Growth, weed control, and nitrogen uptake of winter-killed cover crops, and their effects on maize in conservation agriculture

The objective of this work is to evaluate in four sites of the Po Valley: (1) production, N uptake, and weed control capacity of five monocultures of winter-killed winter cover crop species, grown during the autumn–winter period in substitution of fallow, and followed by a maize cash crop; (2) effects of management techniques (sowing method, slurry application before planting) on cover crop growth, N uptake, and weed control; (3) production of maize cultivated after cover crops and the recovery of cover crop N by maize.