Maryland has an incentive-based cover crop program that pays farmers for planting fall cover crops. Many farmers are skeptical about producing small grain after corn or soybeans without applying some fall nitrogen since they do not know how much residual nitrogen remains. The small window between fall harvest and planting small grains discourages soil sampling and analyses that assist in making the fall nitrogen decision. The restriction that no nitrogen is applied in the fall causes concern about small grain yields.

Earlier maturing soybean varieties should allow earlier harvesting, warmer harvest temperatures that enhance residue degradation and mineralization supplying a small...