Annual/Termination Reports:

[04/02/2026]

Report Information

Participants

Marisol Berti (ND), Carols Pires (ND), Anna Cates (MN), Giovani Preza Fontes (UIL), Todd Lorenz (MO), Shalamar Armstrong (IN), Eileen Kladivko (IN), Mark Licht (IA), Osler Ortez (OSU), Andrea Basche (NE), Kendall Lamke (IA), Tala Awada (NE)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

<p><strong>Summary of accomplishments</strong></p><br /> <p>Increased cover crop adoption is driving increased demand for training and services through academic and strong multi-agency Conservation Partnerships. <br /> The team maintains a robust research and Extension network, contributing to regional collaboration through the Midwest Cover Crop Council and advancing adoption via education and publications. Research across the region is refining cover crop management (e.g., seeding rates, termination timing) and developing tools to estimate nitrogen uptake, with a strong focus on water quality and nutrient cycling. In addition, research across the region is evaluating management tradeoffs, and advancing innovations like perennial groundcover systems to improve resilience and sustainability continues.<br /> There is a significant workforce supporting cover crop research and outreach across major cropping systems.<br /> The 20^th anniversary of the Midwest Cover Crops Council was celebrated.</p><br /> <p><strong>Short-term outcomes</strong></p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>Awareness and understanding of cover crops and their potential agroecological benefits was fulfilled through more than 100 presentations and 70 extension publications &nbsp;and cover crop adoption increased across the Midwest. For example, Indiana reported 1.6 million acres and North Dakota reported 800,000 acres of cover crops in 2025.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong>Outputs</strong></p><br /> <p>Updated Cover Crop Decision Tool for Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota.</p><br /> <p>Seventeen videos (webinars and Chronicles) and two podcasts available on the MidwestCoverCrops YouTube channel with approximately 1200 views.</p><br /> <p>Thirty-four students from several states completed the Cover Crop Essentials online class</p><br /> <p>Thirty-six graduate and undergraduate students (online and resident sections) completed a cover crop class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2025.</p><br /> <p>More than 100 undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students were or are being educated and/or taking part in core cover crop research and training.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong>Activities</strong></p><br /> <p>The Cover Crop Decision Tool was updated for Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota. An inter-seeding goal was added and frost date data were refined.</p><br /> <p>A Cover Crop Essentials online class was hosted by the Midwest Cover Crops Council and taught by several NCCC-211 participants <a href="https://www.midwestcovercrops.org/covercrop_essentials_course/">https://www.midwestcovercrops.org/covercrop_essentials_course/</a>.</p><br /> <p>Cover crop variety trials were done in IN, ND and NE.</p><br /> <p>All states conducted research trials to determine best management practices for cover crops, and assess the impact of cover crops on erosion, water quality and other ecosystem services.</p><br /> <p>The 20th MCCC Annual Meeting, &nbsp;planned by extension specialists and researchers from Iowa State University and University of Wisconsin was hosted in Dubuque, IA. The annual meeting had ~90 participants and the conference had ~155 participants.</p><br /> <p>Videos and Podcasts were developed for the Midwest Cover Crops YouTube channel.</p><br /> <p>Cover crop management was included in &nbsp;learning &ldquo;competitions&rdquo; via the Testing of Agricultural Systems (TAPS) project in Nebraska.</p><br /> <p>Nebraska extension contributed to the Soil Health Nexus curriculum and cover crop selection resources.</p><br /> <p>A cover crop specific course was taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.</p><br /> <p>&nbsp;</p><br /> <p><strong>Milestones</strong></p><br /> <p>Train-the trainer events were held in Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana and Nebraska</p><br /> <p>14&nbsp;Recorded webinars were posted to the MCCC YouTube channel.</p><br /> <p>3 Factsheets were developed.</p>

