Conserving Soil & Water

• Cover crops use water• Manage them to use water • Manage them to use water

that would be otherwise lost or not used

• Grow residue to protect the soil surface

Crop water use doesn’t match rainfall timing

8

10

es)

Evapotranspiration

4

6

ount

(inc

he EvapotranspirationTilled soil total = 27.4

Precipitation2Am

o PrecipitationTotal = 23.7

0J F M A M J J A S O N D

Months

Irrigated Corn South Central NE

Stored water? Potential losses

• Deep percolation, leaching nitrogen• Runoff from crusted or saturated Runoff from crusted or saturated

surfaces• Evaporation from unprotected surfacesp p• Once soil profile is full, rainfall “wasted”• Use some water to “save” more laterUse some water to save more later• Grow the water out rather than lose it

Biomass Production & Water Use

Missed opportunities for resource assimilation

Annual Cropping Systems

Missed opportunities for resource assimilation and dry matter production

tion

tion

s

Annual grain cropr pro

duct

s / t

ime)

r pro

duct

ourc

e lo

sss

/ tim

e)

Winter cover cropAnnual grain crop

Dry

mat

te

(mas

s

Dry

mat

teor

reso

(mas

s Winter cover crop

DD

Summer AutumnSpring Winter

Opportunities for resource losses, water and CO2

Seed cover crops by airplane to get earlier start and more growth

Flown on cover crop already growing and protecting a sandy hillside at harvest time

Roller‐crimper used to roll rye in organic soybean study – Jerry Lahners, Hebron, NE.

www.notillcovercrops.comCover Crops in Dryland South Central Nebraska

• Keith & Brian Berns, Bladen, NE• SARE grant to explore cover crops, waterg p p ,use, & grazing

• Website showing weekly photos of various cover cropscover crops

Gonnerman Trial, Gresham, NEGonnerman Trial, Gresham, NE

• Objective – Evaluate N fixation and nutrientObjective  Evaluate N fixation and nutrient cycling by cover crops containing legumes and availability for subsequent cropand availability for subsequent crop.

• 5 Cover crop blends.

4 li i• 4 replications.

• Planted after wheat August 6, 2010.

• Above ground biomass samples taken and analyzed for crop nutrients and feed value.y p

Gonnerman Trial, Gresham, NEGonnerman Trial, Gresham, NE

Gonnerman Field Day