Nitrogen Rate Comparison in Corn Following Green Manure Cover Crop Mixes
Published Nov 18, 2016
In a Nutshell
Various green manure cover crop mixes can successfully be established following the harvest of a small grain crop in mid-summer. Following cereal rye seed harvest in July 2015, farmer-cooperator Tim Sieren seeded a brassica mix into one field and a legume mix into another field. He then compared 2016 corn yields resulting from a Low and High N fertilizer rate that followed the green manure mixes in the separate fields.
Key Findings
Regardless of the green manure mix it followed, corn yields were significantly greater with the 145 lb N/ac (High) rate compared to the 95 lb N/ac (Low) rate. Wet summer months likely contributed to the superiority of the High N rate in terms of both yield and financial returns in 2016.