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SE PA | U of MD did testing with manure where the radishes took up to 150lbs of N in the fall. Radishes were planted late Aug so had plenty of time to grow and collect N. They also did very late planting of radishes- as late as the middle of Oct where the radishes took up as much or more N than cereal rye planted the same time during the late fall and early winter. Of course the radishes were very small and didn't take up much but the point was they took up as much as cereal rye. In the spring cereal rye started taking up N again. Radishes will begin releasing their N when they decompose- which varies greatly in early spring- but more often than not about the time or just before - corn is planted in any given area. That means it is possible to lose N that the radishes picked up in the fall if corn planting is delayed-especially with a wet spring. Plan to plant a straight radish field first to mitigate this. This is the reason why the trend is to mix with the radishes, a species that will hold N a bit longer or continue growing in the spring- annual ryegrass, cereal rye, or triticale. So, yes, you can lose N that was collected by the radishes in the fall but it can vary depending on circumstances and management. | |
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Nitrogen in the fall COC with radishes
