Final report for ONC22-101
Project Information
Combating challenges that threaten crop production across variable growing conditions is vital to mitigating the impacts of abiotic constraints on food production, profitability, and stewardship of natural resources. Of particular concern is heavy and frequent rainfall in the North Central Region. Heavy rainfall after planting, especially followed by dry weather, can cause the soil to form a surface crust, resulting in a hard, compact, and brittle surface soil. Farmers face seedling death and loss of productivity. The long-term goal of this project is to promote the successful adoption of a cover crop prior to soybean planting to improve system resilience to intense rainfall and soil crusting. Objectives include: 1) examine the use of a cover crop to physically protect the soil surface and reduce soil crusting after heavy rainfall events, improving soybean emergence, survival, and ultimately yield, and 2) develop research-based interactive learning modules to empower farmers to make decisions regarding implementation of cover crops on their farm. Outcomes are expected to lead to the development of economically-sustainable strategies that promote stewardship of natural resources.
Objectives of this project are to: 1) examine the use of a cover crop to physically protect the soil surface and reduce soil crusting after heavy rainfall events, improving soybean emergence, survival, and ultimately yield, and 2) develop research-based interactive learning modules to empower farmers to make decisions regarding implementation of cover crops on their farm.
Cooperators
- (Educator and Researcher)
Research
In fall 2022, four farmer cooperators were identified to participate in this on-farm research project. Treatments included: cover crop and non-treated control (no cover crop). Treatments were replicated 3-4 times within a field as strips. Farmers selected cover crop species and seeding rate based on their experience and interest. In spring 2023, the cover crops were terminated according to each farmer's standard practice and the entire field area was planted to soybean. In the spring, soybean plant population was measured. Soil temperature, moisture, and resistance were tracked every other week through summer. In the fall, farmers harvested their soybean. The entire field experiment was repeated in 2024 with three farmer-cooperators.
In 2023 and 2024, the experiment was conducted at 7 on-farm locations in Auglaize and Darke County, Ohio. Across the 7 locations, there was a trend of reduced surface compaction when there was a cover crop prior to soybean; however, the trend was not statistically significant. At three locations, soil temperature was slightly warmer in mid-June where there was a cover crop and at one location the soil temperature was slightly cooler with a cover crop. The remaining three locations had no difference in soil temperature with and without a cover crop. At two locations, soil moisture was greater when there was a cover crop prior to soybean. There was no difference in soybean yield between the cover crop and no cover crop treatment. However, at two out of seven locations, there was a slight reduction in profitability when there was a cover crop prior to soybean due to the costs of the cover crop.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
This research was presented at the American Society of Agronomy International Annual Meeting in October 2023 and November 2024 by a graduate student. Cover crop management stategies for soybean was discussed during the 2023 Virtual Corn College and Soybean School (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRWlnBLdouI&list=PLYlh_BdeqniLC0ND3DkF7uTo5NLQFs4Vo&index=2) with 496 views on YouTube.
Learning Outcomes
One farmer who participated in this research never previously used cover crops on his farm. Although the research is done, he started planting cover crops on his farm as an outcome of this research.
The two farmers who had the greatest profitability associated with cover crops were also the two most experienced with cover crops. This indicates that experience with cover crops can help improve profitability and can take time to successfully implement cover crops on a farm.