Herbicide Carryover Injury to Cover Crops

Published Jun 1, 2014

Increased adoption of cover crops in corn-soybean production systems has led to concerns of injury to cover crops by carryover activity of commonly applied herbicides. Four cover crop species were sown into plots with standing corn where one of seven common herbicides had been applied in spring.

Key findings:

  • Of the four cover crop species studied, winter cereal rye was the least affected by the herbicides included. Only the 2x rate of Dual II Magnum™ injured the rye.
  • Farmers will want to avoid using the herbicides Balance Flexx™, Corvus™, and Hornet™ when looking to establish hairy vetch, lentil, and/or radish as cover crops.
  • Atrazine, Callisto™, and Laudis™ resulted in no significant injury to any of the cover crop species studied.