Download - Kura clover as a living mulch
![Page 1: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Cover Crop and Living Mulch Research in Minnesota, USAJohn M. Baker
USDA-ARS, St. Paul, MN USA
![Page 2: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Why bother with cover crops? Conventional farming practices are producing record yields
e.g. maize, soy, sorghum
![Page 3: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12P
op
ula
tio
n (
bill
ion
s)
9.3
10.1
7
![Page 4: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Global Per Capita Meat Consumption(kg/person/year)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
![Page 5: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
![Page 6: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Farming has Changed
• More confined animal operations• Less grazing• Less perennial pasture• More row crop production
![Page 7: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Mha
soybean
pasture&haycrops
U.S. Corn Belt (MN, IA, IL, IN, OH)
![Page 8: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
![Page 9: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
![Page 10: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
![Page 11: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
![Page 12: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
• Typical maize yields 10 mt ha-1
• Typical soybean yields 3.5 mt ha-1
• Typical annual soil loss 12 mt ha-1
And we’re losing more than soil….
In the Midwest U.S.
![Page 13: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Excess nitrogen from corn belt
Hypoxia in Gulf of Mexico
![Page 14: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Bay of Biscay
Baltic Sea
![Page 15: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
![Page 16: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
So, our challenge is to continue increasing food production, while decreasing the environmental consequences
…..all within the context of an uncontrolled global climate experiment!
![Page 17: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
“One of the clearest trends in the U.S. observational record is an increasing frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation events”
“..it is highly likely that the recent elevated frequencies in extreme precipitation in the United States are the highest on record.”
Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate. 2008. Karl et al (eds.)
![Page 18: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
How do we do it?
• Perennialization may be the key
![Page 19: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Brown is Bad…
![Page 20: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
![Page 21: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Winter cover crops offer many benefits
• Erosion protection, both wind and water
• Nutrient retention & cycling
• Maintenance of soil organic matter
But, few farmers use them. Why?
![Page 22: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Increase risk; make farming more complicated
• Establishment in fall
• Removal in spring
Timing is the problem
![Page 23: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Often, there is little time for planting a cover
crop between harvest of the summer crop
and the onset of winter.
10 October 2013. Courtesy of Iowa State University
![Page 24: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
![Page 25: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
![Page 26: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
![Page 27: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
![Page 28: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Aerial seeding evaluation
• Southeast MN
– Helicopter seeding
• 3 years
• 25 farms
![Page 29: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Fall Biomass Production
![Page 30: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Aerial seeding evaluation
• Limitations
– Aerial applicators
• Application is more
art than science
![Page 31: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Aerially seeding winter rye
• MDA cooperator’s farms
Zumwinkle M. 2008. MDA.
![Page 32: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Aerial Seeding Evaluation
• Limitations
– Seed Predation
![Page 33: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
With crops that are shorter than corn, there
are other seeding options
![Page 34: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
![Page 35: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Tractor with broadcast
seeder
Tractor with
Airflow seeder
![Page 36: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Tractor with broadcast
seeder
helicopter
![Page 37: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Broadcast seeding produced more fall
biomass than airflow seeder or
helicopter seeding
![Page 38: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
A promising option for corn: seeding cover crop into it with a high-clearance grain drill
![Page 39: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Red clover seeded into corn at V7
![Page 40: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
The other challenge with winter cover crops?
• When to remove them in the spring
![Page 41: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
Risk associated with removal of cover crop in spring
• If too early, no erosion protection against
spring rains
• If too late, can affect growth and yield of
following crop
![Page 42: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
Winter Rye (Cereal secale L.)
![Page 43: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
Conventional corn, Seeded 21 May Avg. Ht . = 45.8 cm Growth Stage = 4.3
Corn after Rye, Seeded 21 MayAvg. Height = 19.4 cm Growth Stage = 2.1
Western MN, June 2009
![Page 44: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
Can weather forecast models be used to decide when to terminate a cover crop?
![Page 45: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
![Page 46: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
• The Model is run every Sunday to predict
precipitation and evaporation for each day of
the week
• Those forecasts are posted on the Internet
• Useful for irrigation scheduling; or maybe for
deciding when to remove a cover crop?
![Page 47: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
Monday Precipitation Forecast
![Page 48: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
Tuesday Precipitation Forecast
![Page 49: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
Wednesday Precipitation Forecast
![Page 50: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
Thursday Precipitation Forecast
![Page 51: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
Friday Precipitation Forecast
![Page 52: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
Saturday Precipitation Forecast
![Page 53: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
Sunday Precipitation Forecast
![Page 54: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
Monday Evaporation Forecast
![Page 55: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
Tuesday Evaporation Forecast
![Page 56: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/56.jpg)
Wednesday Evaporation Forecast
![Page 57: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/57.jpg)
Thursday Evaporation Forecast
![Page 58: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/58.jpg)
Friday Evaporation Forecast
![Page 59: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/59.jpg)
Saturday Evaporation Forecast
![Page 60: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/60.jpg)
Sunday Evaporation Forecast
![Page 61: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/61.jpg)
For each day, the difference between
forecast precipitation and evaporation
is the forecast soil moisture change.
