New Study Evaluates Performance of Cover Crops in Different Geographies

The University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture released its first National Cover Crop Variety Test Report in July.

The National Cover Crop Variety Testing Program is working to identify how new and existing cover crop varieties perform in a wide variety of locations across the country to help farmers, crop advisers, and members of the seed industry with decision-making. In its first report, data from 11 states are provided for 25 different varieties representing six different cover crop species during the 2024-2025 growing season for cover crops.

“The data we report on includes cover crop biomass, winter survival, flowering date, and other observations, such as weed control and plant disease occurrence where relevant,” says Etienne Sutton, Program Manager for the project. “Weather data for each test location is also included in the report.”

The project will continue to expand the number of varieties tested in support of further cover crop adoption, says Rob Myers, Project Leader and Director of the MU Center of Regenerative Agriculture.

In addition to Sutton and Myers, senior authors of the report include North Carolina State University’s Chris Reberg-Horton, Alyssa Woodard, and Esleyther Henriquez Inoa.

The MU Center worked closely with the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) and more than a dozen partner organizations that included seed companies, land-grant universities, as well as USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resource Conservation Service. The program is funded through a $10-million USDA Sustainable Agricultural Systems award.

“This project has been a great example of a public-private partnership effort that will pay economic and conservation dividends for farmers across the country, providing valuable information that enhances their conservation efforts,” says ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne.

In addition to testing cover crop varieties in public trials, the National Cover Crop Variety Development Project is conducting breeding efforts to develop new cover crop varieties with superior traits, evaluating root growth and forage quality of new varieties, helping more farmers learn how to become cover crop seed producers, and working to advance overall adoption of improved cover crop varieties.