Winter cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) has been a common cover crop choice due to seed cost, winter hardiness, rapid growth, and excellent potential to reduce NO 3 losses to the environment. It could also be an alternative grain crop to include in a corn (Zea mays L.)soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] rotation, although detailed information on management practices for cultivation in Iowa is lacking. In addition, insertion into the cropping system of a different cover crop, like the legume red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), would be possible due to inter-seeding with the cereal rye small grain crop. Such a cover crop would also provide an alternative source of N for a subsequent cereal crop such as corn and positively impac t NO 3 leaching due to extended growth after rye grain harvest. The objectives of this study were to determine N response and optimal fertilizer N application rate in cereal rye production, the impact of a red clover cover crop on rye growth and yield and on a subsequent corn crop optimal N fertilization requirement and yield, and the influence of the cropping system on soil profile NO 3 . Two cereal rye varieties were no-till planted following soybean harvest in the fall 2017 and 2018 at two locations each year, Ames and Kanawha, Iowa. Six total fertilizer N rates (0, 28, 56, 84, 112 and 140 kg N ha -1 ) were fall-spring split applied. The study was split with and without late winter inter-seeded medium red clover. Rye crop canopy sensing was collected multiple times during the growing season, and plant height, number of seed heads, leaf and grain N concentration, and grain yield were measured. In addition, soil profile NO 3 was determined after rye harvest. The red clover was allowed to grow until termination the next spring prior to no-till corn planting. Six N rates (0, 56, 112, 168, 224 and 280 kg N ha -1 ) were planting-sidedress split applied to the corn. Corn canopy sensing was collected at mid-vegetative growth and ear leaf sensed at silking, and grain yield determined. Soil profile NO 3 samples were collected multiple