Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #418219
Research Project: Developing Practices for Nutrient and Byproducts to Mitigate Climate Change, Improve Nutrient Utilization, and Reduce Effects on Environment (BRIDGE PROJECT)

Location: Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory

Title: 2024 Cover crop seeding rate recommendations - grasses

Author
item HENDRIX, IRVIN - LSU Agcenter
item Fultz, Lisa
item ALISON, MONTGOMERY - LSU Agcenter
item GENTRY, DONNA - LSU Agcenter
item EGBEDI, PETERS - LSU Agcenter

Submitted to: Louisiana State University AgCenter
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/16/2024
Publication Date: 8/21/2024
Citation: Hendrix, I., Fultz, L.M., Alison, M., Gentry, D., Egbedi, P. 2024. 2024 Cover crop seeding rate recommendations - grasses. Louisiana State University AgCenter. 3924.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cover crops serve the primary purpose of providing soil surface cover to protect soil from erosion. Research has also demonstrated a variety of secondary benefits depending on the type of cover crop used. Secondary benefits include scavenging nutrients (in particular N) from the soil, suppressing weeds, supporting diverse microbial communities, stabilizing soil, and increasing soil organic matter. Legumes have the potential to form symbiotic relationships with bacteria in the soil, allowing them to turn N from the atmosphere into a plant available form of N. The selection of type and species of cover crop should be based on the needs of the producer. Cool season grasses evaluated included Black ‘Cosaque’ Oats, Bob Oats, Cereal Rye, Triticale, and Wheat. Cool-season annual grass cover crops should be seeded at a rate of 60 – 90 pounds bulk seed per acre. This includes an optimum rate of 60 lbs/acre for drill-seed, and up to 90 lbs/acre for broadcast.