The NRCS Plant Materials Center in Lockeford, CA aimed to assess lentils as a potential cover crop. The use of a legume, like lentils, in rotation as a cover crop has several agronomic and soil health benefits. They are resistant to high temperatures and drought conditions, which makes them a potential alternative cover crop for California’s Central Valley. Though lentils can help break pest cycles and prove beneficial for soil health, unless managed properly, lentils may deplete soil moisture and they are not very weed competitive.