Publications

<p><strong>Peer-reviewed Publications (50 listed)</strong></p><br /> <ol><br /> <li>Abdelrhim, AS; Higgins, DS; Hausbeck, MK. 2025. Barley as an Alternative Host of <em>Stemphylium vesicarium</em> in Michigan Onions and Susceptibility of Poaceae Cover Crops. Plant Health Progress 26:507-515. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHP-01-25-0036-RS">http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHP-01-25-0036-RS</a></li><br /> <li>Ashworth, A.J., A. Tyson, T. Prospt, L. Marshall, J.J. Volenec, M.D. Casler, M.T. Berti, E. van Santen, V. Picasso, J.L. Foster, and J. Su. 2025. Knowledge graph applications for identifying resilient forage systems.&nbsp; Agricultural &amp; Environmental Letters. DOI: 10.1002/ael2.70021</li><br /> <li>Barker, R.W., M.J. Helmers, M.D. McDaniel. 2025. Cover crops can mitigate no-tillage-induced labile phosphorus stratification.&nbsp;Soil Science Society of America Journal&nbsp;89 (3), e70063.</li><br /> <li>Bergquist, G., C. Sheaffer, M. Rakkar, D. Wyse, J. Jungers, and J. Gutknecht. 2025. Soil microbial and plant biomass carbon allocation within perennial and annual grain cropping systems. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment. 383, 109535.</li><br /> <li>Blanco‐Canqui, H., Ruis, S.J., Mamo, M., Shapiro, C.A., Proctor, C., Parsons, J. and Thompson, L., 2025. Interseeding cover crop into an irrigated sandy loam for 6 years: Soil, crop, and economic response.&nbsp;Agronomy Journal,&nbsp;117(1), p.e70013.</li><br /> <li>Berti M.T., Morocho-Lema, M., Anderson, J.V., and Lizarazo-Torres, C. 2025. Nitrogen rates affect seed yield and carbon intensity in spring and winter camelina. Ind Crops Prod. 233 Doi://doi.org/10.106/j.indcrop.2025.121473</li><br /> <li>Berti, M.T., Morocho-Lema, M., and Anderson, J.V., 2025. Sensitivity of winter and spring camelina to salinity during germination. Ind. Crops Prod. 232: 121293 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.121293</li><br /> <li>Cavadini, J.S., and E.J. Kladivko. 2025. Oilseed radish/cereal cover crop bicultures and soil phosphorus distribution. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224561.2024.2429960</li><br /> <li>Chatterjee, A., Thorp, K.R., O&rsquo;Brien, P.L., Kovar, J., Rogovska, N., Malone, R.W., 2025. Long-term DSSAT simulation of nitrogen loss to artificial subsurface drainage flow for a corn-soybean rotation with winter rye in Iowa. Agricultural Water Management, 312, 109464.&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109464">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109464</a></li><br /> <li>Chen, K. 2025. High-resolution Winter Cover Crop Mapping with PlanetScope Imagery: Comparative Analysis of Random Forest, Convolutional Neural Network, and Unsupervised Classification.&nbsp;Science of Remote Sensing, 100351.</li><br /> <li>Chudzik, G., Yu, E., Tangen, B., Werle, R. 2025. Cereal Rye Cover Crop Biomass Guide: A Practical Resource for Practitioners.</li><br /> <li>Chudzik, G., Nunes, J.J., Arneson, N.J., DeWerff, R.P., de Sousa Ferreira, V., Proctor, C., Stoltenberg, D.E., Conley, S. and Werle, R., 2025. Postemergence giant ragweed management as affected by soil and cover crop management, soybean planting time, and preemergence herbicide application.&nbsp;Weed Technology,&nbsp;39, p.e19.</li><br /> <li>Crespo,&nbsp;C., Malone,&nbsp;R. W., Radke,&nbsp;A., Kovar,&nbsp;J. L., Emmett,&nbsp;B. D., Feyereisen,&nbsp;G. W., Thorp,&nbsp;K. R., Richard,&nbsp;T., &amp; O'Brien,&nbsp;P. L. (2025). Rye performance in central Iowa under different seeding and nitrogen fertilizer rates. Agronomy Journal, 117, e70112.&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70112">https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70112</a></li><br /> <li>Datta, A., Wilke, B., Charles, C., Hasenick, M., Ulbrich, T., Singh, M., Sears, M., &amp; Robertson, G. P. Crop performance and profitability for the initial transition years of a regenerative cropping system in the Upper Midwest United States. Journal of Environmental Quality. