Iowa Learning Farms’ free webinar at noon May 15 will provide information about cover crops and how they affect water quality and crop yields.

The free webinar will discuss the impact of different cover crop species on water quality, measured via lysimeters, and cash crop yield at six Iowa State University research farms.

Before corn is planted in the crop rotation, the single species of cover crop used is oats, and the mixture contains oats, hairy vetch and radish. Before soybeans, the single species used is rye, and the mixture contains rye, rapeseed and radish.

Single species vs. mixtures

Emily Waring, ISU graduate research assistant, will present the current results from the project. “This research investigates which cover crop species are the most effective across the state of Iowa, and takes into consideration environmental quality and economic viability,” she says.

Waring is a doctoral student working with the Agricultural Water Management group. Her research promotes environmental quality within agriculture through cover crops by measuring soil physical properties and subsurface drainage water quality.

A Cover Crop Adviser board approved continuing education unit is available for those who are able to watch the live webinar. Information for submitting your CCA, CPAg, CPSS or CPSC number to earn credit will be provided at the end of the presentation.

All webinars archived

To watch, go to iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars and click the link to join the webinar shortly before noon May 1, to download the Zoom software and log-in option. The webinar will be recorded and archived on the ILF website.

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