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Cover Crops in Iowa Quick Guide
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Midwest Cover Crops Council
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Cover Crops Info
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
Cover Crops Topic Room (SARE)
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Iowa USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Soil Health Illustrations
Cover Crops
Description
Cover crops reduce soil erosion by improving the structure and permeability of the soil. They also act as a physical barrier between raindrops and the surface, helping to lock soil in-place during heavy rainfall events. Cover crops must be planted annually. They can be seeded in the fall using a variety of methods including drilling after crop harvest, broadcasting after crop harvest or aerially broadcasting before harvest.
Benefits
Research indicates rye cover crops reduce nitrate concentration by 31 percent and oat cover crops reduce nitrates by 28 percent. Planting cover crops late summer or early fall can reduce phosphate losses by 29 percent.
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