Cover Crops: Potential Role in Nutrient Management & Establishment Methods 2016 MINNESOTA PORK CONGRESS CERTIFIED ANIMAL WASTE TECHNICIAN WORKSHOP TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 1 2016 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
Jill Sackett Eberhart INTRODUCTION University of Minnesota Extension Extension Educator USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) State Co-coordinator University of Minnesota Extension Regional Office, Mankato Statewide Appointment Sustainable Agriculture 2
Potential Cover Crop Benefits WHY COVER CROPS? Reduce erosion Increase organic matter Increase infiltration Increase water holding capacity Nutrients Forage / grazing Increase plant diversity Potential Cover Crop Difficulties Cost Timeliness Equipment Labor Adjustments to tillage management Adjustments to herbicide management 4
WHY COVER CROPS? PART 2 Technology Biological Science Chemical Science Engineering Water quality issues Surface water and groundwater Sediment, nutrients, chemicals, bacteria Consumers / Markets 5
Potential Cover Crop Benefits WHY COVER CROPS? Reduce erosion Increase organic matter Increase infiltration Increase water holding capacity Nutrients Forage / grazing Increase plant diversity Potential Cover Crop Difficulties Cost Timeliness Equipment Labor Adjustments to tillage management Adjustments to herbicide management 6
COVER CROPS, SOIL HEALTH, AND WATER QUALITY Bridging the Brown It s all interconnected Soil quality and water quality Organic matter levels affect water infiltration, water holding capacity, nutrient availability, and cation exchange capacity 10% more SOM in top 4 inches (about ½ % increase) = additional ½ inch of available water and 10 lbs/acre of mineralized soil N (Kaspar) 7
CC AND WQ, CONTINUED Subsurface Drainage N losses under row crops in corn belt 20-90 lbs/acre Research Mainly cereal rye, some oat Strock, et al = nitrate N reduction of 11% Kaspar, et al = nitrate N reduction of 53% 8
CC SH - WQ Kaspar 9
COVER CROPS AND MANURE Minnesota Study (Randall, Vetsch) Cover crop of oats planted same day as manure application in Aug. and Sept. reduced spring soil nitrate levels (scavenged N) Manure applied October or spring with no cover crop had more available N in spring Iowa Study (Singer, Cambardella, Moorman) Rye/oat mix seeded into standing soybean Hog manure injected after soybean harvest CC decreased nutrient loss Manure application decreased cc numbers 10
SOIL QUALITY FOR WATER QUALITY 11
Grasses COVER CROP TYPES Winter Cereal Rye Oats Wheat Triticale Annual Ryegrass Barley Sorghum Sorghum-sudangrass Millet 12
Legumes COVER CROP TYPES Field Peas Austrian Winter Peas Vetch Alfalfa Red Clover Crimson Clover Berseem Clover Sunn Hemp 13
COVER CROP TYPES Non-Legume Broadleaves Oilseed Radish Forage Turnip Buckwheat Sunflower Pennycress Camelina 14
COVER CROP MIXES Thought to better adapt to field conditions 15
COVER CROPS & NUTRIENT REDUCTION Reduce soil erosion = reduce P loss, residual chemical loss Reduce leaching = reduce N and ortho-p Erosion Preventer / Lasting Residue Good/quick growth, deep roots Nitrogen Scavenger Cold tolerant, deep rooting, N affiliation Nutrient Recycler Grasses And Some Broadleaves! But don t nix Legumes! Deep roots, specific nutrient affiliations 16
COVER CROP ESTABLISHMENT To obtain benefits, must have enough cover crop growth Growing Degree Days Seed-to-Soil Contact DRILLS AND PLANTERS Optimal No-till drill Grain drill Precision planter 17
Broadcast BROADCAST With or without light incorporation 18
EXAMPLES Martin County Peas harvested in early July Hog manure injected August 29 Oat cover crop broadcast with rented fertilizer spreader August 30 (2 bu/acre) Light pass with field cultivator August 30 November 8 biomass sample ave. 3000 lb/a Terminated with cold weather late November 19
INTERSEEDING - AERIAL Airplane Helicopter 20
INTERSEEDING HIGH CLEARANCE Row-gators Detasslers 21
Rowbot INTERSEEDING - ROWBOT http://rowbot.com/ 22
INTERSEEDING PA INTER SEEDER Corn at V5-V8 http://interseedertech.com/index.php 23
Michigan work MANURE SLURRY SEEDING Success with a liquid manure, surface application with aerway incorporation Suspect injection and sweeps would get cover crop seed too deep http://www.mccc.msu.edu/ SlurrySeeding.html 24
TERMINATION Freezing temperatures Herbicide Tillage (often takes more than one pass) Mowing (some) Roller-crimper (some) 25
USDA PROGRAM GUIDELINES Risk Management Agency Crop insurance compliance http://www.rma.usda.gov/help/faq/covercrops 2016.html Natural Resources Conservation Service Termination guidelines for USDA programs and crop insurance participation http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/deta ilfull/plantmaterials/technical/publications/?cid =stelprdb1077238 26
ADDITIONAL THINGS TO REMEMBER Cover crop selection depends on farmer objectives, farm rotation, available equipment, and also the weather. Have a Plan B (and a C too) Herbicide interactions read your labels! Including cover crops will likely affect tillage management, nutrient management, & pesticide management Named seed varieties tend to be more reliable Must have enough cover crop growth to obtain desired benefits 27
COVER CROP RESOURCES University Extension programs Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Midwest Cover Crop Council Natural Resources Conservation Service Minnesota Department of Agriculture Sustainable Farming Association of MN My handout 28
Thank You! Jill Sackett Eberhart Univ. of Minn. Extension Regl. Offc., Mankato Email: sacke032@umn.edu Phone: 507-389-5541 2016 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this PowerPoint is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to 612-624-1222. 29