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70084">https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70084</a></li><br /> <li>Douridas, A., &amp; Hawkins, E. (2025). Quantifying the effect of tillage and cover crops on soil moisture and temperature in central Ohio. Journal of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, 18(1). <a href="https://www.nacaa.com/file.ashx?id=8521b6a1-d232-42b8-8ed8-4ff3103f7f12">https://www.nacaa.com/file.ashx?id=8521b6a1-d232-42b8-8ed8-4ff3103f7f12</a></li><br /> <li>du Preez, G; Loggenberg, A; Fourie, D; Marcelo-Silva, J; Martin, T; Ramphisa-Nghondzweni, D; Smith, H; Sprunger, C. 2025. Context Matters: Soil Ecosystem Status Varies across Diverse Conservation Agriculture Systems Journal of oil Science and Plant Nutrition 25:2576-2589. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s42729-025-02285-3">http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s42729-025-02285-3</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><br /> <li>Dutter, C.R., M.D. McDaniel, M.P. Davis, T.A. Middleton, S. Gailans, S. Carlson. 2025. Cover crops have positive and negative effects on soil properties and crop yield over a 15‐year timespan.&nbsp;Soil Science Society of America Journal, 89(2), e70032.</li><br /> <li>Ferreira de Almeida, T., Canisares, L. P., Robinson, E., Pesini, G., Poffenbarger, H., &amp; Basche, A. 2025. Cover crops did not change optimal corn nitrogen rate over three variable precipitation seasons in the Western Corn Belt. Agronomy Journal, 117(4), p.e70129. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70129</li><br /> <li>Frey, TS; Shah, DA; Lindsey, LE; Sprunger, C; Lopez-Nicora, HD; Ponce, MSB. 2025. Crop rotation and a rye cover crop have minor impacts on soil health, microbial communities, and soybean yield in Ohio. FRONTIERS IN SOIL SCIENCE 5:1535734. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2025.1535734">http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2025.1535734</a></li><br /> <li>Garg, A., Kwakye, S., Cates, A., Peterson, H., Labine, K., Olson, G., &amp; Sharma, V. (2025). Field-saturated and near-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity as influenced by conventional and soil health management systems. Soil and Tillage Research 248. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2025.106467">doi: 10.1016/j.still.2025.106467</a></li><br /> <li>Garg, A., Kwakye, S., Cates, A., Peterson, H., Labine, K., Olson, G., &amp; Sharma, V. (2025). Integrated soil health management influences soil properties: Insights from a US Midwest study. Geoderma, 455. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117214">doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117214</a></li><br /> <li>Gesch, R.W., Eberle, C.A., Berti, M.T., Ott, M., and Anderson J.V. 2025. Productivity and seasonal water use of double cropped dry bean, proso millet, and sunflower after early maturing winter camelina. Ind. Crop Prod.229 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.120953</li><br /> <li>Hussain, M. Z., Hamilton, S. K., Basso, B., &amp; Robertson, G. P. (2025). Phosphorus budgets of intensively managed row crops at a long-term agroecosystem research site in the upper US Midwest. Journal of Environmental Quality. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70000">https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70000</a></li><br /> <li>Karki, S., Shrestha, R., Lal, R., Lorenz, K., &amp; Lindsey, L. E. (2025). Effects of biochar and cover crops on physical properties of two soils in Ohio. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 89, e70041. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70041">https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70041</a></li><br /> <li>Kundert, J., J. Jungers, J. Gamble, G. Bergquist, and J. Gutknecht. Temporal Variability of Soil Properties Under Annual and Perennial Continuous Living Cover: Weather Controls and Management Effects. Soil Science Society of America Journal. Accepted.