Opportunities to incorporate cover crops into various cropping systems will be the focus of a North Dakota State University field day covering cover crops, intercropping and soil health on Tuesday, September 20.
The field day will also focus on the benefits of cover crops and placing alfalfa in an intercropping system, and how cover crops can be used in local farming systems and benefit soil health.
“Cover crops have a positive effect on soil health, and we’re still learning more about how to best incorporate cover crops into agricultural systems,” says Abbey Wick, NDSU Extension soil health specialist.
Presenters will demonstrate and discuss the benefits of cover crops and how to establish alfalfa in a growing crop.
The field day will begin with coffee at 9 a.m. at the research site in Hickson. To access the site, take I-29 south of Fargo to Kindred Exit 48, then turn east and then turn left (heading north) onto Highway 81. Travel 0.5 miles and you will see field day flags.
A second stop will be at the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (NDAES) in Fargo located 0.4 miles west of the corner of 18th Street North and 15th Avenue North or just east of the corner of Dakota Drive and 15th Northern Avenue.
Lunch will be at the Fargo location before the afternoon program, which will end around 3:00 p.m.
Hickson’s research site topics are:
- Corn-alfalfa and sorghum-alfalfa intercrops
- Interculture sunflower-alfalfa
- Integrating winter alfalfa and camellia into soybean-wheat-sunflower rotations
The topics of the NDAES website are:
- Overview of competition in intercultural systems
- Freezing tolerance in winter cover crops
- Midterm research of wheatgrass in North Dakota
- Cover the crop in soybeans
- Benefits and challenges of cover crops
- Cover crop planting date proof
“For several years I have been researching different cover crops within different cropping systems,” says Marisol Berti, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences professor of forage, cover crops and biomass production and organizer of the event. “Creating alfalfa within a sunflower crop has great potential.”
Hans Kandel, NDSU Extension agronomist and a field day presenter, adds, “After soybeans are harvested, there is limited residue left to protect the soil. Planting cover crops in soybean is one of the management strategies to increase ground cover. For farmers who are interested in growing winter rye, one question they have is whether to plant soybeans in the growing rye or stop the grain before planting soybeans.
Field day participants will have the opportunity to learn about cover crop research findings as well as network and visit with other participants who have experience incorporating cover crops into their farming systems.
Lunch will be provided; however registration is required by September 10th. Visit https://tinyurl.com/yn49c3zr to register online.
For more information on the field day, visit https://www.ndsu.ag/op2n8f.
This field day is part of the outreach effort associated with two National Institute of Food and Agriculture grants from the US Department of Agriculture awarded to North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station scientists and a Sustainable Research and Education grant of North Central Agriculture – Professional Development.
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NDSU Agriculture Communication – August 30, 2022
Source: Hans Kandel, 701-231-8135, hans.kandel@ndsu.edu
Source: Marisol Berti, 701-231-6110, marisol.berti@ndsu.edu
Editor: Kelli Anderson, 701-231-6136, kelli.c.anderson@ndsu.edu
