Replacing portions of fallow between sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] harvest and wheat (Triticum aestivum) planting with cover crops provides opportunity to increase productivity and profitability in dryland winter wheat–sorghum–fallow (WSF) cropping systems. The objective of this study was to identify potential spring fallow replacement cover crops and management to optimize productivity and resource use efficiency of a WSF system. The study was conducted 2013–2018 at Garden City, KS. Three crop rotation phases (WSF, SFW, and FWS) were the main plot, and fallow replacement cover crops were the sub plot. Cover crop treatments were further split into hayed and cover crop left standing groups to estimate forage potential. Results showed precipitation utilization and storage efficiency (PUtSE) increased by 146% for grain cover crop, 50% for cover crop hayed, and 38% for cover crop left standing compared with fallow. Available soil water at wheat planting (ASWP_ww) was not different between cover crop left standing and fallow. Spring triticale [×Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus (Secale × Triticum)] had up to 182% more forage accumulation over other forage cover crops and a 108% grain yield advantage over other grain cover crops. Our findings showed fallow replacement, forage-hayed, and grain cover crops have a greater PUtSE than fallow which may increase economic returns if subsequent crop yields are not reduced. Cover crops left standing had a moderate PUtSE advantage and similar ASWP_ww compared to fallow, and cover crop left standing, or fallow would be the best choice if the production goal is to maximize ASWP_ww and subsequent crop yields.

中文翻译：

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半干旱高原种植系统中的休耕替代覆盖作物

替换高粱 [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] 收获和小麦 ( Triticum aestivum )之间的休耕部分) 种植覆盖作物为提高旱地冬小麦-高粱-休耕 (WSF) 种植系统的生产力和盈利能力提供了机会。本研究的目的是确定潜在的春季休耕替代覆盖作物和管理，以优化 WSF 系统的生产力和资源利用效率。该研究于 2013-2018 年在堪萨斯州加登城进行。三个轮作阶段（WSF、SFW 和 FWS）是主要地块，休耕替代覆盖作物是次要地块。覆盖作物处理进一步分为干草和覆盖作物左立组，以估计牧草潜力。结果表明，与休耕相比，谷物覆盖作物的降水利用和储存效率 (PUtSE) 增加了 146%，干草覆盖作物增加了 50%，保持的覆盖作物增加了 38%。_ww）在覆盖作物保持站立和休耕之间没有区别。春黑小麦[× Triticosecale Wittm．ex A. Camus (Secale × Triticum)] 的草料积累量比其他草料覆盖作物高 182%，粮食产量优势比其他粮食覆盖作物高 108%。我们的研究结果表明，休耕替代、草料干草和谷物覆盖作物比休耕具有更大的 PUtSE，如果后续作物产量不降低，这可能会增加经济回报。与休耕相比，保留的覆盖作物具有适度的 PUtSE 优势和相似的 ASWP _ww，如果生产目标是最大化 ASWP _ww和随后的作物产量，覆盖作物保留或休耕将是最佳选择。