</li><br /> <li>Klopp, H.W., Blanco-Canqui, H., Jasa, P., Slater, G. and Ferguson, R.B., 2025. Lessons about soil health and corn yield after a decade of cover crop and corn residue management.&nbsp;Field Crops Research,&nbsp;326, p.109860.</li><br /> <li>Kumar, V., Singh, M., Thapa, R., Yadav, A., Blanco-Canqui, H., Wortman, S.E., Taghvaeian, S. and Jhala, A.J., 2025. Implications of cover crop management decisions on Amaranthus species density and biomass in temperate cropping systems: a meta-analysis.&nbsp;Weed Science,&nbsp;73, p.e28.</li><br /> <li>Maia, L.O.R, S.D. Armstrong, E.J. Kladivko, B.G. Young, &amp; W.G. Johnson (2025). Influence of cover crop termination strategies on&nbsp;weed&nbsp;suppression, concentration of residual herbicides in the soil, and soybean yield. Weed Science 43 (1), e86</li><br /> <li>Maia, L.O.R, S.D. Armstrong, E.J. Kladivko, B.G. Young, &amp; W.G. Johnson. 2025. Influence of cover crop use on soil microbial activity and fate of sulfentrazone, s-metolachlor, cloransulam-methyl, atrazine, and mesotrione. Weed Science 73(1), e42</li><br /> <li>Maia, L. O., Armstrong, S. D., Kladivko, E. J., Young, B. G., &amp; Johnson, W. G. 2025. Impact of simulated rainfall on atrazine wash off from roller crimped and standing cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) residue onto the soil.&nbsp;Frontiers in Agronomy,&nbsp;7, 1574497.</li><br /> <li>Makhtoumi, Y; Aragon, NU; Lark, TJ. 2025. Opportunities for water quality improvements in a Mississippi River Basin watershed: Hotspots for agricultural conservation practices. Journal of Environmental Management 393:126797. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126797">http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126797</a></li><br /> <li>Marquart-Pyatt, ST; Beethem, K; Guo, T. 2025. Understanding the Drivers of Biological and Technological Practice Adoption by United States Midwest Farmers. Society and Natural Resources. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2025.2578785">http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2025.2578785</a></li><br /> <li>McDaniel, M.D., P. Mohammadiarvejeh, G. Hu, T.E. Middleton. 2025. What regulates decomposition in agroecosystems? Insights from reading the tea leaves. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 9, 1665233.</li><br /> <li>Moran, Jack L., A. Susana Goggi, Kenneth J. Moore, Shuizhang Fei, and Shelby Gruss. Groundcover establishment through seed rate, seed ratio, and hydrophilic seed coating.&nbsp; Agronomy 2019, 9, 458; doi:10.3390/agronomy9080458.</li><br /> <li>Moran, Jack, A. Susana Goggi, Ken J. Moore, and Shuizhang Fei. &nbsp; Investigating seed treatments and soil amendments to improve the establishment of kentucky bluegrass as a perennial groundcover.&nbsp; Seeds 4: 16, DOI:10.3390/seeds4010016.</li><br /> <li>Olowoyeye, Olowoyeye &amp; Kaleita, Amy.&nbsp;(2026). Towards modeling soil erosion in a perennial groundcover (PGC) system.&nbsp;Ecological Modeling, 511.&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2025.111365">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2025.111365</a></li><br /> <li>Oys, E., Krupek, F. S., Proctor, C., Koehler-Cole, K., &amp; Basche, A. 2025. Exploring how multi-year cover crop use alters above and belowground weed communities in limited tillage corn&ndash;soybean systems. Frontiers in Agronomy, 7, p.1575785. https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2025.1575785</li><br /> <li>Pearsons, K.A., Y. Rui, and E.J. Kladivko. 2025. Decade-long cereal rye cover cropping improved soil carbon and physical properties of a poorly structured sil loam. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 89:e70165. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.7016">https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.7016</a></li><br /> <li>Robertson, G. P., Wilke, B., Ulbrich, T., Haddad, N. M., Hamilton, S. K., Baas, D. G., Basso, B., Blesh, J., Boring, T. J., Campbell, L., Cassida, K. A., Charles, C., Chen, J., Doll, J. E., Guo, T., Kravchenko, A. N., Landis, D. A., Marquart-Pyatt, S. T., Singh, M. P., Sprunger, C. D., &amp; Stegink, J. (2024). The LTAR Cropland Common Experiment at the Kellogg Biological Station. Journal of Environmental Quality. