Trifolium pratense
Type: winter annual legume
Pros: good fit in weather destroyed crops or prevent plant acres; no allelopathic affect ahead of corn; possible N fixer; low water use; moderate potential to improve soil health, prevent erosion
Overwintering potential: with adequate fall establishment
Planting date: August through early September
Seeding depth: 0.25” to 0.5” – rainfall/soil moisture needed to get good establishment
Seeding rate: drilled = 10 – 15 pounds per acre; overseeded = 15 – 20 pounds per acre
* based on typical use timing in a corn and soybean cropping system.
References and Resources
SARE. 2007. Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd edition. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, College Park, MD.
MCCC. 2020. Cover Crop Selector Tool. Midwest Cover Crops Council, West Lafayette, IN.
Mark Licht Associate Professor
Dr. Mark Licht is an associate professor and extension cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. His extension, research and teaching program is focused on how to holistically manage Iowa cropping systems to achieve productivity, profitability and en...