Alternative Winter Cover Crop Species for Virginia.

Winter cover crops have the potential to reduce the impact of agricultural production on the surrounding ecosystem, including the Chesapeake Bay.  However, the incrementally easiest acres, those that lend themselves to cover cropping, are likely already planted.  Thus, a dramatic increase in acreage is going to require adaptation and innovation of the current cover crop systems so that they offer greater flexibility and greater appeal.  To this end, trials were established in five diverse locations in Virginia to evaluate the performance of various cover crop species and species mixes for fall biomass, total season biomass and nitrogen uptake.