A small grain is usually relay intercropped with a summer row crop. Then soybeans or another row crop is no-till planted into the first crop to minimize damage to the small grain by wheel and planter traffic. This may result in higher grain yield than with conventional doublecropping. However, relay intercropping requires more careful management than most crop production systems. Any grower trying relay intercropping for the first time should do so on a limited scale.
Irrigation is required most years for successful relay intercropping.
When the relay intercrop is planted, the small grain crop is at a moderate to heavy water use stage. Consequently, if rainfall is deficient or uneven, the underseeded row crop can undergo extreme drought stress. Irrigation after small grain harvest will likely be needed for continued development of the relay intercrop. Winter wheat is the best small grain to use for relay intercropping. Wheat winterkill can occur throughout Nebraska, especially in the northeast.