A cover crop termination system uses heat from a vehicles exhaust to terminate a cover crop. Preferably, the cover crop termination system is mounted on the front portion of a walk-behind tractor. As the tractor is propelled across a field of cover crops, heat from the vehicles exhaust is directed to a perforated manifold positioned adjacent to the cover crop so that the exhaust heat terminates the cover crop. The exhaust heat may be supplemented by electrical heaters mounted adjacent to the perforated manifold.