Cover Crops | University of Maryland Extension

Updated: July 7, 2021

Agronomy News-June 2021

Agronomy News is a statewide newsletter for farmers, consultants, researchers, and educators interested in grain and row crop forage production systems. The topic for this edition is Preemergence Herbicides, Mowing Pastures: To Mow or Not to Mow, Checking Vegetative Growth Stages, Summer Nutrient Management Tips, Wheat Yields & Double-Crops—Time is Important to Maximize Yield, New Extension Agent, 2021-2022 Cover Crop Sign-Up, LEAD Maryland Fellowship Applications, MDA Pesticide Exams, MDA Pesticide Disposal Program, Weather Outlook, and Regional Crop Reports.

Updated: July 6, 2021

Fusarium Head Blight Risk Assessment Tool

As of when I am writing this article, the risk of Fusarium head blight (FHB) on flowering wheat is very low across most of the region (Figure 1).

Figure 1. May 4, 2021 72-hour risk assessment map for Fusarium head blight of wheat on very susceptible wheat varieties. ;Image: wheatscab.psu.edu

Updated: July 2, 2021

Double Crop Beans, Not So Fast

With barley harvest behind us and wheat harvest in full swing, our thoughts move to planting double-crop soybeans. This might be a prudent decision in many cases, but if you need forage, it may be a short-sighted choice. I suggest you look into your toolbox and consider forage sorghum, millet, or even grain sorghum.

Soybeans, Image credit: M. Lazaro, Pixabay

Updated: July 2, 2021

Will Your Preemergence Herbicides be Effective?

Despite a less than ideal Memorial Day weekend, I’m sure many of us are grateful for the rain. While corn was planted several weeks ago, many places went for weeks without significant rainfall. As a result, many fields lacked adequate moisture to properly activate any preemergence herbicides that were applied.

Updated: May 28, 2021

Virtual Agronomy Meetings Impact Report

Corn, soybeans, and wheat are the major agronomic crops are grown in Maryland representing over 1,335,000 acres of cropland and valued at over $500 million (NASS 2017). In order to provide the most current education and research, the University of Maryland Extension provides winter agronomy meetings for Maryland farmers, crop advisors, and agriculture professionals. The goal is to provide updates on products, research results, and regulatory certifications to increase farm vitality through increased yields and profits.

Updated: May 27, 2021

Agronomy Day Summary

Since 2013, the University of Maryland Extension has provided outreach and education through the Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI). ALEI is a collaboration of the Francis King Carey School of Law at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB); the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP); and the School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). ALEI is an initiative of the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State, a collaboration between UMB and UMCP.

Updated: March 17, 2021

Crop Production Meetings

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Updated: January 22, 2021

No-till spring vegetables after forage radish cover crop

A late August seeding of forage radish (Raphanus sativus L.) can eliminate the need for tillage before many early spring vegetable crops like spinach, beets, peas, onions, and even carrots under certain soil conditions in Maryland. In addition to reducing soil disturbance, not having to till prior to spring planting reduces labor requirements at a critical point in the season and may allow earlier planting. Forage radish, which winterkills when temperatures drop to 17-20°F, suppresses early spring weeds, allows soil to dry out and warm up, and provides an increased supply of N, S, P and other nutrients to crops in early spring. Because of the minimal amount of residue after forage radish, conventional planting equipment can effectively seed directly into the winterkilled cover crop without tillage. For early transplanted crops like onions, rows of radish can create holes into which transplants can be dropped. Experiment station results in Maryland and farmer trials throughout the mid-Atlantic and northeast have shown that this system requires a closed cover crop canopy in fall and may be ineffective in poorly structured, heavy soils.

Updated: January 21, 2021

Maryland Wheat: Historical Basis and Price Information (FS-497)

The local basis, defined as the cash price minus futures price, reflects important information about regional supply and demand for a commodity. Wheat basis estimates can be used by farmers, grain marketing firms, processors and feed buyers to forecast regional prices, make production or storage decisions, or assess different grain purchasing alternatives. This fact sheet gives monthly average estimates of wheat basis and cash prices for three regions in Maryland.

Updated: January 21, 2021

Maryland Corn: Historical Basis and Price Information (FS-495)

The local basis, defined as the cash price minus futures price, reflects important information about regional supply and demand for a commodity. Corn basis estimates can be used by farmers, grain marketing firms, processors and feed buyers to forecast regional prices, make production or storage decisions, or assess different grain purchasing alternatives. This fact sheet gives monthly average estimates of corn basis and cash prices for five regions in Maryland.