Estimated Costs for a Winter Cover Crop in an Annual Crop Rotation

Authors: Sarah Light – UC Cooperative Extension Agronomy Advisor, Sutter, Yuba, Colusa Counties; Margaret Lloyd – UC Cooperative Extension Small Farms Advisor, Yolo, Solano, Sacramento Counties; Helaine Berris – Graduate Student, UC Davis, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources; Donald Stewart – Staff Research Associate, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis; Brittney Goodrich – UC Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis

View the full publication here: https://coststudyfiles.ucdavis.edu/uploads/pub/2022/09/28/2022covercropsbenefits.pdf

This cost study models the planting and management of a winter cover crop in a summer crop rotation planted in the lower Sacramento Valley of … Read the rest

USDA NRCS Evaluation of Spring Seeded Cover Crops in Colorado, Montana and North Dakota

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Link: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/natpmtn13647.pdf

Plant Materials Centers in Bridger, MT, Bismarck, ND and the Upper Colorado Environmental Plant Center, Meeker, CO conducted a 2-year evaluation of over 50 commercially available varieties of black oats, black seeded oats, cereal rye, crimson clover, daikon radish, hairy vetch, red clover, and winter/field pea to assess their adaptation and performance as spring seeded cover crops. Information from the study will assist conservation planners and farmers in selecting varieties to meet the cover crop objectives of their production systems.… Read the rest

USDA NRCS Evaluation of Cool Season Cover Crops in the Southwest Region

Read the report here.

Link: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/natpmtn13595.pdf

Plant Materials Centers (PMCs) in Tucson, AZ, Lockeford, CA, Meeker CO, Los Lunas, NM and Fallon, NV conducted a 2-year evaluation of 56 commercially available varieties of black oats, black seeded oats, cereal rye, crimson clover, daikon radish, hairy vetch, red clover, and winter/field pea to assess their adaptation and performance as cover crops in the Southwest PMC region. Information from the study will assist conservation planners and farmers in selecting varieties to meet the cover crop objectives of their production systems.… Read the rest

USDA NRCS Evaluation of Cool Season Cover Crops in the Northwest

Read the report here.

Link: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/natpmtn13594.pdf

Plant Materials Centers (PMCs) in Aberdeen, ID, Corvallis, OR, and Pullman, WA conducted a 2-year evaluation of 56 commercially available varieties of cereal rye, hairy vetch, crimson clover, red clover, winter/field pea, black oats, black seeded oats, and daikon radish to assess their adaptation and performance as cover crops in the North Central PMC region. Information from the study will assist conservation planners and farmers in selecting varieties to meet the cover crop objectives of their production systems.… Read the rest

Cover Crop Performance and Adaptation Trials at NRCS Plant Materials Centers

Link: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/plantmaterials/technical/publications/?cid=nrcseprd1610414

The information from this resource contains reports and technical information related to the performance and adaptation of cover crops in different part of the Unites States.

Farmers rely on the latest crop variety trials to make informed decisions on planting the best adapted crop variety to maximize yield given their soils and production practices.  With the ever-growing interest in planting cover crops, the NRCS Plant Materials Centers initiated studies to better characterize performance and adaptation of commercially available cover crop varieties.  Choosing the most appropriate cover crop varieties, like choosing the best crop varieties, will ultimately assist farmers … Read the rest