EDITOR'S NOTE: Row-crop farmers make dozens of decisions that affect the crops they grow, but perhaps none is more important than the seed they select. In a special series called Savvy Seed Decisions, DTN/Progressive Farmer examined often unseen facets of the seed industry that affect what farmers put in their planters.

Today, in our third story of the series, we explore the growing use of cover crop combinations and how to determine what species mixes work best for specific situations.

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DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- Cereal rye remains a key ingredient for many cover croppers. But, adding a few species to the mix can spice up the recipe, and farmers are finding some new favorites in the search for diversity.

Camelina, cowpeas, radish, rape, flax, sun hemp, balansa clover, buckwheat -- the list of options is long and exciting, said Chase Brown, owner of Brown Seed Sales based in Warrensburg, Illinois. Over more than a decade of experience using cover crops on his own farm, he has seen a shift in the cover crop seed industry.

"These days, we aren't just reinventing the wheel by mixing a species in to get some diversity," Brown said. "We're seeing more varieties available that are designed to be resilient and tailored to do things specifically as a cover crop." He pointed to crimson clover that's bred to be more winter hardy as one example of how the cover crop seed industry is evolving.

The need for quality cover crop seed is real. A 2023 survey by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) found that an additional 10.5 million acres of cover crops will be planted in the next five years because of USDA's Partnerships for Climate Smart-Commodities projects. DTN is a partner in one such program, Farmers for Soil Health (https://farmersforsoilhealth.com/…).

WHAT'S YOUR WHY?

Single species cover crops are still the best way to get cover crop experience, Brown believes. "When a customer said they want to add some diversity to the mix, the first thing I always ask is what is their why," he said. "Are you are doing it as part of a cost-share program that merely requires a mix? Or, have you tried cover crops and seen the benefits, and now want to get more creative to address specific problems or realize benefits?

"The challenge to cover crops is those answers can and should differ widely depending on soils, climate and many other factors. Start simple and don't overcomplicate it," Brown recommended.

Cover crop species are generally grouped into four categories: brassicas, grasses, legumes and other broadleafs. Each type influences soil health, and agronomics address specific management goals. Legume crops are the nitrogen fixers and are recommended ahead of corn. Cover crop rotations going into soybeans generally contain grasses or small grains with a brassica.

MIX IT UP

Green Cover, based in Bladen, Nebraska, has been growing, cleaning, mixing and delivering cover crop seed to farmers since 2008. Sales Manager Jakin Berns suggested using the company's free online SmartMix calculator (https://smartmix.greencoverseed.com/…). It matches the strengths and weaknesses of species with end goals and other factors to craft custom mix suggestions.

"There's a lot of benefits to diversity, but we try to avoid adding things just to create a mix," Berns said. "Goals are important, but so is planting date. If you are planting later in the fall, it might make sense just to do rye or vetch. But, earlier planting -- say late August or September -- offers more opportunity to mix in some brassicas like radish, turnip or maybe a relative newcomer like camelina."

For farmers grazing cover crops, fenugreek is becoming a new favorite to add to warm-season mixes because of livestock health benefits and nitrogen-fixing characteristics, Berns said.

Another popular online recipe calculator is available from the Midwest Cover Crops Council (https://midwestcovercrops.org/…). Southern farmers can find a similar tool from the Southern Cover Crops Council (https://southerncovercrops.org/…).

Make sure the species work together in terms of growth habit. Include enough of a species to make a difference and take the size of the seed in relation to others in the mix. Oregon-based GO Seed offers a free state-by-state map of cover crop research and trial data from farmers and researchers (https://gocovercrops.com/…).

JUST LIKE A NEIGHBOR

Bill Frederick and James Holz founded Iowa Cover Crop (ICC) in 2014 to help a few neighbors and diversify their own family-farm enterprises. Based in Jefferson, Iowa, ICC now has a growing dealer network and offers seed and application services throughout the Midwest.

"We usually try a practice on our own farms first and are fortunate to be able to share those experiences with other farmers," Frederick explained. Camelina is a good example of a new practice getting a lot of attention because it has shown winter hardiness and works ahead of corn, he noted.

Buckwheat is another of his favorites. "It's super quick-growing and puts on a ton of white flowers, so it's good for pollinators. It does a good job of extracting phosphorus from the soil," Frederick said.

The company will also be handling first-generation common rye seed that comes from KWS Seeds hybrid rye production. A new program, the KWS Cover+ product, could be a game changer for those who plant rye, Frederick said.

"We are seeing more mixes every year," he acknowledged. "We just always caution people to keep expectations reasonable. You can't get 2-foot-long radishes planting in October in Iowa."

Check labels and know your seed supplier, Brown added. "I stay away if it said variety-not-stated (VNS), and I check germination rate. Low performance and low germ seed is expensive seed in the long run."

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Other stories in the series:

-- "A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Hybrid Corn Production," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Consolidation Continued in Seed Industry," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Video about the series:

-- Reporter's Notebook, https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Pamela Smith can be reached at pamela.smith@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @PamSmithDTN

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