Coordinating agronomists: Lorraine Vandermyden, Jackie Clark
Organizations: The Ontario Soil Network and Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario
Practices: Cover crops nitrogen management
Barrier: Nitrogen is a critical and costly input, with economic and environmental consequences if not managed carefully. As farmers adopt beneficial management practices such as cover cropping to improve nutrient cycling and increase flexibility in nitrogen management, the lack of local, field-level data on how much nitrogen can be reduced in corn following a legume cover crop without compromising yield or profitability remains a key barrier.
Description: This replicated strip trial will be conducted on 12 farms across Ontario and will compare the farmers’ standard nitrogen (N) application rates with reduced nitrogen application rates (by at least 20 lbs N/acre) in corn following cover crops. Farms may choose to include a zero/near-zero nitrogen control. Yield, soil, and economic data will be combined with farmer observations to understand outcomes.