COVER CROP FIELD NOTES
I finally made good on my resolution to go back and look at fall cover field strip plots in the spring. After a very long, cold winter, I thought you might be interested in my observations and some pictures.
Brusier Diploid Annual Ryegrass
Bruiser showed nearly 80 to 90% winter survival
Bruiser greatly benefits from "N" fertilization or an "N" source.
Check out the above photo of the dark green patch of Bruiser that had a bag of fertilizer spilled on it. We will be looking at a cocktail mix of Bruiser and Dixie Crimson Clover this fall.
Can Bruiser Annual Ryegrass provide dairymen a viable spring forage cutting, relying totally on the "N" provided by fall manure effluent application?
 
Bruiser Annual Ryegrass had a large mass of spring root, some going down 18 inches in the soil pit (shown filled with water within six inches of the top.)
Bruiser Field was burned down in Mid-May. In the check strip untreated Bruiser headed out the end of May. ** (See pictures below)
 
Windham Winter Peas
Windham Winter Peas interseeded in rows with Diakon Radish, survived the winter (as they did in another trial I observed) while Austrain Winter peas did not.
Windham Winter Peas
Windham Winter peas had spring rhizobium nodules on the roots of the spring plants.
Windham (Dwarf) Winter peas were bred in a joint effert of Idaho, Montana and Washington State Universities for winter hardiness.
FALL COVER CROP NOTES
2010 Fall Cover Crop Focused on Radish and Pea/Chickling Mixes. The Windham and
Austrian Winter Peas were inoculated as were the AC Greenfix Grass Peas (Chickling Vetch) with specific strains of rhizobia bacteria adapted to peas and chickling vetch.
Daikon & Windham Radish with out Peas
 
Peas & Vetches "N" production grealty enhanced radish growth.
(As the Daikon/Windham Peas shows vs. Radish without Peas).
GroundHog Forage Radish / AC GreenFix Grass Peas
Winter Peas and Chickling Vetch were equally effective (As the GroundHog Forage Radish and Ac GreenFix Grass Peas shown.)
A planting rate of 20 lbs. of Peas/Vetch 5 lbs./acre of Radish ratio appeared to provide optimum synergistic impact.
Tap Master tests aginst Daikon Type Radish
New Tap Master Experimental Radish was tested aginst Daikon type Radish for root exention, tapered hard pan penetration capability Tap Master exhibited elongated, tapered root growth structure. (See Cover Crop Raidsh Type pictured above)
Found Windham Winter Peas Exhibited better cold tolerance, whereas Austrian Winter Peas failed to Surive the killing frost.
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