The Midwest Cover Crop Council is producing a very useful tool for those interested in venturing into no-till. Here’s the link to their web information
. They look at a variety of factors - location, soil type, crops planted after the cover crop and more.
But for general information, here are a range of attributes we’ve seen with annual ryegrass, when used as a cover crop in the Midwest:
Drought Resistance
Natural hardpan (fraigpan) or manmade compaction prevent corn and soybean roots from getting deep moisture. These soils are found predominately in southern Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri. Annual Ryegrass creates macropores so corn and soybean roots can reach moisture under the hardpan. It will take approximately 4 years (4-6” fraigpan) of continuous no-till with annual ryegrass each year to achieve this. Incidentally, planting annual ryegrass for 2 years may be a substitute for running a ripper on compacted soils.
Who benefits? Certainly those growers already doing no-till as well as those moving to no-till from conventional tillage.
Erosion Control
Annual ryegrass provides quick ground cover after harvesting corn silage or seed corn which provides good erosion control. The earlier harvest and lack of residue makes these good candidates for use of annual ryegrass.
Nutrient Recycling
The high price of nitrogen has growers looking for way to be more efficient. Using annual ryegrass may provide 60-80 lbs/ac of nitrogen. This alone could more than pay for the cost of the seed and planting it. In addition, after several more years, Phosphorus may become available as P2 is transformed to P1.
Nitrogen Recovery
Growers applying manure are being required to apply manure in a more environmentally friendly fashion. Using annual ryegrass could help keep the nitrogen in the soil profile and available for the crop the following year.
Soil Improvement
In addition to improving fertility, annual ryegrass produces biomass that will increase the soil organic matter and fertility after the cover crop is burned down in the spring.
Quicker Transition to No-Till
When a grower changes to no-till or acquires a farm that is new to no-till, it commonly takes approximately 5 years for key soil properties (aggregate stability, organic matter, increased infiltration, pore space, fungi, etc) to occur. Adding annual ryegrass may reduce this transition period by half.
Weed Suppression
Annual ryegrass is a vigorous seedling that quickly forms a cover to compete with winter annual weeds.
Increased Water Infiltration
The extensive and deep root system that annual ryegrass develops provides pathways for increased water infiltration.
Soybean Cyst Control
Soybean cyst nematodes results in lower soybean yield. Preliminary research studies indicate that if annual ryegrass can be planted early enough so that it is established for at least 40 days with the soil temperature about 50 degrees, then cyst eggs hatch in the fall. This results in a very low count, if not elimination, of this pest the following year. Fields in the southern half of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri are potential candidates since the odds of meeting the 40 days above 50 degrees requirement are likely.
Grazing
Growers who plant after wheat or corn silage may be able to take a cutting of haylage in the fall and possibly in the spring and then no-till into the annual ryegrass. Growers in southern Ohio, Indiana Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri may be able to graze the annual ryegrass over winter or take a cutting of haylage in the spring.
Tags: Ag Conservation Solutions, all cover crops, Annual ryegrass, capturing nitrogen, cover crop, deep rooting, erosion control, macropores, nitrogen-friendly cover crop help reduce the cost for fertilizer., No-Till, organic matter, ryegrass helps fight soybean cyst nematode, sequesters available nitrogen, soil compaction, water infiltration
Some weed scientists are still concerned that annual ryegrass, if improperly managed, can become a weed pest. Some even contend that the plant can develop a resistance to glyphosate (the generic herbicide that many associate with the Monsanto product Round Up).
One university researcher recently posted a blog that suggests that growers must use a cocktail of herbicides in combination to be effective with annual ryegrass. That hasn’t been my experience. Here’s what I said to him:
Tags: all cover crops, Annual ryegrass, burndown, glyphosate, Monsanto, No-Till, No-Till farming, Round Up
Iowa State University has preliminary results on cover cropping in corn - the potential to boost yields even after removing the bulk of corn stalk residue for use in biofuel production!
