Cover crop termination should be considered in advance when choosing a cover crop. Select a cover crop based on your cropping system goals and constraints. Be sure you have the proper equipment needed to manage (plant and terminate) the cover crop(s) you choose. Multi-species cover crops can make termination more difficult than single species or simple mixtures. When weed suppression is the main reason for cover crop use, choose cover crops that produce high amounts of biomass, but remember that high residues can cause problems during spring planting. This video provides some important advice on selection and termination of cover crops when weed suppression is a key goal.
Researcher:
- Michael Flessner, Virginia Tech
