North Dakota State University

Why Take Steps to Improve Soil Organic Matter?

Building soil organic matter and improving soil health is a long-term investment and requires consistent practices like having well-timed and purposeful tillage, planting cover crops and implementing crop rotation and diversity.

November 23, 2024 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: NDSU — North Dakota State University

Taking steps to build soil organic matter can help to maintain soil health and ensure sustainable farming practices, according to North Dakota State University Extension soil and soil health experts.

[Podcast] Can We Count the Nitrogen Credits of Cover Crops for the Following Cash Crop?

In this episode of the Cover Crop Strategies podcast, brought to you by SOURCE® from Sound Agriculture, we're joined by Marisol Berti, Endowed Professor & Plant Sciences Graduate Program Coordinator at North Dakota State University.

December 29, 2023 | Posted in Seeding Practices

In this episode of the Cover Crop Strategies podcast, brought to you by SOURCE® from Sound Agriculture, we're joined by Marisol Berti, Endowed Professor & Plant Sciences Graduate Program Coordinator at North Dakota State University.

[Podcast] Watch for Toxicity When Grazing Covers

This week’s podcast, sponsored by GS3 Quality Seed, features Miranda Meehan, North Dakota State University. Meehan will discuss current forage production levels and conditions despite drought conditions, how growers can prevent overgrazing, the importance of grazing fields at appropriate growth stages and more.

August 25, 2021 | Posted in Grazing

This week’s podcast, sponsored by GS3 Quality Seed, features Miranda Meehan, North Dakota State University. Meehan will discuss current forage production levels and conditions despite drought conditions, how growers can prevent overgrazing, the importance of grazing fields at appropriate growth stages and more.

[Podcast] Got Ruts? Got Compaction

This week’s podcast, sponsored by Yetter Equipment, features Aaron Daigh, Associate Professor of Soil Physics & Hydrology, North Dakota State University.

January 12, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

This week’s podcast, sponsored by Yetter Equipment, features Aaron Daigh, Associate Professor of Soil Physics & Hydrology, North Dakota State University.

[Podcast] Weed Suppression is a Valuable Side Benefit of Covers

Joe Ikley, assistant professor and Extension Specialist with North Dakota State University discusses using cover crops for weed suppression. Find out why the timing of seeding cover crops matters, which cover crop species are best for helping control weeds, and how geography influences cover crop species selection and weed suppression.

September 23, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Joe Ikley, assistant professor and Extension Specialist with North Dakota State University discusses using cover crops for weed suppression. Find out why the timing of seeding cover crops matters, which cover crop species are best for helping control weeds, and how geography influences cover crop species selection and weed suppression.

North Dakota State University Introduces 2 New Varieties of Pulse Crops

May 4, 2020 | Posted in Seeding Practices

The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station has released two new varieties of pulse crops: ND Dawn yellow pea and ND Crown kabuli chickpea. ND Dawn is the first yellow pea variety released from the NDSU Pulse Breeding Program.

The Facts on Nitrogen Release Using Cover Crops in the Dakotas

August 21, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health

Source: AgWeek

There's this idea floating around that cover crops will take up nitrogen this growing season and then release that nitrogen for next year's crop. Add on top of that, an ability to anticipate when that nitrogen will be released by selecting specific cover crops in a mix (this is the C:N ratio stuff you hear about). Find out more in this article from AgWeek by Abbey Wick, North Dakota State University Extension Soil Health Specialist.

Watch for Nitrate Toxicity When Feeding Cover Crops to Cattle

July 8, 2019 | Posted in Grazing

Source: Farm Forum

While cover crops offer flexibility in cropping systems and a great source of livestock feed, they could pose a risk of nitrate toxicity, according to Janna Block, livestock systems specialist at North Dakota State University’s Hettinger Research Extension Center.

Perennial Salt-Tolerant Covers for Saline-Sodic Headlands

June 5, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

No production in the saline areas results in a net loss. By establishing perennial salt-tolerant covers, not only can we profit from these currently unproductive areas but can also minimize blowing of topsoil

Video

Cover Crop Benefits in Sunflowers

February 7, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

North Dakota State University soil health specialist Abbey Wick and other experts discuss beneficial organisms from cover crops seeded after sunflowers were planted on Doug Toussaint’s farm near Wahpeton, N.D.