Published Jul 13, 2016

RESEARCH REPORT: Cover Crop Variety Trial 2015-2016
By Stefan Gailans

The latest iteration of PFI’s cover crop variety trial has been released: “Cover Crop Variety Trial 2015-2016.”

Cooperators evaluated fall and spring groundcover produced by cover crop entries in small, hand-seeded plots across the state. See all the entries in the table below.

CC entries 2015-16

Cover crop variety trial plots at Jeremy Gustafson's farm in Boone County. From right to left, plots in the foreground depict winter wheat, winter triticale, winter barley and rapeseed. Photo taken Apr. 14, 2016.

Cover crop variety trial plots at Jeremy Gustafson’s farm in Boone County. From right to left, plots in the foreground depict winter wheat, winter triticale, winter barley and rapeseed. Photo taken Apr. 14, 2016.

Key Findings from the Present Iteration

  • Cereal rye remains the most consistent cover crop performer concerning fall cover, overwintering capability and spring ground cover across locations and time.
  • Brassicas (mustard, rapeseed, radish, turnip) 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.
Average groundcover of cover crops in fall and spring across all sites where cover crops were established in standing corn in 2015. Error bars above and below columns represent 90% confidence intervals.

Average groundcover of cover crops in fall and spring across all sites where cover crops were established in standing corn in 2015. Error bars above and below columns represent 90% confidence intervals.

Average groundcover of cover crops in fall and spring across all sites where cover crops were established in standing soybeans in 2015. Error bars above and below columns represent 90% confidence intervals.

Average groundcover of cover crops in fall and spring across all sites where cover crops were established in standing soybeans in 2015. Error bars above and below columns represent 90% confidence intervals.

Brown mustard seeded near Rake, IA (Winnebago County) on Sept. 17, 2015. Photo taken on Nov. 9.

Brown mustard seeded near Rake, IA (Winnebago County) on Sept. 17, 2015. Photo courtesy of Bil Schrader; taken on Nov. 9.

The present iteration of the trial builds on previous iterations

Cover Crop Variety Trial, 2014-2015

Cover Crop Variety Trial, 2013-2014

Cover Crop Variety Trial, 2012-2013

This trial was made possible by the Walton Family Foundation. We would also like to thank Albert Lea Seed House, Green Cover Seed and Arvegenix, LLC for providing seed for this project.

View more PFI Research Reports. For more information about this study and other studies as part of PFI’s Cooperators’ Program, contact Stefan Gailans at stefan@practical farmers.org.