Cover Crop Cereal Rye Seeding Calculator
Calculate cereal rye cover crop seeding rate in pounds per acre from a target live seed rate, with pure live seed and bag counts.
How This Calculation Works
Bulk pounds per acre equals the target live seeds per acre divided by seeds per pound, then divided by the pure live seed fraction. Cereal rye has about 18,000 seeds per pound, so 1.2 million live seeds per acre needs about 73 pounds of bulk seed at 90 percent PLS. Dividing by 43.56 gives pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Field Calibration & Rate Reference Chart
| Species | Seeds/lb | Target seeds/ac | Bulk lb/ac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tall fescue | 227,000 | 3,000,000 | 15 |
| Kentucky bluegrass | 1,100,000 | 1,500,000 | 2 |
| Perennial ryegrass | 227,000 | 4,000,000 | 20 |
| Bermudagrass hulled | 1,900,000 | 2,000,000 | 1 |
| Bermudagrass unhulled | 800,000 | 2,000,000 | 3 |
| Alfalfa | 200,000 | 5,000,000 | 28 |
| Winter wheat | 12,000 | 1,200,000 | 105 |
| Soybean | 2,800 | 160,000 | 63 |
| Corn | 1,400 | 34,000 | 27 |
| Cereal rye | 18,000 | 1,200,000 | 73 |
Common Questions
How much cereal rye seed per acre?
Rates run 50 to 90 pounds per acre drilled, or 90 to 120 pounds broadcast. Adjust for the seed tag's pure live seed. Higher rates give more biomass and better weed suppression.
When should I plant cereal rye as a cover crop?
Plant after cash crop harvest, from late summer through late fall, as long as the soil is not frozen. Cereal rye germinates in cool soils, so it tolerates late planting better than most covers. Earlier planting gives more fall growth.
How do I terminate cereal rye?
Terminate with tillage or herbicide before it sets seed, usually when it reaches boot stage in spring. Cereal rye is allelopathic and can suppress the following crop if left too long. Roller-crimping works after the stems are tough.
Does cereal rye scavenge nitrogen?
Yes, its deep roots capture residual nitrogen and hold it against leaching, releasing it as the residue breaks down. That makes it valuable after corn. The nitrogen credit to the next crop depends on the rye's biomass and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.