Promoting early season plant cover, primarily through the use of cover crops, can be more effective at reducing pest density and crop damage than insecticide applications, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers.

In a newly published study, the researchers suggest that the best pest management outcomes may occur when growers encourage biological control — in the form of pests' natural enemies — by planting cover crops and avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides as much as possible.

From the depths of a soil pit, it’s clear how cover crops benefit overall soil health. Michael Patin, a district conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Jamie Patton, senior outreach specialist of nutrient and pest management at the University of Wisconsin, share how cover crops can improve your soil health. 

Nitrogen prices are so high this year that it is worth considering earlier termination of cereal cover crops to avoid nitrogen tie-up and to save money.

As fields start to green up from last fall’s cover crops, cattle producers can’t wait to get cows out of calving yards and onto fresh grass. Denise Schwab, Iowa State University Extension beef specialist, offers five tips when grazing cover crops.

Experts from Purdue University discuss herbicide options for fields that have a mixture of cover crop species growing in them and how to effectively terminate the cover crops before corn or soybean production.