Abstract

There has been increased interest in interseeding as a strategy to integrate cover crops into corn silage systems earlier in the season to maximize the conservation and ecological benefits. Cover cropping can improve soil health and minimize soil and nutrient losses to the environment. Farmers are also selecting cover crop species for specific value-added benefits. One of these targeted benefits is that it can be used as forage after the cash crop harvest. This can increase the tangible benefits while potentially decreasing additional costs or inputs for the farmer. However, there are several challenges limiting farmer adoption and success with interseeding cover crops. Interseeding when corn is between the V2 to V6 growth stage is preferable because after corn has reached the V6 stage, most seeding equipment is not tall enough, increasing the risk of damaging the corn crop. This requires owning or having access to specialized cover crop interseeding equipment. Another challenge is that typical corn row spacings create shade that limits cover crop establishment and growth. The solar corridor system is an alternative cropping system that is designed to increase the availability of sunlight to all rows, which can improve crop growth and nutrient cycling in the soil. Increasing the row width of corn silage may improve interseeded cover crop growth, but it is still important to maintain cash crop yields. Practical Farmers of Iowa found that over three years of on-farm trials in grain corn, 60” rows produced significantly more cover crop biomass, but reduced grain yields by an average of 12% (Gailans, 2018, 2019, 2020). The University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program (UVM Extension NWCS) has conducted two years of research trials in corn silage, comparing corn yield and cover crop biomass in 30” and 60” rows, and found similar results. Increasing corn row widths to 36” or 40” may minimize the yield loss while still allowing for successful cover crop establishment. In 2021, UVM Extension NWCS conducted two field experiments and an on-farm research trial to study the effect that corn row width has on silage yields and cover crop or forage crop establishment.

Keywords

Vermont, University of Vermont, UVM Extension, Northwest Crops & Soils

Publication Date

1-2022

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