Establishment and Function of Cover Crops Interseeded into Corn

• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2017.06.0375
• Publication Date: 2018-01-04T21:38:55Z
• Authors: Reagan L. Noland; M. Scott Wells; Craig C. Sheaffer; John M. Baker; Krishona L. Marti...; Jeffrey A. Coulter
• Keywords: Vicia villosa; Secale

Cover crops can provide ecological services and improve the resilience of annual cropping systems; however, cover crop use is low in corn ( Zea mays L.)–soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations upper Midwest due to challenges with establishment. Our objective was compare three planting methods establish (winter rye Secale cereale L. ‘Rymin’], red clover Trifolium pretense ‘Medium’], hairy vetch Vicia villosa Roth], field pennycress Thlaspi arvense ‘MN‐106’], a mixture oat Avena sativa L.], pea Pisum sativum tillage radish Raphanus sativus L.]) (MIX) at seven‐leaf collar stage. Planting included directed broadcast into inter‐row (DBC), light incorporation (DBC+INC), high‐clearance drill (DRILL). The DRILL method achieved greater fall biomass than DBC for all species except pennycress, DBC+INC increased spring compared DBC. did not affect grain or silage yield reduced subsequent soybean by 0.4 Mg ha −1 (10%) only when poor termination occurred one site. >390 kg soil nitrate‐N no‐cover control. These results support that be interseeded stage reduce while maintaining yields; effective critical avoid competition crop.