Cover Crops Pose Hidden Risk for Farmers: Expert Panel

A farmer's daughter warned him about the potential downsides of cover crops, specifically the 'green bridge' phenomenon where insects move from the covers to the cash crop in spring. The panel of experts at Indiana Certified Crop Adviser discussed this issue and offered several solutions.

Danny Greene suggested terminating the cover and waiting a few weeks before planting or using the green bridge to keep beneficial insects in the field. He recommended considering an insecticide seed treatment to reduce impact while keeping something green in the field.

Brian Overstreet emphasized that with proper scouting and planning, the green bridge is generally not an issue. He advised having an early burndown program at least two weeks before planting and reading the Purdue Crop and Pest report each week for heads up on potential issues with cutworm and armyworm.

Dan Quinn noted that using a legume cover crop rather than a grass species ahead of corn can help reduce the potential for certain insect pests and diseases to build up in the cover crop. He also highlighted the importance of termination timing, targeting it at least two weeks before corn planting to reduce concerns while limiting excessive biomass.

Dan Ritter agreed that with any new system, there are advantages and disadvantages. He suggested weighing the pros and cons for the cover crop system and considering increased pest pressure in certain cases and perhaps decreased in others.