Three experiments whose objectives were to investigate cover
crop kill by winter freeze, weed suppression by 'Micah' barley and
other spring cereals, and allelopathic potential of cereal covers
were conducted at the Vegetable Research Farm and in the greenhouse
and growth chamber facilities at OSU in 1989/90. Kill by winter...
Published January 1998. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Sudangrass and sorghum sudangrass crosses are used as warm season cover crops, forage, and silage. When used as a cover crop, their fibrous roots and organic matter contributions improve soil structure; and their rapid, dense growth suppresses weeds.
Subclovers are used for forage and hay and have been used successfully in Oregon as fall-planted and relay interplanted cover crops in annual rotations. They are capable of accumulating substantial amounts of N, a portion of which is available to the following crop. Rapid growth suppresses weeds in spring.
Rapeseed is grown for its oil and meal, and as a cover crop. Rapid fall growth captures part of the available soil nitrogen, which otherwise might be lost to leaching, and provides good ground cover over winter.
Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted in 1996 and 1997 to evaluate the effects of integrating conservation tillage and cover cropping on broccoli production as well as agroecological parameters. A field experiment was conducted during 1996-97 at the Oregon State University Horticulture Research farm near Corvallis, OR. The specific objectives...
Hairy vetch is used as a cover crop, green manure, pasture, silage, and hay. It is capable of accumulating large amounts of dry matter and nitrogen. When planted alone as a winter cover crop in annual vegetable rotations, it can provide substantial amounts of nitrogen (N) to a following crop.
Fava bean is used as a winter or spring cover crop, green manure, silage, forage, hay, and vegetable. It is capable of producing large amounts of dry matter and accumulating large quantities of nitrogen (N), part of which is available to subsequent crops.