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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
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