Organic Field Crop Production and Marketing in North Carolina

Many organic grains farmers are interested in soybean/corn rotation systems. Providing enough nitrogen for organic corn is a challenge to producers. Manure can provide sufficient nitrogen but results in buildup of other nutrients such as phosphorous, zinc and copper. Legume cover crops may provide an economic alternative to manure as a nitrogen input. Experiments have been conducted investigating the nitrogen contribution effect of the timing of clover seeding following a soybean crop and the amount of clover seed spread. Initial results suggest that spreading clover before soybean leaf drop or following soybean harvest may provide over 100 lbs/acre of nitrogen to the following corn crop.