4. Benefits of Organic Matter Nutrient Supply Each percent of organic matter releases 20 to 30 pounds of nitrogen 4.5 to 6 pounds phosphorus 2 to 3 pounds sulfur 1. Managing Cover Crops Profitably Third Edition

5. Water Holding Capacity Organic matter act like a sponge. It will hold up to 90% of its weight in water. Soil Structure Aggregation Organic matter causes soil to form aggregates which helps with water infiltration. Erosion Prevention Increasing soil organic matter from 1 to 3 percent can reduce Erosion by 20 to 30 percent because of water infiltration. 2. 3. 4.

17. Plant Nitrogen, lb/ac 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Lentil Canola Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

20. Plant Dry Wt, lb/ac 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Nitrogen No Nitrogen

21. Grain Yield, bu/ac 130 140 150 160 170 180 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Nitrogen No Nitrogen

22. Grain Protein, % Nitrogen No Nitrogen 5 6 7 8 9 10 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

25. Soil Nitrate, lb/ac 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Aug NO3 Oct NO3

26. Soil Moisture, % 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5 13 13.5 14 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

27. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Soil Moisture, %

28. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

29. Plant Nitrogen, % Nitrogen No Nitrogen 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

30. Plant Dry Wt, lb/ac 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Nitrogen No Nitrogen

32. Soil Phosphorus, lb/ac 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Aug P Oct P

34. 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 Lentil Canola Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Dry Matter, lb/ac

36. Plant Nitrogen, lb/ac 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Lentil Canola Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

39. Plant Carbon, lb/ac 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 Lentil Canola Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

40. Producer Farm Research

41. Increase Soil Carbon Incorporating cover crops to increase soil quality, SARE grant with Dan Forgey Producer Gettysburg, SD

42. Methods Cover Crop No Cover Crop (Fallow)  Lentils  Canola  Cowpea  Canola/Lentils  Canola/Cowpea  Canola/Cowpea/Lentils  Radish/Cowpea/Lentils  Turnip/Cowpea/Lentils

43. Methods Corn Management –Planting Date: May 13 –Population: 22,000 plant/ac –Fertilizer: 45 lb (11-52-0) 10 lb (21-0-0-24) 220 lb (46-0-0) –Hybrid: Producer 56-23 RR CB

44. Fall Cover Crop Biomass 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 Lentil Canola Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Dry Matter, lb/ac

45. Fall Cover Crop Nitrogen Plant Nitrogen, lb/ac 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Lentil Canola Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

46. Fall Cover Crop Carbon Plant Carbon, lb/ac 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 Lentil Canola Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

47. August Soil Moisture (0 – 3 ft) Soil Moisture, % 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5 13 13.5 14 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

48. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Soil Moisture, %

49. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

50. Soil Nitrate, lb/ac 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Aug NO3 Oct NO3 ABAB ABCDCD ABAB ABAB ABAB ABCABC ACDCD ABAB BCBC ABAB ABAB ABAB CDCD BD

51. Soil Phosphorus, lb/ac 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Aug P Oct P

52. Grain Yield, bu/ac 110 120 130 140 150 160 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil Nitrogen No Nitrogen

53. Grain Protein, % Nitrogen No Nitrogen 5 6 7 8 9 10 No Cover Crop Lentil Canola Cowpea Canola/Lentil Canola/Cowpea Canola/Cowpea/Lentil Radish/Cowpea/Lentil Turnip/Cowpea/Lentil

54. Turnips grow fast and can be grazed as early as 70 days after planting.They reach nearmaximum production level in 80 to 90 days.The proportion of top growth to roots for turnips can vary from 90% tops and 10% roots to 15% tops and 85% roots.Turnips can be seeded any time from when soil temperature reaches 50°F until 70 days before a killing frost. Note: Sheep producers need to be

55. It’s up to you. Rarely, if ever, do we get something for nothing. In human endeavors, results are usually highly correlated with investments in terms of thought, time, effort, and a certain amount of money. In particular,the best and most profitable forage programs have had the most thought put into them.