Cover Crop Seed Coatings in Soybean (Year 1)

METHODOLOGY:

Cover crops seeds of various species coated with 34%, 50%, and 70% (by wt.) of limestone- with and without water absorbent, were broadcast early (corn at V6 and small grain at milk stage) and late season (corn at half milkline and soybean at leafdrop stage) on standing cash crops in 2016 and 2017 growing season in at least five eastern SD farmer cooperators’ fields. The seeds were hand broadcast on 10’ x 20’ plots with three replicates at each site.

A mix of Annual Ryegrass, Mungbean, and Rapeseed was applied on corn at V6 growth stage at five sites- SDSU Northeast Farm, SDSU Southeast Farm, and farmer cooperators’ fields in Kingsbury, Brookings, and Minnehaha counties. Sorghum sudangrass and German millet were added to the blend (i.e., one used on corn at V6) to broadcast on small grains at milk-soft dough stage at five sites. Early season spreading of cover crops seeds (V6 corn and milk stage small grains) were completed by the third week of June.

RESULTS:

Plant counts of individual cover crop species growth were taken after about 60 days after broadcast. Both seasons, we observed mixed results. We did not notice a trend of one coating level working better over others. The table shows the total number of individual cover crop species averaged across locations.

Refer to results:

Cover Crop Seed Coatings in Soybean, 2017, Kingsbury Co.

https://onfarmresearch.sdsoybean.org/archives/reports/cover-crop-seed-coatings-in-soybean

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Prepared by: David Karki, SDSU Extension Watertown Regional Center

Partial funding provided by the South Dakota Soybean and Promotion Council and SDSU extension.