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\u201cI\u2019m looking at cover crop mix to put on some ground that\u2019s going to be seeded to wheat and barley next year. I\u2019m wondering if barley works in that mix or if I should be looking at something else?\u201d - Bryan Kenner of Kenner Farms

Dr. Andrew Friskop joins us to answer Bryan\u2019s question. He is a cereal extension plant pathologist at North Dakota State University. Dr. Friskop begins tackling this question by pointing out that the focus needs to be on whether already present \u201cdiseases in barley could be contributing to next year\u2019s barley crop.\u201d Potential risk of residue borne diseases such as fungal leaf spots, net blotch, spot blotch and Fusarium head blight need to be evaluated and are typically of most concern. However, Dr Friskop does highlight that a cover crop mix creates a different environment than a monoculture environment would.

\u201cWe have a lot less plants. Those other plants might actually be barriers for some of that infection. So how I treat the situation is I would suggest that yes, there is a risk, but I wouldn\u2019t consider it a high risk just because of some of those other factors.\u201d - Dr. Andrew Friskop

While introducing plants that may transmit disease is not ideal it seems the cover crop mix environment makes the risk of that unlikely. The two biggest risk factors for cover crops spreading disease involve soybean cyst nematode in soybeans and clubroot in canola. You ultimately want to avoid a \u201cpathogen and disease system that\u2019s very difficult to manage once you have it.\u201d All that being said, \u201cmother nature always throws us curve balls.\u201d

\u201cWe handle each season as a separate year and we just look at managing the wheat and barley crop to the best of our ability for each year.\u201d - Dr. Andrew Friskop

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Soil Sense Podcast is hosted by Tim Hammerich of the Future of Agriculture Podcast.