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Cover Crop Chart (version 2.0): Helping producers choose cover crops in crop and forage production systems

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posted on 2023-11-30, 07:13 authored by USDA Agricultural Research Service

The Cover Crop Chart (v. 2.0) is designed to assist producers with decisions on the use of cover crops in crop and forage production systems. The chart, patterned after the periodic table of elements, includes information on 58 crop species that may be planted individually or in cocktail mixtures. Information on growth cycle, relative water use, plant architecture, seeding depth, forage quality, pollination characteristics, and nutrient cycling are included for most crop species.

The Cover Crop Chart is easy to use, requiring only Adobe Acrobat software. Using the chart as a guide, users can select individual crop species by clicking on the name which will direct them to additional information about the selected crop. Icons within each crop page return the user to the chart, thereby easily allowing comparisons of different crops.

The Cover Crop Chart represents a compendium of information from multiple sources throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is not based on research conducted at the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory (NGPRL). Primary sources of information included the Midwest Cover Crops Council, USDA - Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE), USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) PLANTS Database, relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, and the 3rd edition of *Managing Cover Crops Profitably* (Andy Clark, Editor).

Information on specific crops is occasionally generalized and/or approximate to accommodate wide variation in geographic/agronomic conditions, and therefore may not reflect performance in on-farm conditions. Accordingly, USDA - Agricultural Research Service (ARS) makes no guarantee to the performance of specific crops based on information provided within the Cover Crop Chart.

The Cover Crop Chart is produced and distributed by the staff of the USDA-ARS NGPRL, Mandan, ND. Mark Liebig and Holly Johnson contributed to the design and content of the chart with input from NGPRL staff and producers and technicians from the Area IV Soil Conservation Districts of North Dakota and NRCS staff at the Bismarck and Dickinson Field/Area Offices.


Resources in this dataset:

Funding

Agricultural Research Service

History

Data contact name

Liebig, Mark

Data contact email

mark.liebig@usda.gov

Publisher

United States Department of Agriculture

Frequency

  • irregular

Theme

  • Not specified

Geographic Coverage

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Geographic location - description

United States; Canada

ISO Topic Category

  • environment
  • farming

National Agricultural Library Thesaurus terms

alfalfa; Amaranthus; Avena sativa; barley; Beta vulgaris; Brassica napus; Brassica oleracea; Brassica rapa; buckwheat; canola; carbon nitrogen ratio; Carthamus tinctorius; chicory; Cicer arietinum; crude protein; Cucurbita; Daucus carota; Eragrostis tef; Fagopyrum esculentum; flax; Glycine max; grain sorghum; grass silage; hay; Helianthus annuus; honey bees; Hordeum vulgare; kale; legumes; Lens culinaris; lentils; Linum usitatissimum; Lolium; Lotus corniculatus; Lupinus; Lygus; Medicago; Medicago sativa; Melilotus; mustard; mycorrhizal fungi; nitrogen fixation; oilseeds; Onobrychis viciifolia; Panicum miliaceum; pasture plants; Pennisetum glaucum; Phacelia tanacetifolia; phosphorus; plant architecture; models; oats

OMB Bureau Code

  • 005:18 - Agricultural Research Service

OMB Program Code

  • 005:040 - National Research

ARS National Program Number

  • 216

Primary article PubAg Handle

Pending citation

  • No

Public Access Level

  • Public

Preferred dataset citation

USDA Agricultural Research Service (2015). Cover Crop Chart (version 2.0): Helping producers choose cover crops in crop and forage production systems. United States Department of Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/1176959