Summer 2023

Eight (four annual crop zone and four annual crop-fallow transition zone) producer cooperator's fields (4 acres each) were identified in the Palouse region in early spring. In late April/early May, nine strip plots (3 replicates X 3 treatments) were set up on each field. Soil moisture sensors were installed at different depths to monitor soil moisture for three cover crop treatments: low diversity, high diversity, and producer choice. Soil cores were collected for analysis. Crop emergence was assessed for all treatments and fields four weeks after seeding. Cover crops were terminated (using herbicide) on three different dates: June 1 for transition zone fields and at first bloom (50% flowering) for annual zone fields. Additional termination dates (TD2 and TD3) were determined based on crop stages and farm conditions. Before each termination date, crops, weeds, insects, and soil were sampled across treatments on each field.