Long-term fall cover cropping with mixed radish and rye did not alter microbial soil carbon cycling dynamics under corn

Integrating cover crops into rotation has many soil health benefits but limited research has examined the effects on microbial-driven biogeochemical cycling. Despite a previously observed increase in microbial abundance due to the inclusion of radish-rye cover crops, we found no significant impact on mineralizable C. Further, we did not observe a change in the thermodynamic efficiency of glucose use or substrate induced respiration following the addition of glucose or alanine; however, there was greater substrate induced respiration in response to glycogen from radish-rye cover crops, suggesting that microbial communities may be better adapted to decompose more complex carbon substrates.