Dodge County Badger Cover Crop Plot - Wisconsin … · Weed Suppressor Forage Producer ... Dodge...
Transcript of Dodge County Badger Cover Crop Plot - Wisconsin … · Weed Suppressor Forage Producer ... Dodge...
Dodge County Badger Cover Crop Plot Kreuziger Farms, Clyman, WI
Photo by Damon Reabe
Dodge County, WI
Plot Location
Multi-Agency Effort!
Public/Private Partnership!
Why Plant Cover Crops: N Source N Scavenger Soil Builder Subsoiler Topsoil loosener Erosion Preventer Weed Suppressor Forage Producer
Obvious benefits for improved water quality and wildlife habitat.
“Increase soil biological activity” “Build soil organic matter”
Badger Plot Research Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the use of cover crops will increase nitrogen recovery, improve soil quality and increase grain yields in a corn, soybean and winter wheat crop rotation.
Winter Wheat field prior to Harvest
Harvest Date: July 29, 2013
For these plots, seeding rate and recommendations were taken from NRCS Agronomy Tech Note 7
Drill calibration:
Plot Design:
Cover Crop Planting Day: July 30, 2013
April 4, 2013
2 Frost seeded clover plots planted:
May 5, 2013
The Results:
Frost Seeded Red Clover Trifolium Pratense
Control Plot-Volunteer Wheat Triticum aestivum
Crimson Clover Trifolium incarnatum
Crimson Clover/Radish mix Trifolium incarnatum/Raphanus sativas
Spring Barley Hordeum vulgare
Buckwheat
Buckwheat was hand pulled and removed to prevent future weed problems
Fagopyrum esculentum
Hairy Vetch/Oats mix Vicia villosa/Avena sativa
Oilseed Radish Raphanus sativus
Red Clover Trifolium Pratense
Annual Ryegrass Lolium multiflorum
Peas/Radish mix Pisum sativum/Raphanus sativus
Sudangrass Sorghum bicolor
Getting the Word Out!
• WLWCA email list • UWEX All Ag list • Posters/signs/newsletters • Staff working with producers • 408 Direct mailings/Invitation to all
attendees of county NM workshops
Agency Day!
Producer Day!
Cover Crop Field Events: Oct. 1-2, 2013
Over 150 in Attendance!
Cover Crop Field Events: Oct. 1-2, 2013
Soil Quality discussion: • Aggregate stability • Compaction • Glomulin • Soil Structure
Nutrient Cycling discussion: • Scavenging Nitrogen • Growing nitrogen • C : N ratios
Weed/Pest discussion: • Herbicide labels • Harvest as a forage? • Termination (fall vs. spring)
Talk about Soil Quality! • Controlled Wheel Traffic • Strip-Till system • Cover Crops
Dodge County Badger Cover Crop Plot Kreuziger Farms, Clyman, WI
Photo by Damon Reabe
Dodge County, WI
Plot Location
2014 Yield Check