Virtual field day to discuss managing cereal rye ahead of corn

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and Conservation Learning Group, will host a free virtual cover crop field day on April 16 at 1 p.m. The event will allow for live interaction with Mark Licht, assistant professor and extension cropping systems specialist at Iowa State University, and Alison Robertson, professor and extension pathologist at Iowa State, as they discuss their current cover crop research projects.

Cover crops continue to grow in popularity due to their many benefits including soil erosion reduction, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased soil organic matter. Cereal rye is the most commonly used cover crop species in Iowa and many other Midwestern states. Proper management of cereal rye ahead of corn is key to optimizing conservation and crop production goals.

Licht and Robertson will discuss two research projects that began in fall 2018 and are funded through the Iowa Nutrient Research Center. Together they are exploring nitrogen rates, pest and pathogen management, seeding rates, termination dates and the best tillage management system for managing cereal rye ahead of corn.

“One of questions we are looking to answer is how can we reduce the cost of cover crops through reduced seeding rates and still meet soil health and water quality conservation goals, while simultaneously adjusting termination timing and seeding method to meet corn production goals. We are aiming to find the balance,” said Licht. “In the second project, we are looking at no-tillage and strip-tillage systems with different starter nitrogen rates to manage corn for optimal growth following cereal rye.”

The live field day begins at 1 p.m. on April 16 and can be accessed here: https://iastate.zoom.us/s/315189792. Or, join from a dial-in phone line by calling +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923. The meeting ID is 315 189 792.

The field day will also be recorded and archived on the ILF website, so that it can be watched at any time. The archive is available at www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/events.

A Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit has been applied for, for those who are able to participate in the live webinar. Information about how to apply to receive the CEU (if approved) will be provided at the end of the live webinar.

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319) and GROWMARK Inc.