Here’s the article that appeared today in Agro Times online:
Two years into a study looking at methods of combining a living cover crop between corn rows shows that yield can be maintained at high levels using environmentally friendly practices.
Researchers are testing between-row cover grasses as part of research looking at ways to reduce soil runoff and keep vital nutrients in the soils while crop residue, called stover, is removed from farm fields to produce biofuels.
With U.S. government targets requiring a 30 percent displacement of petroleum consumption with fuels made from biomass by the year 2030, agronomy researchers are studying methods of harvesting more and more stover, which previously was left on the field.
Targets will require removing 75 percent of stover to use as biomass in the production of biofuels. Removing stover can cause more water runoff and deplete soil of the organic material needed to remain productive.
One method of keeping the soil in place and replenished with organic matter is to plant grasses between the corn rows that would stay on the field year round.
“We are looking at trying to grow corn in a perennial sod, so that we can protect the soil and provide these other environmental services at the same time,” said Ken Moore, professor of agronomy.
Developing a cover crop system that allows nutrients, organic matter, water and carbon to remain in the soil is a great idea. But farmers won’t do it if it reduces yields, said Moore.
The results so far have been very encouraging.
After the first two years of the study, researchers have already discovered a system that allows for removal of up to 95 percent of the corn stover, increases the amount of carbon kept in the soil, increases water use efficiency in corn and also maintains corn yield.
One cropping system the team examined in 2009, for example, increased harvest from 11,867 kilograms of corn grain per hectare using traditional production methods, to 12,768 kg/ha with the new system. All while improving the soil and harvesting almost all the stover.
The researchers are quick to point out they are not ready to proclaim that they have uncovered the perfect system, but they are encouraged.
“It’s remarkable,” said Jeremy Singer, assistant professor of agronomy and researcher at the USDA’s National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames. “Even in two bizarre years - 2008 was the year of the floods and 2009 had the coolest July on record — we harvested close to 100 percent of the corn stover and we’re obtaining similar yields as the no-ground cover control, while increasing carbon additions to the soil.”
The team tested more than 36 different ground covers, mostly grasses; different tillage systems such as no-till and strip-till; 50 different corn hybrids; and several chemical treatments.
One of the keys, according to the researchers, is finding a ground cover grass that is less active during the spring. This allows the corn to absorb needed water and sunlight at the beginning of the growing season without competing with the ground cover grass.
Later in the spring, as the corn creates a canopy over the shorter grasses, there is less competition for sunlight and nutrients as the corn becomes dominant.
Having more than one species thrive on the same piece of ground is not a new idea, says Moore. Traditional prairies contained many different species of grasses and plants that complemented each other as they competed for water, sun and other inputs.
“From an ecological perspective, it seems intuitive that we can do this,” said Moore. “Nature does it all the time. The prairies that existed before farmers got here were complex plant communities that change with the season. And we have a succession of species which we are trying to set up here.”
Moore says one of the best features of the new systems is they are not that different from the way producers are currently farming.
“We are not talking about changing the whole system,” said Moore. “We are talking about changing the way we use what we already have. It’s just how you do it to make it work better.”
Tags: all cover crops, biofuel production, building soil nutrients, capturing nitrogen, cover crop, crop residue, deep rooting, erosion control, increase corn yield, Jeremy Singer, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, nitrogen-friendly cover crop help reduce the cost for fertilizer., No-Till, sequesters available nitrogen, soil compaction, stover removal, University of Iowa, USDA
Annual ryegrass and cereal rye are both popular cover crops in the corn and soybean rotation in the Midwest. However, many seed dealers and growers still get the two confused. Here’s an article from today’s No-Till Farmer that highlights some of the differences.
Annual Ryegrass, Cereal Rye Have Important Differences
Knowing the differences between annual ryegrass and cereal rye will allow farmers to choose the best applications for each crop, which will improve profitability.
But many growers and seed dealers confuse these crops because they share the word “rye” in their names, according to a news release from the Oregon Ryegrass Commission.
