Agronomy
We are very happy with cereal rye ahead of soybeans, but it seems to have a negative effect ahead of corn even if we terminate early. Have you had good luck planting any other kind of cover crop after soybeans ahead of corn? How do you seed it? Our primary goals would be to cover the soil to help increase water infiltration and build organic matter, but producing N or being able to graze cattle would be a plus.
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These may offer some answers on issues with corn after cereal rye. The first is university research. The second is farmer experience and advice.
We’ve been drilling it immediately after harvest. It seems that where the rye was we don’t get quite as good of a stand and it seems to slow it down a little. We had a perfect kill well before planting and put down 80 units of 32% with the planter.
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I’m very similar to this with my prescription. From seeding cc to planting corn. It seems that there is some pressure on the next corn crop.
We have used RTK NH 3 on live rye in spring and then planted on top of these pseudo strip till rows. If rye is big terminate pre plant. Last 2 years fall rye was slow to get going so planted in 15” rye and then terminated. We dribble 5 gal 32% and 5 gal ammonium thiosol with planter split 3 inches off row. We don’t see any of the allelopathic effect on early corn growth.
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I’m curious too about different mixes. I’m bound by a couple contracts to seed cc on some eqip acres. There of course you have to meet a criteria some many warm seasons so many cool seasons so many grasses and so on. I would like to find a replacement for the rye it is the heaviest concentration in my blends. Triticale?
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Not for certain that there is anything wrong with it but I know it’s tougher to kill once you put out N. Or at least slower to die. Ideally it would be killed just prior. But that isn’t always the case. I see a lot quicker response in growing corn along side the corn growing in the rye.
More than anything I just want to be sure I’m giving the plants the best opportunity to reach potential.
What is the concern with the rye? Too much biomass? N tie up? Going to seed?
Trit will be a bit less biomass, and not speed through boot to seed quite so quick. A hair less winter hardy than rye.
When are you seeding the blend?
Winter seeding you can use hairy vetch for a good bit of N, maybe mixed with a touch of rye, winter peas, maybe a dash of radish or rapeseed, oats or barley if you get the beans off early enough. Turnips and kale are good grazing too. In KS I bet even regular 4010 peas wouldn't winter kill until late Jan, giving you live cover most of the winter.
Spring seeding we're trying to seed as early as we...