Cover Crops: Rye

Table of Contents

1. Description: Family
2. Growth Habits
3. Control Options
4. Sensitivity to Herbicides: Weed Control
5. Benefits and Concerns
6. Getting Started
7. Related Links

Description

Figure 1- Cover Crop 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

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Control Options

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 & Availability

• Seed is relatively inexpensive and readily available

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• Cover Crop Seed Suppliers
• Cover Crop Seeds Available
• Soil Management and Fertilizer Use: Cover Crops
• Soil Management
• Soil Water Management
• Publication 75, Guide to Weed Control

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