sufficiently to survive the winter. Cover crop residue can modify the conditions under which weeds germinate Cover crops often reduce density and biomass of annual weeds in or regrow in the spring. Such effects could be due to no-till cropping systems. However, cover crops that over-winter also changes in soil temperature, increase in soil moisture, have the potential to reduce crop yield. Currently, there is an interest in annual medics (Medicago spp.) and other annual legumes that release of allelopathic chemicals, and physical impediwinter-kill for use as cover crops in midwestern grain cropping systems. ments to weed seedlings (Facelli and Pickett, 1991; Teas-A 2-yr study was conducted at East Lansing and the Kellogg Biological dale, 1996; Teasdale and Mohler, 1993). Station, Michigan, to investigate the influence of annual legume cover Many legume species that are used as cover crops in crops on weed populations. Two annual medic species [burr medic (M. no-till corn production are winter annuals or short-lived polymorpha cv. Santiago) and barrel medic (M. truncatula Gaertn. cv. perennials. In northern regions of the USA, over-win-Mogul)], berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L. cv. Bigbee), tering species are normally established in the summer and medium red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) were no-till seeded or fall and accumulate most of their biomass when they as cover crops into winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) stubble in