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.2063">https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.2063</a></li><br /> <li>Rogovska,&nbsp;N., Kovar,&nbsp;J. L., Malone,&nbsp;R., O'Brien,&nbsp;P., Emmett,&nbsp;B., &amp; Ruis,&nbsp;S. J. (2025). Impact of tillage, cover crop, and in situ bioreactors on nutrient loss from an artificially drained Midwestern Mollisol. Journal of Environmental Quality, 54: 590-604. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20668">https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20668</a></li><br /> <li>Seavers, R., &amp; Quinn, D. J. 2025. Corn response to early‐and late‐vegetative nitrogen applications following a rye cover crop in Indiana.&nbsp;Agronomy Journal,&nbsp;117(5), e70173.</li><br /> <li>Seavers, R., &amp; Quinn, D. J. 2025. Corn establishment and yield response to after‐market closing wheels in a rye cover crop system.&nbsp;Crop, Forage &amp; Turfgrass Management,&nbsp;11(2), e70069.</li><br /> <li>Shiferaw, A., Birru, G., Tadesse, T., Wardlow, B., Awada, T., Jin, V., Schmer, M., Freidenreich, A. and Iqbal, J., 2025. Geographical Variation in Cover Crop Management and Outcomes in Continuous Corn Farming System in Nebraska.&nbsp;Agriculture,&nbsp;15(16), p.1776.</li><br /> <li>Silva, T.S., L.C. Malone, M.D. Ruark, C.D. Lee, D. Jordan, H.J. Poffenbarger, H.J. Kandel, J. Ross, J.M. Gaska, J.G. Lauer, L.E. Lindsey, M.P. Singh,&nbsp;M.A. Licht, M. Plumblee, R.A. Vann, R. Werle, S. Mourtzinis, S.L. Naeve, T.L. Roberts, and S.P. Conley. 2026. Impacts of rotation, tillage, cover cropping, and drainage on soil health in soybean-based cropping systems: Evidence from 4&ndash;50-year trials across the US. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2025.109950">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2025.109950</a></span></li><br /> <li>Silva, TS; Malone, LC; Ruark, MD; Mourtzinis, S; Lee, CD; Jordan, D; Kandel, HJ; Ross, J; Gaska, JM; Lauer, JG; Lindsey, LE; Singh, MP; Licht, MA; Plumblee, M; Vann, RA; Werle, R; Naeve, SL; Roberts, TL; Conley, SP. 2025. Soybean yield response to management practices (4&ndash;40 years) and soil health parameters. Field Crops Research 329:109959. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109959">http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109959</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><br /> <li>Sutton, E; Snapp, S; Morrone, V; Blesh, J. 2025. Cover crop functional trait plasticity in response to soil conditions and interspecific interactions. Plant and Soil 514:1489-1506. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07471-x">http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-025-07471-x</a></span></li><br /> <li>Omonode, R. A., and E.J. Kladivko. 2025. Subsurface drainage intensity effects on soil physical characteristics, plant biomass production, and carbon balance. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 89, e70106. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70106">https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70106</a></li><br /> <li>Thapa, V. R., Koehler‐Cole, K., Easterly, A., La Menza, N. C., Pacheco, G. E., McKinley, B., &amp; Basche, A. 2025. Biomass and forage nutritive value of spring‐planted cover crops in a semiarid region. Agronomy Journal, 117(5), p.e70154. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70154">https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70154</a></li><br /> <li>Wehrbein, C. and Wortman, S.E., 2025. Cover Crop Windbreaks Can Slow Deterioration of Biodegradable Mulch Film and Increase Bell Pepper Yield.&nbsp;HortScience&nbsp;60:1802-1810.</li><br /> <li>Tangen, B. L., Vetsch, J. A., Johnson, G. A., Strock, J. S., Daigh, A. L. M., Phillips, C. L., &amp; Cates, A. M. 2025. Soil health management system impacts on dynamic soil hydraulic functions before and after rainfall. Agriculture, Ecosystems &amp; Environment 394: 109839.</li><br /> </ol>

Impact Statements

1. Coordinated research, extension, and on-farm collaboration across multiple states is accelerating the adoption and effectiveness of cover cropping systems, delivering measurable improvements in soil health, water quality, and farm resilience.
