Interseeding cover crops into corn in Wisconsin: Can it work?

Matt Ruark, Associate Professor, Dept. of Soil Science, Dan Smith, Graduate Student, Dept. of Agronomy

The short answer is yes. Recent research at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station has demonstrated that interseeding rye, red clover, or radish into V5 corn led to successful stand establishment of the cover crop with no detrimental effects on yield. Details about the practice of interseeding and preliminary results are presented in a short University of Wisconsin-Extension YouTube video by Matt Ruark and Dan Smith (http://go.wisc.edu/x93818)

Now – will this practice work everywhere and all the time? This remains to be seen. But there is a lot to be optimistic about in-terms of cover crop establishment, which of course is the first step in obtaining the benefits in erosion reduction, nitrogen retention, and carbon building offered by the cover crops.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipw2lsyYZ0E&width=640&height=390[/embedyt]