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Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Poster
Degree Type
Graduate
Department
Agriculture
Mentor
Dr. Rob Rhykerd
Mentor Department
Agriculture
Co-Mentor
Dr. Nicholas Heller
Co-Mentor Department
Agriculture
Abstract
Winter cover crops are being used in the Midwest to reduce nutrient runoff from agricultural fields and show potential to mitigate climate change. However, some have expressed concern that cover crops may reduce summer cash crop yields. This study evaluates the impact of selected cover crops on corn yield and quality. A field study was conducted at the Western Illinois University Research Farm in Macomb, Illinois and Illinois State University Research Farm in Lexington, Illinois. The experimental design was a block design replicated four times at both sites. Winter cover crop treatments consisted of a pea-clover-radish-oat mix, wild pennycress, golden pennycress, cereal rye, annual rye, and a fallow (reference) plot. Corn was the summer cash crop planted in May 2024. After the corn grew throughout the summer and reached maturity, it was harvested in September (WIU) and October (ISU) 2024. To evaluate corn seed quality, ears of corn were harvested by hand from a ten-foot strip of the two center rows of the plots. The number of plants that ears were harvested from in each plot were then counted to determine plant population. To determine yield, corn kernels were removed from the cobs by hand from the ISU samples after the ears had been oven dried. Because WIU samples were harvested for silage rather than grain corn an Excel model was used to estimate WIU yield based on the number of plants collected from that site and yield data from the ISU site. Corn seed samples were then analyzed for indicators of seed quality using a Near Infrared (NIR) Spectrometer. The NIR measured protein, oil, and starch. Results showed that some of the cover crops negatively impacted yield, protein, oil and starch while plant population was not affected. Longer term studies are needed to better show the impact of cover crops on summer cash crop yield and quality.
Recommended Citation
Stockmaster, Ashley; Heller, Nicholas; Perry, William; Sedbrook, John; Phippen, Winthrop; Wesley, Tad; and Rhykerd, Robert, "Impact of Winter Cover Crops on Corn Yield and Seed Quality" (2025). University Research Symposium. 500.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/rsp_urs/500
