In Washington state, new research has found cover crops that are viable in Washington’s normal “off season” don’t hurt the soil and can be sold as a biofuel source.
After harvest, farmland often sits fallow and unused until growers seed in the next crop. Soil can erode, weeds can take root, and farmers don’t make any money during that time. Cover crops can eliminate or reduce some of those issues, but many farmers have concerns about their effects on soil quality, a reduced growing window for their primary crop, and the inability to sell the cover crop.
In a paper published in the journal Biomass and Bioenergy, a team led by Washington State University scientists looked at four cover crops grown for multiple years in western and central Washington fields. Two showed promising results.
Triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye, produced the highest yields, and hairy vetch, a vine-like legume with hairy leaves, provided stable yields at low costs while adding nitrogen to the soil.
Tags: Washington, Washington State University
Category: Research