This could help farmer in deciding
when to remove cover crop
Of course, the uncertainty increases as
the forecast length increases
![Page 62: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/62.jpg)
Conclusions
• Increased use of winter cover crops in northern climates depends on finding reliable ways to seed the cover crop early (before the summer crop has been harvested)
• The risk of drought stress for a crop following a winter cover may be reduced with better tools for deciding when to terminate the cover crop.
![Page 63: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/63.jpg)
Living mulchesPerennial Legume Mulch Systems for Row Crop Production
![Page 64: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/64.jpg)
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis - Data from adjacent fields, Rosemount MN 2010
Annual Row crops
Perennial growing season
![Page 65: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/65.jpg)
Kura clover
• Cold tolerant• Drought tolerant• Can fix up to 150 kg N ha-1
• Spreads by rhizomes
![Page 66: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/66.jpg)
![Page 67: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/67.jpg)
Kura clover
3 April
alfalfa
Maize & soybean fields (not planted yet)
![Page 68: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/68.jpg)
Managing a living mulch
![Page 69: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/69.jpg)
Mowing
Strip tillage
![Page 70: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/70.jpg)
Fertilizer
Planting
Herbicide
![Page 71: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/71.jpg)
![Page 72: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/72.jpg)
![Page 73: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/73.jpg)
![Page 74: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/74.jpg)
![Page 75: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/75.jpg)
![Page 76: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/76.jpg)
In years with adequate rain -
Silage production nearly equivalent to conventional corn, with substantially less N fertilizer, and much better erosion protection
![Page 77: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/77.jpg)
Soil solution NO3 at 1 m Depth
- Conventional corn
- Corn in living mulch
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
180 200 220 240 260 280 300
Soil
Wat
er
[NO
3],
pp
m
Day of Year
77
![Page 78: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/78.jpg)
What about soil protection/erosion reduction?
78
![Page 79: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/79.jpg)
1. conventional row crop (maize or soybean)
2. pure kura clover (5-7 years old)
3. living mulch (maize or soybean growing in kura clover).
79
Multiple measurements of infiltration in adjacent fields
Same soil type, different cropping history
![Page 80: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/80.jpg)
Infiltration Measurements
80
![Page 81: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/81.jpg)
81
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
conv.Corn/soy kura corn/soyinliv.mulch
Ks,cm/hr
SaturatedHydraulicConduc vity-RosemountMNUSA
Influence of Kura Clover on Infiltration
![Page 82: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/82.jpg)
82
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
conv.Corn kura corninliv.mulch
Ks,cm/hr
SaturatedHydraulicConduc vity-ArlingtonWIUSA
Influence of Kura Clover on Infiltration
High infiltration rates reduce runoff
![Page 83: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/83.jpg)
Does the clover reduce grain yield?
• Water use is the primary concern
• New experiment started under center pivot
• 4 treatments:
irrigated conventional corn/soy rotation, full tillage rainfed conventional corn/soy rotation, full tillage
irrigated corn/soy rotation in living mulch
rainfed corn/soybean rotation in living mulch
83
![Page 84: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/84.jpg)
Living Mulch-rainfed
![Page 85: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/85.jpg)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
conv.Irr. LMirr conv.Dry LMdry
mt/haMaizeGrainYield,2013
21 %
13 %
![Page 86: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/86.jpg)
What else might be affecting grain yield?
86
![Page 87: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/87.jpg)
87
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240
Cro
p H
eig
ht
(cm
)
Day of Year (2011)
2011 Maize Crop Height
Conventional maize
Maize in kura clover living mulch
![Page 88: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/88.jpg)
88
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
conv.Irr. LMirr conv.Dry LMdry
%
Grainmoistureatharvest,2013
![Page 89: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/89.jpg)
A strong start is critical
89
![Page 90: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/90.jpg)
Slow early growth in living mulch is also a problem for soybean
• First year tested, yields in LM were 30% lower than conventional field
90
![Page 91: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/91.jpg)
Causes for slow start
• Cooler temperatures in seed bed
• Competition for water, nutrients, light
91
![Page 92: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/92.jpg)
92
Strip Tillage
![Page 93: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/93.jpg)
Young corn in strip-tilled living mulch
93
![Page 94: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/94.jpg)
Can rotary zone tillage produce a better seedbed?
94
![Page 95: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/95.jpg)
95
![Page 96: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/96.jpg)
96
![Page 97: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/97.jpg)
One more factor to consider
• In living mulch system, unlike conventional corn, we can harvest both grain and stover
• The stover has economic value for feed or biofuel
97
![Page 98: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/98.jpg)
Estimated total income*
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
conv.Irr. LMirr conv.Dry LMdry
Grossincome,$/ha
*On LM plots, both stover and grain are harvested.
Assumes value of corn grain = $215/mt, corn stover = $79/mt (dry weights)
![Page 99: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/99.jpg)
Continuing Challenges
99
• Kura clover grows slowly when first planted– it takes two years to develop a good stand
• Difficult to find seed – producers aren’t interested
• Can we make it work without Roundup-ready corn & soy?
![Page 100: Kura clover as a living mulch](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022052508/559c691b1a28abae5f8b4689/html5/thumbnails/100.jpg)
Our Ultimate Goal:Farming practices that• improve soil & water quality
• increase farm income & our ability to feed people