Description

Cover crop of rye.
Figure 1. Cover crop of rye.
Closeup picture of rye
Figure 2. Closeup picture of rye.

Family

  • Grass

Growth habits

Germination and emergence

  • Will germinate in cold temperatures –1 to 2°C but vegetative growth requires 4°C.

Top growth

  • Taller than wheat, mature crop 120 to 150 cm in height; Warm wet weather in spring can cause rapid growth from 15 cm to 1 m in a short period of time.
  • Long day plant — will flower when daylight hours exceed 14 hours and temperatures average 5 to 10°C.
  • When flowering starts — vegetative growth stops.

Root system

  • Fibrous.
  • Extensive — can cover 1 m radius and 2 m depth of soil.

Overwintering

  • Does not winter kill.
  • As living tissue, there is greater resistant to sand abrasion over winter.
  • Resumes growth in spring faster than wheat.

Site suitability

  • More drought tolerant than wheat or oats.
  • Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions but does best in well drained light soils — sands, loamy sands, sandy loams and gravelly soils.

Control options

Monitored crop of rye
Figure 3. Monitored crop of rye.
  • Can be harder to kill than other cereals — timing and control options are critical.
  • Mow when crop goes into flowering stage (vegetative growth has stopped) for non-chemical control.
  • Requires careful management of chemical control in the spring.
  • Low rates of glyphosate can kill the plant — but leave it standing. This prolongs protective features longer. High rates of glyphosate will knock the crop down leaving less wind protection.

Sensitivity to herbicides: weed control

  • There are many herbicides registered for use in wheat but good weed control for a cover crop should not be expensive and may not be needed. Establish a vigorous crop canopy to smother out weeds.

Benefits and concerns

Nutrient management

  • Best cool season cereal crop for taking up leftover nitrogen from previous manure application(s).
  • Can tie up nitrogen in spring when needed by following crop.
  • Rye may help to increase the concentration of potassium at the surface due to its extensive root system.

Pest management

  • Competitive growth habits — good for suppressing weeds.
  • Allelopathic effect — prevents weed germination and growth, but can have allelopathic effect on other grass-like crops (e.g. corn).

Organic matter

  • Large volumes of plant biomass returned to soil.

Erosion control

  • Wind abatement strips.
  • On tomato beds.
  • As strips in tobacco or vegetable fields.
  • Preferred because it does not winterkill and is resilient to sand blasting.

Soil moisture

  • More drought tolerant than wheat or oats.

Getting started

Establishment

  • Shade tolerant — can be overseeded into a standing crop of corn before leaf drop.
  • Only cover crop that can be planted in the late fall and still provide some soil cover, although the protection may not be highly effective until early spring.
  • Cold tolerant — established rye can withstand temperatures of – 35° C.

Cost and availability

  • Seed is relatively inexpensive and readily available.