Promoting sustainable development and the
wise use of natural resources
Promoting sustainable development and the
wise use of natural resources
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During spring 2021, we initiated a cover crop variety trial in Fairbanks with a total of twenty-three species in 12 functional groups. This project was funded by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and is being implemented through the Alaska Association of Conservation Districts. There are six soil and water conservation districts participating in the trial: Fairbanks, Salcha-Delta, Wasilla, Palmer, Kenai, and Homer. We will be able to compare results across sites to make recommendations to farmers and gardeners about what cover crops grow best in their area.
Sunshine Barley
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Otal Barley
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2 Row Barley
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Kenland Red Clover
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Medium Red Clover
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Mammoth Red Clover
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Toral Oats
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Athabaska Oats
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Naked Oats
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Nematode Control Radish
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Nitro Radish
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Collards
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Purple Top Turnip
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Turbo Turnip
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White Gold Mustard
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Austrian Winter Peas
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Wyoming Winter Peas
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Control
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Black Oil Sunflower
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Mancan Buckwheat
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Golden Flax
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Berberal Rye
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FX Winter Triticale
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813 Winter Triticale
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Cover crops are secondary crops that farmers and gardeners use to improve soil health and increase subsequent crop yields.
Properly managed cover crops provide a variety of benefits such as preventing soil erosion, conserving soil moisture, cutting fertilizer costs, protecting water quality, suppressing weeds and reducing the need for herbicides, breaking pest cycles, and increasing soil organic matter.
Selection of a cover crop depends upon your objective or the benefit you are seeking, what grows in your climate, and your soil conditions. We are conducting this study to provide more specific recommendations on cover crop selection to interior Alaska farmers and gardeners!
Cover crops can become problematic if not properly managed. They should be harvested or terminated before mature seed shatters into the soil.
