Data from: Late-Seeded Cover Crops in a Semiarid Environment: Overyielding, Dominance, and Subsequent Crop Yield

Interest in cover crops is increasing but information is limited on incorporating them into crop rotations especially in the relatively short growing season on the northern Great Plains. A three-year study, initiated in 2009 on the AREA IV Soil Conservation Districts Cooperative Research Farm near Mandan, North Dakota, USA, evaluated 1) what impact cover crops may have on subsequent crops yields and 2) whether cover crop mixtures are more productive and provide additional benefits compared to cover crop monocultures. The study evaluated 18 different cover crop monocultures and mixtures that were seeded in August into dry pea residue (Pisum sativum L.). Biomass yield of the cover crops was collected by species following a killing frost the same year the cover crops were seeded. The following year, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L.) and dry pea were seeded into the different cover crop treatments and a non-treated control. Yield, test weight, crop moisture percent and thousand kernel weight (TKW) were collected for each crop by cover crop combination. This data can be used to understand biomass yields of late-seeded cover crop monocultures and mixtures and their effect on subsequent annual crops under rainfed conditions in a semi-arid continental climate. Applicable USDA soil types include Grassna, Linton, Mandan, Temvik, Williams, and Wilton.