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Minnesota cover crops related research and activities

• Linda Kinkel - Microbial Ecologist in the Department of Plant Pathology (University of Minnesota)
• Matt Leavitt
• Robin Martinek - State Conservation Agronomist
• Carl Rosen - Extension Soil Scientist (University of Minnesota)

Linda Kinkel is a Microbial Ecologist in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota. Linda, B. Elizabeth Wiggins, Kun Xiao, Jennifer Flor, Carlos Perez and Ruth Dill-Macky are conducting research with the focus on the use of green manures for the management of soilborne plant pathogens in potato, soybean, and alfalfa production systems. Their work has shown that a number of green manure species, including sorghum-sudangrass, buckwheat, and oat, can significantly enhance populations of naturally-occurring antibiotic-producing bacteria in soil. In field trials, these bacterial populations have contributed to significant reductions in potato scab and verticillium wilt on potato, and reductions in phytophthora root rots on soybean and alfalfa.

The team has explored the development of multiple-year management systems, focusing on integration of green manures following short-season potato or sweet corn crops to avoid losing a full year of production. In addition, they have investigated the potential for green manures to reduce the survival of Fusarium pathogens in wheat production systems.  

Matt Leavitt

Please check back for details!

ontact Information:

Pepper in rye and vetch mixture	Peppers in hand weeded control plot
Peppers in killed rye	Peppers in vetch plot
Roller-crimper smashing rye

Robin Martinek has worked for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for more than 30 years as a soil conservationist and now as the state conservation agronomist.  She is responsible for writing and updating the conservation practice standards that deal with agronomic issues, doing training for field office staff, and working with other state agencies and regional agronomists to get new and updated information and technical tools to field staff and producers who need it.  She is a member of the Minnesota Sustainable Farming Association and works closely with many other organizations and producers to promote the use of conservation practices that are economic and sustainable.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides technical assistance directly to farmers and landowners to assess and solve concerns with the soil, water, air, plant and animal resources on their land.  The use of cover crops is one of many conservation practices that they recommend to do. In addition to technical assistance they have cost sharing available for planting a cover crop and for integrating it into a crop rotation, through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Contact information: Robin Martinek State Agronomist, NRCS 375 Jackson St. Ste. 600 St. Paul, MN 55101 Phone:  651-602-7866 E-mail: robin.martinek@mn.usda.gov

Learn about commonly used cover crops in Minnesota here (by Robin Martinek).

Use of cover crops with sugar beets (a field trip report with pictures):
Various agronomists and agriculturalist from the NRCS, the American Crystal Sugar Company and the Minn-Dak Coop participated in a field trip with the goal to evaluate the effectiveness of different cover crop species, seeding dates, seeding rates, seeding methods of cover crops, as well as methods of planting sugarbeets into cover crops, the methods and timing of cover crop termination.

On the same trip Mike Sporcic (National Wind Erosion Specialist) worked on evaluating the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS). Click here to read his report on Spring Sugarbeet Wind Erosion Control.

Carl Rosen is an Extension Soil Scientist with primary responsibilities in nutrient management for horticultural crops.  His interest in cover crops for potato production has implications for both disease and nutrient management.

Control of Soil Borne Diseases in Potato Using Brassica Green Manures

The primary management tool currently used by Minnesota potato growers to control soilborne pathogens is to fumigate with Vapam, a dithiocarbamate. About 25,000 to 30,000 acres are fumigated in the state on an annual basis.  Use of Vapam reduces soil microbial diversity, which
in turn requires the soil to be fumigated every 3 to 4 years in the potato rotation.
Caliente mustard is a brassica species that naturally produces glucosinolate compounds that can be further broken down to isothiocyanate compounds. When mixed in the soil, these compounds may have a biocidal effect on soil borne pathogens. Our initial research trials have primarily focused on determining how much brassica biomass can be produced when used as a cover crop.
The brassica crop is planted after spring wheat harvest in August and then disked it in October. Our overall research goals are to evaluate the potential of using brassica green manures to reduce the need for Vapam in potato fields.

August planted Caliente mustard in early October	Chopping mustard in October
Chopped mustard	Incorporation with a disk

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