In a Nutshell
Delaying cover crop termination until soybean planting would allow for more biomass production by the cover crop in the spring presenting the opportunity for more environmental benefit. Farmer-cooperators seeded soybeans 10-14 days after terminating a cereal rye cover crop and within 1 day of terminating the cover crop.
Key findings
Jeremy Gustafson and Jack Boyer saw no difference in soybean yields with the two cover crop termination dates while Bob Lynch saw a small reduction with the late termination date. Bob and Jack observed cereal rye residue in the late termination treatment to persist through the soybean growing season holding soil in place and reducing weed pressure.