Horticulture Research Station

Fall Cover Crop Influence on Spring Potato Production

Authors: ,

Abstract

Use of cover crops is becoming a common practice among vegetable producers. Cover crops provide multiple benefits such as building of organic matter, erosion and weed suppression, nitrogen fixation, and improvement of soil health. Cereal rye is the most widely planted cover crop in Iowa, however, cover crops such as oats, oilseed radish, and clovers are gaining popularity. The goal of this project was to evaluate and study three fall-planted cover crops and their effect on spring-planted potato. The three cover crops studied were Cereal Rye, Oilseed Radish, and Crimson Clover. The control treatment for the study was a no-cover crop plot. The treatments were chosen based on their optimal growing season as well as flexibility to fit in a vegetable crop rotation.

Keywords: Horticulture

How to Cite: Kruse, R. A. & Nair, A. (2015) “Fall Cover Crop Influence on Spring Potato Production”, Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms Progress Reports. 2014(1).