** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE FARMERS KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY FROM ADOPTING COVER CROPS INTO THEIR CROPPING SYSTEMS, WHICH WILL STRENGTHEN COVER CROP ADOPTION WHILE IMPROVING CASH CROP EFFICIENCY FOR NITROGEN UPTAKE, CROP PRODUCTIVITY, SOIL RESILIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. THE SHORT-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO LEVERAGE AN EXISTING COVER CROP INTERSEEDING TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT (COVERING 30 FIELDS AND OVER 3000 ACRES) AS A FRAMEWORK TO CONDUCT ON-FARM RESEARCH TRIALS TO EXPAND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COVER CROP PRACTICES AND IMPROVE ADOPTION BY LOCAL FARMERS. UNDERSTANDING COVER CROPS IMPACT ON NITROGEN DYNAMICS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO STRENGTHEN EXTENSION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FARMERS TO ADOPT INNOVATIVE PRACTICES. GIVEN THE SHORT WINDOW TO GROW COVER CROPS IN NEBRASKA AFTER CASH CROP HARVEST, THE DEMONSTRATION AND ON-FARM TESTING OF INTERSEEDING TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP IMPROVE FARMER AWARENESS AND ADOPTION OF THESE PRACTICES. THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED TO ADDRESS THE HIGH NITRATE LEVEL IN NEBRASKA GROUNDWATER AND RESEARCH INTO COVER CROPS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON NITROGEN DYNAMICS ARE CRITICAL TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS AND INCREASE ADOPTION OF THESE PRACTICES. TO THIS END, WE WILL INVESTIGATE INTERSEEDING COVER CROPS IMPACT ON NITROGEN DYNAMICS AND NITROGEN CYCLING IN TWO DIFFERENT CROPPING ROTATIONS, CONTINUOUS CORN AND CORN-SOYBEAN-CORN, WITH AT LEAST TWO NITROGEN RATES APPLIED, ALL UNDER IRRIGATION SYSTEM, COMPARED WITH CROPPING SYSTEMS THAT DO NOT RECEIVE COVER CROPS AND REMAIN FALLOW IN THE OFF-SEASON FROM OCTOBER TO MAY. PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS INVESTIGATED NITROGEN CYCLING BY ADDING COVER CROPPING AND DIFFERENT PLANTING TIME BUT THERE STILL NEED DEMONSTRATION AND ON-FARM TESTING OF THESE PRACTICES TO STRENGTHEN RECOMMENDATIONS. THE NOVELTY OF OUR PROPOSAL IS THE FOCUS ON INVESTIGATING NITROGEN DYNAMICS AND CYCLING BY ADOPTING COVER CROPPING IN EIGHT LOCATIONS IN NEBRASKA WHICH WILL RESULT ON BETTER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FARMERS BY GIVING MORE DETAILS OF HOW CASH CROP CAN IMPROVE NUTRIENT EFFICIENCY AND DECREASING NITROGEN LOSSES. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, OUR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION OBJECTIVES INCLUDE:RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: TO EVALUATE INTERSEEDED COVER CROPS FOR DECREASING NITROGEN LOSS AND TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF COVER CROPS ON NITROGEN DYNAMICS OVER THE SEASON.EXTENSION OBJECTIVE: TO DEMONSTRATE COVER CROP INTERSEEDING TECHNOLOGY AND ENCOURAGE FARMERS AND STAKEHOLDER ADOPTION OF COVER CROP PRACTICES THAT IMPROVE NITROGEN CAPTURE TO LIMIT LOSSES.?THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES SEVERAL PRIORITIES FOR THE 2022 NIFA-AFRI FOUNDATIONAL AND APPLIED SCIENCE PROGRAM, IN THE CRITICAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION (CARE), WHICH SEEKS PROJECTS THAT FOCUS ON A CLEAR, TIME-SENSITIVE, STAKEHOLDER-IDENTIFIED NEED, DESCRIBE A MEANINGFUL APPROACH FOR BLENDING RESEARCH AND EXTENSION EXPERTISE... AND IMPLEMENTATION APPROACHES THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT TO ADDRESS PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES, STATE EXPECTED SOLUTIONS OR IMPROVEMENTS AND HOW THESE WILL BE AS,SESSED AND MEASURED AND EXPLAIN HOW THE PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD-PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND HOW RESULTS WILL BE ADOPTED OR APPLIED AT A LOCAL, REGIONAL, OR NATIONAL LEVEL. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BY STRENGTHENING KNOWLEDGE ON COVER CROPPING AND ITS IMPACT ON NITROGEN DYNAMICS WHICH LEADS FOR IMPROVING CASH CROP NITROGEN USING EFFICIENCY AND REDUCING NITROGEN LOSSES.