July 08, 2016

Cover Crop Study, Parma ID

Objective: To evaluate cover crops for improved soil health in silage corn cropping system in Idaho
Collaborator: Drs. Terry Tindall, and Galen Mooso, JR Simplot Company

Trt
Cropping
Cover crop
Fertilizer source
Fertilizer
1
Conventional till corn
NO
urea
50% @ seeding + 50% at V8
2
Conventional till corn
NO
compost
@10 T/ac
3
Conventional till corn
YES, @V4
urea
50% @ seeding + 50% at V8
4
Conventional till corn
YES, @V8
urea
50% @ seeding + 50% at V8
5
No-Till corn
YES, post-corn harvest
urea
50% @ seeding + 50% at V8


High diversity mix used in our study:
Legumes: Common Vetch (9%)Spring Lentils (9%)Cowpeas (9%)Arrowleaf Clover (3%),Crimson Clover (3%)Sunn Hemp (3%)
Grasses
Spring Oat (24%)Cereal Rye (6%),Pearl Millet (3%)Sorghum Sudan (3%)
Brassicas
Nitro Radish (3%)African Cabbage (3%)Purple Top Turnip (3%)Impact Forage Collards (3%) 
Other Broadleaves
Buckwheat (6%)Flax (6%)Phacelia (3%)Sunflower (3%)