Barley-Cover Crop (Year 1 and 2)
PCDF
To evaluate intercropping potential for barley and cover crops.
Despite the dry conditions in spring, all cover crop treatments produced well (including the white and red clover, which did not appear to have competed well against the barley crop in 2020). The crops broke dormancy in late April and were swathed in mid-July. Because white clover is a very short crop (less than six inches high), swathing and baling presents a challenge. A better option for use as a forage would be to graze the crop in-field. Other uses might include discing the crop into the ground as a green manure, or harvesting the crop for seed.
No herbicides were applied to the 2020 or 2021 crop. Limited herbicide options are available for barley-cover crop intercrops, and the close proximity of the plots (and danger of spray drift) made it more feasible to hand-weed the plots. On a field-scale, careful field selection and pre-emergence herbicide application would be crucial to the establishment of a successful intercrop. Consult a herbicide guide or dealer to determine the best herbicide option for each intercrop.
The Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development (ARD) website states that producers may plant cover crops to minimize wind and water erosion. Cover crops can play an important role after low-residue crops, such as soybean and potatoes, or in spring as a new crop is establishing. Another import function is to immobilize excess nutrients, especially nitrogen, and prevent losses. Additionally, cover crops can help to trap snow, enhancing moisture conditions in spring.
Despite these benefits, the limited growing season before or after another crop can make establishing cover crops a challenge. A common practice is to establish a cover crop in-season, with a cash crop. This trial examined the effect of establishing four cover crops with barley.