ARS | Publication request: Four-year study offers recommendations for using companion crops with silage corn

Submitted to: Forage Focus
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: March 5, 2012
Publication Date: March 19, 2012
Citation: Grabber, J.H., Bocher, L.W. 2012. Four-year study offers recommendations for using companion crops with silage corn. Forage Focus. May 2012. pp 7-9.

Technical Abstract: At the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, a four-year study was conducted to compare five different companion crop systems for no-till silage corn amended annually with fall versus spring manure. The study looked at three important aspects: • How much cover was provided for the soil? • How much forage was produced? • What is the effect on soil quality? Overall, no system was clearly superior in all attributes, but some were advantageous under certain circumstances. This article will explain those advantages in an effort to help producers select appropriate companion crop and manure management systems for no-till silage corn that will meet feed production while reducing soil and nutrient loss from cropland.