The quality of plant residue and soil N availability, from mineral fertilizer, are some of the factors that affect residue decomposition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dry matter production and its N accumulation in three winter cover crop and the effects of different corn sidedress N timing application on soil surface residue. The experiment was carried out at Federal University of Santa Maria experimental área in 1996/97 and 1997/98 crop season on a typic Hapludalf. The residue decomposition study was carried only in 1997/98 crop season. The experiment was laid out as random block design with split-plot. The main treatments were winter cover crops set up in 25 x 5m plots: a) black oat (Avena strigosa Schieb); b) Black oats+vetch (Vicia sativa L); and c) Raphanus sativus. The split-plot (5 x 5m) treatments were splitting and timing N sidedress for corn, which were composed by a sequence of N application, represented by: (1) 00-00-00, (2) 00-30-90, (3) 30-30-60, (4) 60-30-30, (5) 90-30-00, where the numbers, respectively, means N applied in kg ha -1 at: (a) corn pre-planted; (b) at corn seeding; and (c) corn sidedress at 4 to 6 leaves stage. The consortium, black oat+vetch, did not affected dry matter production but induced higher N content and accumulation of above ground biomass. The decomposition rate of winter cover crops was not affected by N sidedress timing for corn in succession of winter cover crops.
decomposition rate; plant residue; nitrogen release
