ABSTRACT
Potential wind erosion in the San Luis Valley (SLV) of south central Colorado is greater in the spring, especially after harvesting crops that leave little crop residue in the fall. Winter cover crops (WCC) can be useful tools in protecting soil and water quality. To some extent, there is flexibility in how to use WCCs as an N management tool. Maximum soil conservation occurs with early planting of winter cover grains (WCG), which increases dry matter production and N uptake in the fall, before growth is drastically reduced by the winter. In the SLV of south central Colorado, NO3–N leaching and wind erosion have been identified as events that can affect soil and water quality. Some SLV farmers are beginning to use WCG as a source of winter or early spring pasture for livestock before the fields are cropped again.
