COMPANION CROP FORAGE ESTABLISHMENT - PRODUCER PRACTICES AND PERCEPTIONS

There is much interest in fostering cropping practices that reduce pesticide use and enhance soil conservation. A long-standing practice that addresses these objectives is companion crop establishment of small-seeded forage legumes. Little information is available regarding current producer practices in companion cropping. A survey was conducted in 1990 of a select sample of Minnesota forage producers to evaluate how they use companion crops, to assess their perceptions of current constraints in companion cropping, and to assess their receptiveness to use of dwarf stature small grains as companion crops. Of 351 survey respondents, 298 (85%) reported that they used companion crops. Oat (Avena sativa L.) was the companion crop of choice for 87% of those respondents, whereas spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were selected by 22% and 8%, respectively. Soil protection ranked as the most important reason for using a companion crop. Production of grain, straw, or additional herbage was important for some, but less important for many others. Use of companion crops to suppress weeds was assigned intermediate importance by most respondents. The oat cultivar 'Starter' was most frequently selected for companion cropping and is distinctive for its short stature and early maturity. The overall average oat companion crop seeding rate reported was 71 lb/acre, but was somewhat higher if the end-use goal was production of grain or straw. Average seeding rate for barley was 82 lb/acre. Lodging was identified as a particularly important constraint in current companion crop systems and respondents identified shorter stature and earlier maturity as characters needed in future companion crop cultivars. Half of the respondents reacted favorably to the prospect of using a dwarf small grain as a companion crop in order to reduce lodging potential as well as lessen competition with the forage legume. Future research should be directed at evaluating dwarf genotypes for use in companion crop systems.