West KY, Miss River County | Not a bad price for rye this year. Of course wheat is down also. On the surface the wheat route looks to be cheaper. For a cover crop a bu of either would be adequate unless a bad erosion problem is anticipated.
Flown on or planted early, the rye would probably give you better early growth. More roots and deeper roots for rye also.
My personal preference is to wait until about 6-7 days after the first cool fall rain, burn down with roundup, and put down rye with an airflow truck. Very light tillage such as a Phillips harrow or a light disking. Go fishing. True this normally is not really 'early' but it helps weed control without working the ground too much. Next spring there will be a nice even stand of small grain foliage that is easy to burn down and the soil is stabilized and mellow.
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Wheat vs. Winter Rye as Cover Crops