Annual ryegrass is a cool-season grass, while cereal rye is a grain that has growth characteristics much like wheat. Annual ryegrass seed costs slightly less than cereal rye, is much smaller and weighs 26 pounds per bushel. The seed of cereal rye is much larger and weighs 56 pounds per bushel.
Like many cover crops, annual ryegrass builds soil, reduces runoff and erosion, sequesters nitrogen, improves water infiltration and increases organic matter. Annual ryegrass is easy to establish in the fall with adequate moisture. For best results, it needs to grow for 45 to 60 days before freezing temperatures arrive. Annual ryegrass is more susceptible to winterkill, which can be caused by a lack of snow cover combined with very low wind chill and multiple freeze-thaw events.
Annual ryegrass residue breaks down more quickly than that of cereal rye. In trials in the Midwest, about 70 to 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre were available to the following row crop, after annual ryegrass was burned down. These results depended on field history.
Many farmers look for a cover crop capable of breaking through layers of soil compaction. Annual ryegrass performs much better than cereal rye, especially below 24 inches. The roots of row crops will follow the annual ryegrass roots deeper for nutrients and moisture that otherwise would not be available.
“In a dry year on a fraigpan soil, I’ve seen a 50 bushel-per-acre-boost in corn yield, where one part of the field is no-till and the other has had 6 years of annual ryegrass as a cover crop,” Dan Towery, a crop advisor with Ag Conservation Solutions, in W. Lafayette, Ind., says.
Mike Plumer, a University of Illinois Extension agronomist and cover crops specialist, says he would never recommend cereal rye to solve soil compaction.
Cereal rye is one of the most common cover crops.
“You can plant it later than many other cover crops and don’t have to worry about winter kill,” Towery says.
Cereal rye will survive all right in low rainfall, but it doesn’t do well in excessive moisture. It also grows fine in low soil fertility and sandy soil. Annual ryegrass does just fine in a wet climate. While it prefers fertile soil, annual ryegrass does well on poor, rocky soils and will do better than cereal rye in denser clay soils, according to the Sustainable Agriculture Network.
More biomass is a plus for cereal rye during the fall, winter and early spring because it provides good weed control. Annual ryegrass also is effective with weed control.
Cereal rye can dry out topsoil during a dry spring if it is not killed with a timely application of herbicide. On the other hand, cereal rye can get away from growers in a wet spring and can grow more than 6 feet high. That mat of residue can keep soils from drying out and warming up in a timely fashion. Heavy residue from cover crops can interfere with planting, according to a Purdue University study.
Annual ryegrass is generally burned down when it reaches 8 to 16 inches high. With far less biomass than cereal rye, annual ryegrass offers growers more flexibility because it doesn’t consume as much soil moisture. However, annual ryegrass is more of a challenge than cereal rye to burn down during cool weather when glyphosate doesn’t translocate as well.
While annual ryegrass and cereal rye both sequester nitrogen, cereal rye has more vegetation above ground in the spring, especially if it’s allowed to grow. That growth can tie up nitrogen, so it’s best to eliminate cereal rye while it’s less than 16 inches tall.
Whatever cover crop growers choose, Towery recommends starting on a small scale.
Tags: all cover crops, Annual ryegrass, biomass, cereal rye, cover crop, Dan Towery, deep rooting, drill seeding, erosion control, macropores, Mike Plumer, nitrogen-friendly cover crop help reduce the cost for fertilizer., No-Till, No-Till farming, ryegrass helps fight soybean cyst nematode, sequesters available nitrogen, soil compaction, water infiltration
I noticed these recent posts on No-Till Farmer’s website - growers recognizing the value of cover crops to prevent erosion. Note that in the second case, he’s using cover crops on waterways, as well as on crop lands.
Dan Gillespie is a no-tiller at Meadow Grove, Neb., and state NRCS no-till specialist. At this time, I consider the erosion control benefits to be the most important. Any soil not lost to erosion counts toward soil building. If I am going to drop $500 per acre into land costs and inputs, I have no problem investing $30 per acre in erosion control.
