21–31% in RI treatments compared to the no cover crop control in 2021. Although bulb N, P, K and Mn assimilation was negatively impacted in the first year, nutrient concentrations were normalized in the second cropping season, suggesting that multiple years are necessary to improve garlic quality under a RI system. Garlic yield and nutritional quality were not significantly improved by AM fungi inoculation in this study. NUE was optimized under oat RI systems, which had the highest yields among RI treatments in the second year.

CONCLUSION
RI with CC can improve NUE of garlic production systems, but CC should be managed appropriately to avoid reductions in bulb yield. Multi‐year implementation of RI balances nutrient assimilation by garlic, which was negatively impacted in the first year of production. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

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Details

Published: Sep 26, 2025
Vol/Issue: 106(2)
Pages: 919-930
License: View

Authors

A

Alexandra Smychkovich

Stockbridge School of Agriculture University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA

M

Masoud Hashemi

Stockbridge School of Agriculture University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA

Cite This Article

Alexandra Smychkovich, Masoud Hashemi (2025). Fall‐planted cover crops improve nitrogen use efficiency but reduce garlic yield in a relay intercropping system amended with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 106(2), 919-930. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.70215

Fall‐planted cover crops improve nitrogen use efficiency but reduce garlic yield in a relay intercropping system amended with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

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