Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

Native cover crops and timing of planting: Effects on 15N uptake, weed invasion and prairie establishment

Project ID: E2006-11

Abstract

Cover crops have been used for several purposes in prairie restorations. This project looked at whether the assumed benefits are supported by research results.

Key Question: Do cover crops help to lower weed invasion, establish native prairie vegetation, and prevent nitrogen loss to nearby water bodies?

Findings: The best choices for meeting these objectives are no cover crop or Canada wildrye as a cover crop.

Lead investigator: Brian Wilsey, ISU Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology

Year of grant completion: 2009

This competitive grant project was part of the Leopold Center's Ecology Initiative.

Topics: Cover crops, double crops, strip cropping, Farming systems, Weed control alternatives (not GMOs)