Marion Calmer is a no-tiller, onfarm researcher and owner of Calmer Corn Heads at Alpha, Ill. I sometimes think we get more soil loss from our unprotected draws and valleys than we used to in conventionally tilled fields. Think of it this way: If it washes a gulley in a draw once, it will eventually do it again!
Last spring, I seeded down 23 new waterways totaling more than 15 acres on my farms. Most of it was on non-highly erodible land soils.
I think it’s important to realize that while no-till is most helpful in protecting against erosion, it will not stop erosion in all cases. Depending upon your soil types, you may find that the best solution is to seed and maintain a grass waterway — even in no-till fields.
Annual ryegrass is by no means the only cover crop able to prevent erosion. But consider, when choosing a cover crop, one that will last throughout the winter. Those that winterkill will not do you as much good in the spring as those that come back in March and April. While annual ryegrass isn’t immune to winterkill, especially in deep cold, when winds and no snow cover create a hostile environment for most cover crops), its deep roots and top growth combine to add stability to the topsoil. Even in years where winterkill is an issue (last winter wasn’t one of those), it appears that the fall top growth and roots add some protection for erosion, as well as improving the soil quality.
Those who check on root depth of annual ryegrass at burndown, just before spring planting, note that its roots penetrate to depths of 5 feet or more, and this creates stability as well as significant organic matter and sequestered nitrogen that is available for spring corn and soybeans.
Tags: all cover crops, Annual ryegrass, annual ryegrass as a cover crop, burndown, capturing nitrogen, carbon sequestration, Dan Gillespie, deep rooting, erosion control, Marion Calmer, No-Till, No-Till corn and soybean, No-Till Farmer, organic matter, seeding waterways, spring planting, winterkill
A grower from Kentucky wrote recently about his use of annual ryegrass as a cover crop:
I think one of the keys to winter survival of Ryegrass is to NOT put nitrogen on it in the fall. Nitrogen causes a plant to take on a lot of water. What happens when water freezes? It expands and to the degree it expands depends on how cold. So my theory is that the cells in the plant become water logged you might say and burst …just like a frozen pipe! I base this on the fact that I have grown annual ryegrass for the last 2 years and haven’t lost a stand either year from freezing. This past year was the coldest winter we had here in KY in some time.
The grower has a good point. And I’m trying to get a bit more info from Garry Lacefield, a forage specialist at the University of Kentucky. In the meantime, here are my thoughts on whether to use nitrogen when planting annual ryegrass in the fall:
1. If you’re just switching over from conventional tillage, there’s probably not much organic matter in the soil. And, if you’ve not been putting manure on the field, there’s not much nitrogen available either. Thus, in this situation, I recommend adding nitrogen with the annual ryegrass. It will need a boost to get a good stand before winter sets in.
2. But for those who’ve been in no till for some years, there will be more organic matter and, thus, more nitrogen available for crop uptake. So in that case, the need for N with the annual ryegrass planting wouldn’t be necessary.
Here’s something else to consider - if the annual ryegrass stand is a foot or taller going into winter, you should consider grazing it (down to 3 inches or so) or green-chopping it. That would reduce the plant’s exposure to colder weather.
Nevertheless, geographic location and weather still play a large role in the health of cover crops over the winter. If there’s snow cover, the chances of winter kill are slim. And even with scant snow cover, if the temperatures don’t fluctuate wildly - from deep freeze to thaw and back - and if there’s not a severe wind chill…then the cover crop will also make it through okay.
Another Kentucky grower reported to me this spring that his annual ryegrass burned some last winter because of the cold temps. But with warmer spring weather, the crop rebounded fine.
Tags: all cover crops, Annual ryegrass, annual ryegrass as a cover crop, capturing nitrogen, carbon sequestration, Dan Towery, Garry Lacefield, nitrogen-friendly cover crop help reduce the cost for fertilizer., No-Till, No-Till farming, organic matter, sequesters available nitrogen, University of Kentucky, winterkill
