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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Morris, Minnesota » Soil Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #376846
Research Project: Stewardship of Upper Midwest Soil and Air Resources through Regionally Adapted Management Practices

Location: Soil Management Research

Title: Potential of winter oilseeds to reduce nutrient loss

Author
item Weyers, Sharon
item EBERLE, CARRIE - University Of Wyoming
item THOM, MATTHEW - Bergen County Technical Schools
item Gesch, Russell - Russ
item FORCELLA, FRANK - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2020
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cover crop systems have enjoyed wide adoption due to known positive impacts including erosion protection, carbon sequestration, and nutrient retention. In the cold, wet climate of the Upper Midwest, wider adoption of cover crops has been hindered because of establishment issues resulting in a low cost-benefit ratio. Recent work has shown cost benefits of relay cropping winter oilseeds, such as winter camelina and pennycress, with soybean because these oilseeds are grown to maturity and provide an additional economic resource. This presentation showcases new information that these winter oilseeds can provide environmental benefits similar to other non-cash winter covers. Namely, they sequester available N, and reduce soil water nitrates, which might leach from the system, they also provide protection from nutrient loss during high intensity springtime rainfall events. In our changing climate, any increase in adoption of winter green cover will be positive. Winter oilseed crops might provide the best avenue to increasing green cover in the Upper Midwest.