• A better understanding of the nature of saline soils in eastern North Dakota, specifically: A complete and thorough survey of soil organisms (from bacteria to soil-dwelling insects) occupying saline and non-saline soils, and in the presence and absence of a cereal rye cover crop.
• A better understanding of cereal rye as a management tool for saline soils, and particularly in terms of cereal rye tolerance, water use, and general performance across a gradient of saline soils.
• Academic publications, presentations, and education and outreach materials that summarize the project and our findings.

Update:

View uploaded report

Managing salinity with cover crops: a whole system response (year 4)
Caley Gasch, Jason Harmon, Sam Banerjee, Tom DeSutter, Abbey Wick

Research conducted
In the 2019 growing season, we interseeded cereal rye (80 lb/ac) into strips in soybean fields and monitored soil water content (0-6”) in the rye strips and adjacent control strips that traversed saline and non-saline portions of the fields. We also grew cereal rye at different seeding rates (40, 80, 120, and 240 lb/ac) in replicated pots in the greenhouse with an unlimited water supply for five weeks.

Why the research is important to ND soybean producers
Soil salinity management is only possible through managing water. Soil water removal by plants (transpiration) is an effective way to dry the soil, while encouraging salts to remain deep in the soil profile. We wanted to quantify cereal rye water use so that we can better understand the potential of this cover crop species to assist in salt and water management and make appropriate seeding rate recommendations.

Benefits/recommendations to ND soybean farmers and industry
Soil water content in the field was consistent throughout the 2019 season and did not differ between cereal rye and control strips. Soil water was a little higher in saline soils, which produced less cereal rye biomass than non-saline soils (see Figure 1). Cereal rye grows well in soils up to salinity levels of 6 dS/m (saturated paste extract). In the greenhouse, cereal rye biomass production and cumulative transpiration increased as seeding rate increased to 120 lb/ac (see Figure 2). We did not measure spring water use but fall cereal rye transpiration is similar to that of winter small grains (25 inches of water per year).

If water use is the goal of growing cereal rye, we recommend using the highest seeding rate within your comfort level. We found that a seeding rate (drilled) between 120 – 240 lb/ac would provide the most water use.