2. Activities • Enrolled 61 Minnesota farmers in high tunnel cover crop trials, with 52 farmers establishing legume cover crop plots using provided seed, protocols, and individualized technical assistance. Biomass samples were collected and analyzed to estimate nitrogen (N) credits. • Developed and applied a satellite-based algorithm (trained on 500+ ground observations) to estimate cover crop acreage across 67 Minnesota counties (2017–2024), with outputs summarized at watershed (HUC8, HUC12) and county scales. • Conducted participatory, multi-state research through the Great Lakes Cover Crop Project, engaging 133 fields and coordinating biomass sampling and validation with 12 educators and agricultural professionals. • Advanced agronomic research on cover crop management (e.g., planting green, termination timing, species selection) across MN, OH, NE, and other states, supported by extensive Extension programming (field days, workshops, and on-farm trials). • Launched innovative tools and programs, for example in Nebraska, the Snap2Graze tool for estimating stocking rates from cover crop biomass, and integrating of cover crop systems into the TAPS competition framework were launched. • Measured environmental outcomes including nitrate leaching, N₂O emissions, and soil biological activity under diverse cover crop systems. • Investigated perennial groundcover (PGC) systems to reduce annual establishment costs and improve long-term system sustainability.
3. Key Outcomes & Impacts • Improved farmer decision-making: Participating farmers received field-specific N credit estimates and management guidance, increasing confidence in integrating cover crops into high tunnel and row crop systems. • Expanded cover crop adoption: Cover crop acreage continues to increase across the region, supported by coordinated research-extension networks and strong stakeholder engagement (e.g., Extension presence in all 88 Ohio counties). • Validated monitoring tools: Remote sensing and photo-based biomass estimation methods are improving the scalability and accuracy of cover crop monitoring and evaluation. • Enhanced soil and water quality: o Up to 90% reduction in nitrate leaching in certain systems. o 63% reduction in N loss to drainage with no-till rye cover crops. o Increased soil biological activity, particularly in spring. • Actionable agronomic insights: o Rye cover crops reduced dry bean white mold incidence and severity. o Delayed rye termination (“planting green”) poses yield risks in moisture-limited regions. o Management practices (e.g., seeding rates, fertilization) influence cover crop biomass quality more than quantity. • Innovation in system design: Perennial groundcover systems show promise for year-round soil protection, reduced erosion, improved nutrient cycling, and enhanced resilience, while reducing long-term input and establishment costs.
4. Indicators of Impact • Number of participating farmers and fields (e.g., 61 MN farmers; 133 regional fields). • Acres of cover crops detected via satellite across 67 counties. • Number of Extension events, participants, and partner organizations. • Biomass samples collected and analyzed; validation datasets generated. • Measured reductions in nitrate leaching (up to 90%) and drainage N loss (63%). • Documented changes in soil biological activity and greenhouse gas emissions. • Adoption rates of cover crops and related tools (e.g., Snap2Graze). • Research outputs and management recommendations disseminated to stakeholders.
5. Long-Term Impact This integrated effort is building the scientific foundation and practical knowledge needed to optimize cover crop performance across diverse environments. By identifying biomass thresholds for ecosystem services and advancing perennial groundcover systems, the team is driving progress toward resilient, profitable cropping systems that protect soil and water resources at scale.

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