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Title: SELF-SEEDING SMALL GRAIN COVER CROP SYSTEMS IN A SOYBEAN-CORN ROTATION

Author
item Singer, Jeremy
item Kohler, Keith

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2005
Publication Date: 11/10/2005
Citation: Singer, J.W., Kohler, K.A. 2005. Self-seeding small grain cover crop systems in a soybean-corn rotation [CD-ROM]. In: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts, Nov. 6-10, 2005, Salt Lake City, UT.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cover crops provide environmental benefits, yet their adoption into production agriculture has been limited. Winter Rye (Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) were used to develop self-seeding cover crop systems in a soybean[Glycine max (L.) Merr.]-corn (Zea mays L.) rotation. Management of the small grain cover crop was balanced with goals of producing cover crop seed and minimizing competition with the main crop. Cover crops were drilled the previous fall with either two or four rows between each 76 cm soybean row. Treatments included a no cover crop check, four rows with early or late spring glyphosate to eliminate two rows and mechanical control, four rows with mechanical control alone, two rows with mechanical control, and two rows with no control. In 2004, maturity of the two rows with no control treatment occurred on day of the year (DOY) 187 for wheat and 197 for rye and triticale. All other treatments matured on DOY 201 for wheat and 208 for rye and triticale. Seed density was greatest in the two rows with no control treatment (21,503, 21,431, and 18,107 seeds m-2 for rye, triticale, and wheat, respectively) and lowest in the four row with early glyphosate treatment (4,977, 7,118, and 5,900 seeds m-2). Soybean yield was 4019 kg ha-1 in the no cover crop treatment, but decreased 20 to 45% for the other treatments.