27 - 2020 Soybean Management Field Days - SMFD Research on Soil Water Use with Cover Crops in Irrigated Soybeans

SMFD Research on Soil Water Use with Cover Crops in Irrigated Soybeans - Aaron Nygren, Nebraska Extension Educator, Cropping Systems discusses the following: In research conducted in 2018-2019, SMFD plots had significant differences in soil water content between a rye cover crop and no cover crop at planting time. However, after planting, rainfall has exceeded crop water use for a few weeks while the plants were small and refilled the soil profile, resulting in little to no differences in soil water content between a rye cover crop and no cover crop. Most years on irrigated land in the eastern half of Nebraska, the water used by cover crops over the winter and into the spring on irrigated land will not reduce the stored soil water for the soybean crop.