During this webinar event held Tuesday, April 8th, 2014, Walton, Ind., no-tiller Cameron Mills shared timely tips for getting complete control and desiccation of annual ryegrass prior to planting.

What are some good options to control ryegrass with a short turnaround to plant back to corn? When addressing this question we have to realize that some of this ryegrass is likely glyphosate-resistant (GR). Though we do not have it officially confirmed at this point, I am confident from the last couple years' field observations that Tennessee does have a few fields with glyphosate-resistant ryegrass.

For growers who may have planted cover crops last fall, it will be very important to apply an effective burndown to these species in the coming weeks.

Talking with farmers and equipment manufacturers, there is still a fair amount of uncertainty about how to best marry cover crops and strip-till.

In a time of tight supplies of both forage and agricultural land, many producers are interested in making use of cover crops as alternative forages. Most cover crop species used in Michigan also have a long history of use as forage crops for livestock and offer great potential for dual use to improve soil while providing forage. However, if the cover-cropped acreage is also enrolled in a crop insurance program, Michigan State University Extension reminds farmers that it is important to recognize how intended use as forage may impact the insurance policy.

Cover crops can be excellent systems to capture excess nutrients and reduce the risk of erosion over the winter months.

Rill and gully erosion is the detachment and transport of soil by concentrated flow of water. Rills are small enough to be removed by normal tillage operations.

Using cover crops with strip-tillage helps growers improve the crop-row environment, build soil organic matter and protect fields from erosion

For Ontario farmer Blake Vince, taking a leap with strip-till practices helped him improve corn yields, preserve soil moisture and reduce expenditures on high-dollar fuel and fertilizer.