Midwest Cover Crops Council - North Dakota annual report

Authors: BERTI, MARISOL - North Dakota State University; SAMARAPPULI, DULA - North Dakota State University; CABELLO, SERGIO - North Dakota State University; WITTENBERG, ALEX - North Dakota State University; MOZEA, KENNETH - North Dakota State University; RANSOM, JOEL - North Dakota State University; KANDEL, HANS - North Dakota State University; WICK, ABBEY - North Dakota State University; FRANZEN, DAVID - North Dakota State University; YAN, GUIPING - North Dakota State University; Anderson, James

Submitted to: Electronic Publication
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/8/2021
Publication Date: 4/8/2021
Citation: Berti, M., Samarappuli, D., Cabello, S., Wittenberg, A., Mozea, K., Rasom, J., Kandel, H., Wick, A., Franzen, D., Yan, G., Anderson, J.V., et al, 2021. Midwest Cover Crops Council - North Dakota annual report. Electronic Publication. p. 30.

Interpretive Summary: The three predominant areas of cover crop research in North Dakota include 1) assessing the impact of cover crops on soil health, agronomic production, and profitability; 2) developing recommendations for cover crop establishment across production systems; and 3) evaluating cover crops for grazing. The total area of cover crops in North Dakota is greater than 500,000 acres and is increasing dramatically thanks to the many participants involved in cover crops research and extension in the state. Researchers secured $215,610 in new funding for cover crops research in 2020 and published 14 peer-reviewed articles, 8 extension publications, and provided 11 presentation at various venues, and presented five field days and 49 videos. The 2020 North Dakota annual report also discusses the impact of oilseed cover crops on pest pressure, biomass yield and nutritional quality of annual forage mixtures, biomass produced from spring seeding of various cover crops into wheat stubble, and a survey of growers in North Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota between 2016-2020. Of the top six cover crop-related practices impacting growers most since 2016, evaluation of soil health (35%) was the greatest, followed closely by using cover crops to manage weeds, insects, and diseases (34%).

Technical Abstract: Cover crop research in North Dakota includes 1) assessing the impact of cover crops on soil health, agronomic production, and profitability; 2) developing recommendations for cover crop establishment across production systems; and 3) evaluating cover crops for grazing. Cover crop interseeding research has increased in the last few years and many farmers are interseeding cover crops into standing corn, soybean, and sunflower. However, research has demonstrated that light under the corn or soybean canopy does not support optimum growth conditions for cover crop establishment. Thus, research is now focusing on establishing cover crops into corn and sunflowers planted in 60” rows to evaluate benefits for improving soil health and forage for grazing. The total area of cover crops in North Dakota is currently greater than 500,000 acres and is increasing dramatically thanks to the many researchers and graduate students involved in cover crops research and extension in the state. Researchers were able to secure $215,610 in new funding for cover crops research in 2020 and published 14 peer-reviewed articles, 8 extension publications, and provided 11 presentation in conferences, workshops and symposiums, five field days, and 49 videos. This annual report also discusses the impact of oilseed cover crops on pest pressure related to soybean cyst nematode, biomass yield and nutritional quality of annual forage mixtures compared to sorghum monocropping, biomass produced from spring seeding of various cover crops into wheat stubble, and a survey of growers in ND, IA, and MN participating in at least one extension event from 2016-2020. In the survey, ninety-three percent of growers represented 257,600 acres and eighty-two percent of consultants covered 760,000 acres across the three states. Six cover crop-related practices had the most impact on growers since 2016, with evaluation of soil health (35% started after 2016) being the greatest, followed closely by using cover crops to manage weeds, insects, and diseases (34% started after 2016).