Cover crops are growing in popularity in Nebraska, and many challenges come with it such as the narrow window for growth and establishment between post-harvest drill and the first frost. To address these challenges, the Highboy Cover Crop Interseeding Project (HiCCIP) was initiated by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2022. This collaborative effort with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and various Natural Resources Districts (NRDs), including the Lower Platte North NRD, Lower Platte South NRD, and the Upper Big Blue NRD, aims to address cover crop barriers and explore their impact on water quality.
The HiCCIP project aims to interseed cover crops at R5.5 corn stage, and each field received a broadcast application of either cereal rye or a mix of cover crops, including cereal rye, turnips and rapeseed, at an average rate of 70 lb/ac. In 2022, the Highboy interseeded 2,972 acres, and in 2023, approximately 3,400 acres. In 2024, the HiCCIP project interseeded over 1,000 acres and over 800 acres were drilled of the 3-year sites.
