Evaluating Perennial Cereal Rye as a Triple-Use Crop

Commodities

Practices

Can Perennial Cereal Rye be an effective tripe-use crop as grain, forage, and cover crop over a three-year period? This project evaluates the soil health benefits, water infiltration potential, time savings, and financial impact of incorporating ACE-1 Perennial Cereal Rye into an organic crop rotation in the Driftless region of Wisconsin. I will analyze broadcast versus drilling new plantings (Y0 plantings), grain yields (Y1 plantings), and forage yields (Y2 plantings), and test different ways to transition from PCR into the next crop (Y3 plantings). I am particularly interested in understanding whether PCR that has been in the field for at least two winters, preferably three, can then be roller crimped into soybeans or dry beans. I am in a strong position to run these evaluations because I currently have Year 0 (planted fall 2024), as well as Year 2 (planted fall 2022) PCR in my fields and seed that can be planted for a Year 1 (fall 2025) planting during the grant cycle. At a time when farmers in this area have urgency to implement practices that boost soil health, reduce erosion, and infiltrate water, we need to understand whether PCR is a viable tool in our crop toolbox.

The solution I am evaluating is whether Perennial Cereal Rye is effective in any of the following aspects for the Driftless region: improved soil health, improved water infiltration, improved weed management, time savings for farms, and/or financial benefits for farms. I will set up my trial to evaluate Perennial Cereal Rye as a potential three-year, triple-use crop as follows.

Data collection will center on soil tests taken on all planted and anticipated fields in 

1. Spring 2025: Year 3 plantings (planted fall 2022): A soil test will be taken on both Y3 fields in spring 2025 to determine the soil profile after two harvests, compared to tests from fall 2022. A water infiltration test will be conducted.
2. Spring 2025: Year 1 plantings (broadcast fall 2024): A soil test will be taken in spring 2025, and a visual evaluation conducted, to determine viability of broadcasting PCR versus drilling. A water infiltration test will be conducted on these fields as well.
3. Spring 2025: Year 3 plantings (planted fall 2022): Use strip testing to look at roller crimp versus till into soybeans on fields coming out of their 3rd winter in PCR. Use visual evaluation to determine effectiveness of each technique transitioning out of PCR. Continue to observe follow-on plantings and monitor yields to determine time, yield, and cost impact of PCR as cover versus other fields not in PCR.
4. Summer 2025: Planned Year 0 plantings (fall 2025): A soil test and water infiltration will be taken when the 2025 crop comes out of fields going into PCR so both soil and water can be gauged over the full course of planting to multi-year harvest. 
5. Summer 2025: Year 1 plantings (planted fall 2024): Harvest for grain and evaluate yield, test weight, marketability, and feedability for beef cows.
6. Fall 2025: Planned Year 0 plantings: Plant new fields (soil tested in step #4 above) into PCR. I will test optimal planting technique on one portion of the field by using strip testing of broadcast (if data from #2 indicates it is worth trying again), grain drill, and no-till drill. Track time, cost of field prep and planting.
7. Spring 2026: Haney soil test and water infiltration test of all fields in PCR.
8. Summer 2026: Year 1 plantings (planted fall 2025): Harvest for grain and evaluate yield, test weight, marketability, and feedability for beef cows. Take soil test to determine nutrient usage in Year 1.
9. Summer 2026: Year 2 plantings (planted fall 2024): Harvest for forage and evaluate yield and feedability for beef cows. Take soil test to determine nutrient usage in Year 2.
10. Fall 2026: Year 0 plantings (planned for fall 2026): Use best practices identified in steps #2 and #6 to ensure strong establishment.

Objectives:

1. Determine whether broadcast, drilling, or no-till drilling is the most effective way of planting PCR for optimal impact.
2. Determine soil health benefits of PCR, if any.
3. Determine whether PCR has a beneficial impact on water infiltration on fields where it is planted for at least two winters.
4. Determine whether PCR saves farmers time by reducing tillage, reducing planting time, etc.
5. Determine whether PCR saves farmers money by providing a grain crop, cover crop, and potentially an additional forage crop from a single planting.