Coordinating agronomist: Florence Pomerleau-Lacasse
Organization: Agri Conseils Maska
Practices: Cover crops, nitrogen management
Barrier: Leguminous cover crops can supply nitrogen to the following crop and potentially reduce synthetic fertilizer needs, but legume cover crops can have a wide range of seed costs depending on species. There is a lack of local data on what species and proportion of legumes optimize biomass, nitrogen contribution and economic return.
Description: On four farms, two cover crop mixes (oats, radish and forage peas or fava beans) will be planted side by side after a cereal crop with <50% legumes and >70% legumes. Cover crop biomass and quality will be measured. In the subsequent corn crop, test strips with only starter fertilizer will be compared to standard rates. Changes in soil nitrate, corn stalk nitrate, and corn yield will be measured, and the economics evaluated to determine the legume proportion that delivers the best agronomic and economic value.