This document discusses soil health and the benefits of cover crops. It mentions several Iowa cities within the English River Watershed and notes that good aggregate stability is essential for healthy soil. It also shows that a cereal rye cover crop can increase corn and soybean yields, as demonstrated in a 4-year on-farm trial in Iowa. The document includes charts on soil organic matter levels and nitrogen management over time as well as a plot planter.

6. Grinnell
Iowa City
Williamsburg
Washington
Kalona
English River Watershed

8. Soil Organic Matter

11. Jason Steele and Kathleen Woida, NRCS-USDA Geologist
Good Aggregate Stability Essential to Healthy Soil
The size of pore spaces between soil
particles plays a key role in plant growth.
One of the hallmarks of healthy soil is macropores that contain
60% WATER and 40% AIR

15. APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR
Corn – Soybeans
Cover Crop

47. Nitrogen Management

48. Corn & Soybean Yield Response to Cereal Rye
Corn and soybean yield response to a cereal rye cover crop in a 4-year, on-farm trial in Iowa. Each bar represents the
cover crop yield effect at 1 location in a single Year. Results are adapted from Carlson (2013).

50. My planter Plot planter