Most soil tests only consider nutrient pools in the top 3 to 4 feet of soils. However, much deeper nutrient pools may play an important role in overall soil fertility. Building on previous research on nitrogen uptake by cover crops, this project develops practical early planted winter cereal and brassica cover crop systems capable of capturing 50 to 200 lbs/acre of N in fall and releasing it for crop use in spring. It also evaluates the effectiveness of aerial application for early cover crop seeding into standing soy and corn crops and documents the effect of irrigation on their reliability, speed of establishment and growth of early. Work also explores relationships between late summer soil nitrate tests and growth of early cover crops.
Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, Extension agents, NGOs