COVER CROPSProvide food for

beneficial soil microbes and earthworms

Increase soil organic matter, which helps improve soil quality and fertility Blanco-Canqui et al., 2011

Soil Moisture Retention By Cover Crops In Corn a cover crop mulch preserved moisture in a

droughtDAR= days after rain (irrigation)NCC=no cover cropNT= no till with a rolled cover crop mulchTCC= cover crop mowed and tilled in

Cover crops prevent runoff and can help retain soil moisture

Cover crops help reduce soil compaction and soil erosion

Blanco-Canqui et al., 2011

Williams and Weil, 2004

Weed Control Cover crops produce a lot of biomass, which

helps to prevent weed germination and growth Fallow fields grow weeds, plant a cover crop in

the off season

CowpeaWeedy plot with no cover crop

buckwheat cowpeas sesbania sorghum-sudangrass sunn hemp turnip winter radish 0

5000

10000

15000

20000

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Summer Cover Crop Yields, 2012 Bradford Research Center

Crop Species

Dry

matt

er p

rodu

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(kg/

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Nutrient advantages Winter cover crops capture and hold nitrogen so

that it is not lost to the atmosphere Increased organic

matter is a nutrient reservoir

Legume cover crops produce nitrogen that can then be used by the following crop, reducing fertilizer costs

McVay et al., 1989

Manure and Compost•Add nutrients•Improve water infiltration and retention•Improve structure

Celik et al., 2004Zebarth et al., 1999

Water content after 3 years of compost addition

Porosity after 4 years of fertilizer, compost or manure addition