Cover Crop Variety Trial 2015-2016

Published Jul 7, 2016

In a Nutshell

Cereal rye, oats and other small grains grass species have been proven as effective cover crops in corn-soybean systems in Iowa. Cooperators screened popular grass, legume and brassica species for fall and spring groundcover in small, hand-seeded plots across the state.

Key findings

Cereal rye remains the most consistent cover crop performer concerning fall groundcover, overwintering capability and spring groundcover across locations and time. Brassicas generally produced as much fall ground cover as the small grains grasses in the present iteration of the trial. Hairy vetch and radish performed better than in past iterations, likely due to exceptional growing conditions in the present iteration.