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A Decade of Progress in Organic Cover Crop-Based Reduced Tillage Practices in the Upper Midwestern USA

Author

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  • Erin M. Silva

    (Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA)

  • Kathleen Delate

    (Departments of Agronomy and Horticulture, Iowa State University, 106 Horticulture Hall, Ames, IA 50011, USA)

Abstract

The organic industry continues to expand in the United States (U.S.), with 14,093 organic farms in 2014. The upper Midwestern U.S. has emerged as a hub for organic row crop production; however, the management of these organic row crop hectares heavily relies on tillage and cultivation for weed control. Faced with the soil quality challenges related to these practices, and cognizant of the benefits of conventional no-till practices, organic farmers have shown significant interest in the development of Cover Crop-Based Reduced Tillage (CCBRT) techniques to lessen soil disturbance while achieving successful weed management. To serve this farmer interest, significant research efforts have been conducted in the upper Midwestern U.S., focused on systems-based practices to ensure adequate suppression of weeds, through a combination of agronomic and cover crop species and variety selection. Within this review article, we discuss the agronomic successes that have been achieved in CCBRT using a combination of cereal rye and soybeans, resulting in consistent suppression of weeds while providing fuel and labor savings for farmers, as well as the continued challenges that have persisted with its implementation. Continued investment in research focused on cover crop breeding and management, optimization of CCBRT equipment and fertility management, and a greater understanding of rotation effects will contribute to the further expansion of this technique across organic farms.

Suggested Citation

  • Erin M. Silva & Kathleen Delate, 2017. "A Decade of Progress in Organic Cover Crop-Based Reduced Tillage Practices in the Upper Midwestern USA," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-13, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:7:y:2017:i:5:p:44-:d:97852
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erin M. Silva & Virginia M. Moore, 2017. "Cover Crops as an Agroecological Practice on Organic Vegetable Farms in Wisconsin, USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Heather M. Beach & Ken W. Laing & Morris Van De Walle & Ralph C. Martin, 2018. "The Current State and Future Directions of Organic No-Till Farming with Cover Crops in Canada, with Case Study Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Camila Fritzen Cidón & Paola Schmitt Figueiró & Dusan Schreiber, 2021. "Benefits of Organic Agriculture under the Perspective of the Bioeconomy: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-19, June.

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