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
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
The NRCS Plant Materials Center in Lockeford, CA aimed to assess lentils as a potential cover crop. The use of a legume, like lentils, in rotation as a cover crop
Plant roots are critical to the delivery of soil ecosystem services as they directly interact with the soil. Root contribution to soil C is often overlooked as many studies focus
Weed infestation is one of the major agronomic challenges in row-crop production. Weed suppression can be achieved by cover crops (CC) due to several reasons including the amount of CC
Allelopathy is one mechanism of plant-soil feedback that uses secondary metabolites to alter soil properties to affect the growth of seedlings. Allelopathic chemicals from CC have been shown to suppress
Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for crop growth and is usually required in the greatest quantities for maximal biomass and grain production. Unfortunately, residual -N remaining in
Annual ryegrass adaptability, quick establishment, and aggressive growth are also considered to be characteristics of a weed. The annual ryegrass we know as a cover crop is the same species
On farms in the Midwest, Annual ryegrass has sometimes been observed in fields a year or more after the original seed was planted. There is a perception that when it
Soil biological properties are important for the stabilization and preservation of a good soil structure. Management practices can affect the diversity and population of microorganisms, which could beneficially change soil
Cover cropping is commonly associated with increased soil microbial activity and soil health. Cover cropping in the Upper Mississippi River Basin has increased rapidly in the last decade due to
Cover crops (CC) support populations of pest and beneficial arthropods. The status of these arthropods in the subsequent cash crop depends on several factors such as CC species, management, biomass
The integration of cover crops into cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L.) production remains challenging. One potential negative impact of cover crops on cotton is allelopathy. Proper selection of cover crop species
Cover crops have long been touted for their ability to reduce erosion, fix atmospheric nitrogen, reduce nitrogen leaching, and improve soil health. In recent decades, there has been resurgence in
Cover crop mixtures can provide multiple ecosystem services but provisioning of these services is contingent upon the expression of component species in the mixture. From the same seed mixture, cover
Cover crops are known to promote many aspects of soil and water quality, yet estimates find that in 2012 only 2.3% of the total agricultural lands in the Midwestern USA
Cover crops reduce soil erosion, improve soil tilth, and increase soil biological activity. Legume cover crops maintain nutrient balance in organic cropping systems because they are one of the few
Experiments were established in a controlled-growth chamber and in the field to evaluate the effect of the length of time intervals between winter rye cover crop termination and corn planting
Agriculture throughout the Southern High Plains of the United States relies on supplemental irrigation from the Ogallala Aquifer because of limited precipitation and high evapotranspiration rates. Unfortunately, extraction rates greatly
Find out from Iowa farmers how cover crops can benefit your livestock operation.