MSU Extension Cover Crops

Cereal Rye (Secale cereale) 

Identifying Features: 

• Blue-green leaf color
• Hairy leaf sheath

Planting Tips

• Seeding Dates: mid August-late October
• Seeding Rate
  • Drilled Seeding Rate: 55-110 lbs PLS/Ac
  • Broadcast Seeding Rate: 60-120 lbs PLS/Ac
  • Aerial Seeding Rate: 66-132 lbs PLS/Ac
• Drilled Seeding Depth: 3/4 - 1 1/2 inches
• Seed Size: 18,000 seeds/lb 
• Seeding Rate Adjustments: Lower if sandy soils prone to dry periods in spring
• Minimum germination temperature: 34 Fahrenheit
• pH tolerance: 5-7 

Performance

• Dry Matter: 1,500-4,500 lb/DM/Ac
• Nitrogen Scavenger: Excellent
• Soil Builder: Excellent
• Erosion Fighter: Excellent
• Weed Fighter: Excellent
• Good Grazing: Excellent
• Mechanical Forage Harvest: Excellent
• Attract Beneficial Insects: Fair

Termination Tips

• Terminate with tillage, herbicide, roller crimper, or mowing
• Timely termination is important, late termination can cause N to be tied up and heavy residue may be difficult to plant into
• If using systemic herbicide, make sure cover crop is actively growing
• Terminate at flowering if using roller crimper or mowing
• Using VNS seed can cause challenges with termination as plants may mature at different times

This fact sheet is a collaborative effort of Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to provide information on cover crops. For more information consult www.midwestcovercrops.org/michigan/. USDA participants should follow the specifications in their conservation plan and the NRCS Cover Crop Termination Guidelines.