Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.; CR) is promoted as a cover crop as a practice for reducing nitrate leaching losses in the U.S. Midwest. However, early-season nitrogen immobilization during CR decomposition
Cover crops have been promoted for use in agricultural systems due to both environmental and economic opportunities. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growers in West Tennessee faced challenges in 2015 and 2016
Cover crops are an important tool for building soil health and protecting the nation’s watersheds. However, transitioning to a rotation that includes cover crops involves some risk for producers. To
To meet the requirements of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, there is a critical need for crop production strategies with less reliance on irrigation from surface and groundwater sources. One
Root-knot nematodes are the most aggressive and damaging plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) on many crops. Brassicaceous cover crops are known to produce biocidal isothiocyanates, volatile allelopathic compounds that can be
The earlier over crops (CCs) are planted, the higher the probability of greater biomass accumulation in the fall, owing to a greater growing degree day accumulation. This is also true
Winter-sensitive cover crop (CC) species are frost-killed during winter, which limits their growth to the fall. Winter-hardy CC species can survive winter temperatures and accumulate biomass in the fall and
The inclusion of a cover crop in a cropping system is a source of organic matter from biomass produced, which enhances biological activities and subsequently improves soil quality. However, the
Cover crops are increasingly recognized for their multiple agronomic benefits, including improving soil quality and health, enhancing soil fertility, and preventing erosion. Choosing cover crops for a particular farming system
Cover crop selection based on geographic location and climate is essential to facilitate efficient N uptake capacity of the cover crops and their potential benefits to row-crops. Monoculture corn, like
Lack of attractive short-term economic returns to growers and limited time for cover crop establishment following maize and soybean harvest are major reasons for slow cover crop adoption. Therefore, alternative
Corn stover, when removed in excessive amounts, can lead to soil degradation. However, without stover harvest, producers can face residue management problems with subsequent crops which most often results in
Despite the demonstrated benefits of cover crops, on-farm adoption remains limited due to farmer concerns about the potential cost and management implications of cover crop use. One of the top
Tobacco remains an economically important crop in the state of Kentucky, and weeds are a significant challenge for tobacco producers. Weed management in tobacco is primarily accomplished with a combination
Growth termination of cover crop has been a subject of many studies. In no-tillage production, the cover crops are killed either by the contact herbicides, or by a mixture of
The soil health improvements that can come with the use of cover crops are associated with a variety of potential on-field benefits for the farmer. Cover crops can enhance soil
The number of local urban farms producing fruit and vegetables for local farmers’ markets in the USA is on the rise. Local farms usually own small walk-behind tractors with interchangeable
Zone tillage has recently risen in popularity as an approach for reducing tillage by tilling only areas directly where crops will be sown and leaving between-row regions untilled. This practice
Cover crop (CC) biomass is generally proportional to its ability to provide weed control. In addition, some CC release allelopathic compounds that contribute to weed suppression by inhibiting germination and
Steven Mirsky (USDA-ARS) and Greg Roth (Penn State University) provide a rundown of common establishment methods for cover crops: aerial seeding, interseeding and post-harvest drilling. They also discuss the importance