Cover crop benefits include nitrogen accumulation and retention, weed suppression, organic matter maintenance, and reduced erosion. Organic farmers need region-specific information on winter cover crop performance to effectively integrate cover crops into their crop rotations. Our research objective was to compare cover crop seeding mixtures, planting dates, and termination dates on performance...

Crop coefficient values are used to estimate crop evapotranspiration (ETc) for determining irrigation scheduling. Many important crop biophysical properties such as Percentage Vegetation Cover and Leaf Area Index can be estimated from remotely sensed Vegetation Index, in order to quantify real time vegetation growth dynamics. The objective of this study was to understand the effectiveness of ba...

Weed management is a major issue in organic farming systems. Although interseeding cover crops is one alternative to herbicides, cover crops often suppress not only weeds but also main crops. Therefore, using cover crops for weed control without adverse effects on main crop growth is important. To verify the effect of cover crops on competition between main crops, cover crops and weeds in snowy...

As the name implies, a cover crop consists of plants grown primarily to keep the land covered, especially during the off-season or between cash crops. In temperate regions like most of Europe and North America, a cover crop sown immediately after the main crop harvest in fall is considered a winter cover crop. It will grow in the fall, either subjected to frostkill or go into relative dormancy ...

Despite the use of best management practices for nitrogen (N) application rate and timing, significant losses of nitrate nitrogen (NO3(-)-N) in drainage discharge continue to occur from row crop cropping systems. Our objective was to determine whether a autumn-seeded winter rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop following corn (Zea mays L.) would reduce NO3(-)-N losses through subsurface tile drain...

A major challenge for agriculture is to enhance productivity with minimum impact on the environment. Several studies indicate that cover crops could replace anthropogenic inputs and enhance crop productivity. However, so far, it is unclear if cover crop effects vary between different cropping systems, and direct comparisons among major arable production systems are rare. Here we compared the sh...

A field study was initiated in 1992 to investigate the long-term impacts of beef feedlot manure application (composted and uncomposted) on nutrient accumulation and movement in soil, corn silage yield, and nutrient uptake. Two application strategies were compared: providing the annual crop nitrogen (N) requirement (N-based rate) or crop phosphorus (P) removal (P-based rate), as well as a compar...

Substantial reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita on winter cover crops may lead to damaging populations in a subsequent cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) crop. The amount of population increase during the winter depends on soil temperature and the host status of the cover crop. Our objectives were to quantify M. incognita race 3 reproduction on rye (Secale cereale) and several leguminous cover crops...

The effects of an autumn-planted, spring-killed, grass cover crop (Elymus trachycaulus [Link] Gould ex Shinners) on populations of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte and its predator community were evaluated in South Dakota maize fields over two seasons. Abundance and size of D. virgifera larvae and adults and sex ratio of adults were measured in maize produced under two treatments (i.e., a...