Insect Management in Rye Cover Crops

Rye cover crop adoption has increased in recent years as a mechanism to reduce erosion, improve soil health, and mitigate nutrient losses. This talk will focus on the insect management implications of rye adoption (specifically winter or cereal rye), including impacts on pests and beneficial arthropods. Preliminary results will be presented from a series of field studies conducted in Illinois to survey cover crop fields for insect damage, pest species, and beneficials. In addition, the implications of practices such as spring termination timing will be discussed, as well as management recommendations for specific pests.