{"id":1487,"date":"2018-10-05T20:48:19","date_gmt":"2018-10-05T20:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agrilife.org\/texasrowcrops\/?p=1487"},"modified":"2018-10-05T20:48:19","modified_gmt":"2018-10-05T20:48:19","slug":"fall-cover-cropping-for-texas-is-it-for-you-how-many-species-should-i-plant-and-what-should-i-pay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agrilife.org\/texasrowcrops\/2018\/10\/05\/fall-cover-cropping-for-texas-is-it-for-you-how-many-species-should-i-plant-and-what-should-i-pay\/","title":{"rendered":"Fall Cover Cropping for Texas\u2014Is it for you? How many species should I plant and what should I pay?"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, (806) 723-8432, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Producers across Texas are becoming more familiar with the concepts of cover cropping. \u00a0More farmers are asking about it, and some are trying cover cropping in some form.\u00a0 Cover cropping across the U.S. and even in Texas takes many forms (Fig. 1).<\/p>\n

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Fig. 1. Cover crop combination mix drilled mid-August 2018, Mitchell Co., TX. Ample rains have occurred since planting. Sorghum\/sudan + sudan at only 4.4% of a 20 lb. mix has generated substantial vertical growth. Rye* was 65% of the seed weight but is not prominent in the stand (hot conditions at planting for a cool-season grass?). Other species include cowpeas (a few are visible), hairy vetch,* rapeseed,* tillage radish,* buckwheat, sunflower, and flax. (*Anticipated to survive through the winter.)<\/p><\/div>\n

In the Texas South Plains (general Lubbock region) we have over 1 million acres of cover cropping annually\u2014the use of terminated rye or wheat to protect seedling cotton, mostly on irrigated (Fig. 2).<\/p>\n

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Fig. 2. Wheat planted on bed shoulders for eventual seedling cotton protection, Terry Co., Texas. Spring vertical growth will be terminated with glyphosate then cotton planted on top of the bed in the middle of the two wheat rows. The purpose is to control potential wind and blowing soil damage to fragile cotton seedlings.<\/p><\/div>\n

Ironically, many cover crop advocates, likely from other areas, don\u2019t view this terminated wheat system as a true cover crop (only one species, soil building not the purpose, etc.).\u00a0 But it is.<\/p>\n

Texas A&M Soil & Crop Sciences staff across the state are asked about cover crops on a regular basis.\u00a0 Our answers vary widely depending on where we are located and the farmer\u2019s goals.\u00a0 For example, my reply to a typical question about cover cropping in the Texas High Plains, especially dryland (15-20\u201d of annual rainfall) may differ considerably from my College Station colleagues, where rainfall is about double.\u00a0 I am much more likely to be concerned about potential moisture use by a cover crop.<\/p>\n

In fact, moisture loss is my primary concern for why cover cropping may NOT be a feasible endeavor for many producers, especially as you move further west across Texas.<\/p>\n

Many claims about the potential benefits of cover crops need more data, especially long-term field trials of five years or more, to determine the pros and cons\u2014and the economic impact\u2014that cover crops might have.\u00a0 There is certainly a major amount of observational conclusions and opinions about cover cropping and its effectiveness, and you will read about these in popular farm press or hear about them at numerous presentations on cover crops. \u00a0But being a member of a data-based educational institution, we in AgriLife don\u2019t have a lot of Texas data to share with producers\u2014yet.<\/p>\n

Considerations Before you Implement Cover Cropping<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before you as a producer engage in cover cropping, especially if soil erosion protection is your goal, I urge you to consider two things<\/u>:<\/p>\n