AMES, Iowa — With spring field days now postponed, Iowa Learning Farms will host a webinar Wednesday, April 8, at noon, to provide information on how to succeed with cover crops and no-till for 2020.
Liz Ripley, conservation and cover crop outreach specialist with Iowa Learning Farms at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Mark Licht, assistant professor in agronomy and extension cropping systems specialist at Iowa State, will share results from a variety of cover crop projects.
These projects include a 10-year cereal rye cover crop study, species selection information, water quality impacts, and tips for spring termination. Cover crops continue to grow in popularity in Iowa due to their many benefits: reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased soil organic matter.
“Fall 2019 was another difficult harvest season with limited time to complete fall tillage. Cover crops and no-tillage work together to help increase water infiltration and reduce erosion during heavy rain events,” said Ripley.
“If you’re looking to get started with cover crops, use rye ahead of soybean and oat ahead of corn,” Ripley said. “That combination aims to maximize the successful implementation and management of cover crops, while maintaining profitability.”
To participate in the live webinar, shortly before noon on April 8:
Click the following URL, or type this web address into your internet browser: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/364284172. Or, go to https://iastate.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID: 364 284 172.
Or, join from a dial-in phone line by dialing: +1 312-626-6799 or +1 646-876-9923. The meeting ID is 364 284 172
The webinar will also be recorded and archived on the ILF website, and can be watched at a later time. Archived webinars are available at https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars.
A Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit (CEU) has been applied for, for those who are able to participate in the live webinar. Information about how to apply to receive the credit (if approved) will be provided at the end of the live webinar.
— Hilary Pierce and Jacqueline Comito, Iowa State University
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