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©2008 Rodale institute

RODALE INSTITUTE

“Innovative Cover Crop Management Strategies”

By Jeff MoyerFarm Director

©2008 Rodale institute

Written in 1942

“Healthy Soil = Healthy Food = Healthy People”J.I.Rodale

©2008 Rodale institute

FST Soil Results

Soils of the organic systems have a more active soil biological community higher levels of glomalin (a glycoprotein that acts like ‘glue’, binding organic matter to mineral particles),

greater populations of mycorrhizae (a fungus that forms a symbiotic relationship with its host plant:

the fungus receives carbohydrates from the plant, which in return gains access to water and nutrients).

This leads to improved soil structure and enhanced carbon sequestration.

organic conventionalconventionalorganic

©2008 Rodale institute

Cover Crops• Soil cover (reduces erosion)

• Builds soil organic matter

• Deliver key nutrients (Legumes - N)

• Conserves (recycles) nutrients

• Nutrient source for soil microbes

• Weed suppression

• Breaks pest cycles

• Reduces compaction

• Increases soil aggregation

• Increases infiltration

• Improves water holding capacity

• Improves aeration

• Reduces soil crusting

©2008 Rodale institute

Crop Rotation Protocols

•By Plant Type•To Build Pest Resistance•To Improve Soil•To Make More Money•To Enhance Biodiversity

©2008 Rodale institute

Tillage has it’s Drawbacks

©2008 Rodale institute

Tillage Opens the System Up to Damage

©2008 Rodale institute

Several Secondary Tillages

©2008 Rodale institute

We Can Mulch Out Annual Weeds In The Garden

©2008 Rodale institute

A Different Way of Farming

©2008 Rodale institute

• Culti-packer• Stalk chopper• Flail mower

Past - equipment to kill cover crops

©2008 Rodale institute

Tools That Make it Possible

©2008 Rodale institute

Corn

PLOW TILL• PLOW• DISC• PACK• PLANT• ROTARY HOE• ROTARY HOE• CULTIVATE• CULTIVATE• HARVEST• (143 Bu/A)

NO-TILL• ROLL/PLANT• HARVEST• (160 Bu/A)

A two step organic production system Plant and Harvest!

©2008 Rodale institute

The Key To A Successful Weed Program

Cover Crops

Hairy VetchHairy Vetch/RyeCrimson Clover

©2008 Rodale institute

3111

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Oats HV Plow5/12/03

BuWh HV 6/9/03 Oats HV 6/9/03 Barley HV 6/9/03 Wheat HV 6/9/03 Rye HV 6/9/03

Cover Crop Treatment & Date Collected

Bio

mas

s (L

bs /

Acr

e)

Average Biomass (lbs/A) of Cover Crop Mixtures: 2003 Corn Cover Crop Trial

©2008 Rodale institute

Cast Iron Closing Wheels

Additional Weight130 lb per row

Planter ModificationsJ1

Slide 16

J1 JMOYER, 1/17/2007

©2008 Rodale institute

Mis-Planted Seed

©2008 Rodale institute

Yetter Residue Managers

©2008 Rodale institute

•

©2008 Rodale institute

2006 Pre-harvest No-Till Corn Plant Population

2006 preharvest No-till Corn plant population Field 60, The Rodale Institute, Berks Co., PA

24882 24338

22971

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Minnesota Oregon 1 Oregon 2 Wisconsin Steve Groff PA-1

(Early planted HV)

Steve Groff PA-1

(Late planted HV)

Field 60 Average

Seed tag origin of Hairy Vetch

Cor

n po

pula

tion

/acr

e

©2008 Rodale institute

Corn 3 Days After Planting

©2008 Rodale institute

Cover from Mechanical Kill

©2008 Rodale institute

Corn Mid-Season

©2008 Rodale institute

2013 Corn into Hairy Vetch

©2008 Rodale institute

2010 Soybean Research Plots

©2008 Rodale institute

2012 Termination Trials - Soybeans

©2008 Rodale institute

Treatment #14 Planted May 23rd w/oShark Teeth

Cover Crop Removed

Yield 17 Bu/A

©2008 Rodale institute

Treatment #11 Planted June 1st w/Shark Teeth

Yield 38 Bu/A

©2008 Rodale institute

Treatment #2 Planted May 23rd w/Shark Teeth

Yield 59 Bu/A

©2008 Rodale institute

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Cereal ry

e biom

ass (kg ha

‐1)

26‐Aug 5‐Sep 15‐Sep 25‐Sep 5‐Oct 15‐Oct

Planting Date

2200 kg ha‐1

May 20Termination Dates May 30 

Effects of planting and termination date on cereal rye biomass(Penn State University, Rock Springs, PA; Aroostook cereal rye)

Mirsky,S.B.,W.S.Curran,D.M.Mortensen,D.L.Shumway,andM.R.Ryan.2011.Timingofcovercropmanagementeffectsonweedsuppressioninno‐tillplantedsoybeanusingaroller‐crimper.WeedScience.59:380–389.

Photographs taken on April 1

©2008 Rodale instituteRyan, MR, WS Curran, AM Grantham, LK Hunsberger, SB Mirsky, DA Mortensen, EA Nord, and DO Wilson. 2011. Effects of seeding rate and poultry litter on weed suppression from a rolled cereal rye cover crop. Weed Science 59:438–444.

Increasing seeding rate did not increase cereal rye biomass

However, it did decrease weed 

biomass

Seeding rate (kg seed ha-1)90 150 210

Wee

d bi

omas

s (g

m-1

)

0

100

200

300A

B

AB

Ground cover important predicator of weed biomass 

©2008 Rodale institute

2009 Tomato

©2008 Rodale institute

6 weeks after rolling

©2008 Rodale institute

Sorghum Sudan Grass

©2008 Rodale institute

No-Till Pumpkins into Rye – Long Island, NY

©2008 Rodale institute

No-Till Grain Drill

©2008 Rodale institute

Horse Drawn & Pull Type

©2008 Rodale institute

Roller/Crimper for Raised Beds

©2008 Rodale institute

The Concept is Scale Neutral

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Clove Oil:Application

©2008 Rodale institute

High Residue Cultivator

©2008 Rodale institute

Thank You!Jeff Moyer

jeff.moyer@rodaleinstitute.org610-683-1420

Rodale Institute