Updated February 21, 2017:
Waiting 15 days (May 19 to June 3, Feeke’s 6.5 to 10.5) to terminate the cereal rye cover crop nearly tripled the dry biomass production from 774 to 2,041 lbs/A. The earlier soybean planting time (May 19, rye at Feeke’s 6.5) coupled with rye termination at the same time resulted in advanced soybean maturity and leaf area early in the season (June 22, average V2.8 and 94 cm2) compared to when no cover crop was utilized (same soybean planting time, V2.5 and 81 cm2) despite there being no differences in soil temperature and moisture and soybean and weed emergence at the time. The later soybean planting time (May 23, rye at Feeke’s 9) coupled with delayed rye termination time (June 3, Feeke’s 10.5) reduced the seasonal total weed emergence (average 100 weeds/m2) compared to when no cover crop was utilized (either planting time, average 250 weeds/m2). Soybean emergence, growth rate, and leaf area were also reduced in these treatments, however soybean nutrient content and yields (Figure 1) were not different.
Conclusions from Year 1:
• Planting green showed the potential to reduce weed emergence without reducing soybean yields
• In 2016 no insect related issues related to planting green were detected
• In a year with increased moisture during the early soybean growing season results may differ
• Mowed only treatments often needed a later application of glyphosate to complete rye termination
• No differences were detected among termination methods at these rye biomass levels