Cover crops have been receiving attention from researchers and funding agencies and this has led to increased research on the benefits and adoption of CCs. This was attributed to more
Mitigation of nonpoint source Phosphorus (P) pollution is a worldwide challenge. Among a large range of best or beneficial P management practices (BMPs), plant-related strategies such as crop stubble preservation,
Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for crop growth and is usually required in the greatest quantities for maximal biomass and grain production. Unfortunately, residual -N remaining in
Soil microbial community structure and functioning, including substrate catalysis and nutrient cycling, in agroecosystems vary with soil management practices. Intensifying and diversifying cropping systems by integrating cover crops can increase
Cover crops slow erosion, improve soil, smother weeds, enhance nutrient and moisture availability, help control many pests and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. At the same
Cover crops (CC) preceding corn may influence subsequent nitrogen (N) availability, but it is not clear whether N strategies require adjustment. Field studies conducted in 2015 to 2016 evaluated the
Cover crops are a key component of conservation cropping systems. They can also be a key component of integrated crop-livestock systems by offering high-quality forage during short periods between cash
Cover crops can be useful tools to improve nutrient management and protect air, soil, and water quality. However, when using cover crops, producers need to determine the type of cover
When we use tillage, the soil ecosystem is disturbed on a massive scale. Purdue’s Dr. Eileen Kladivko contrasts natural ecosystems with tilled systems and describes what we stand to lose
The definition of soil health is changing. For many decades, the study of soil health emphasized soil’s physical and chemical properties. Today, soil scientists strive to include biological aspects as
Cover crops have long been touted for their ability to reduce erosion, fix atmospheric nitrogen, reduce nitrogen leaching, and improve soil health. In recent decades, there has been resurgence in
Cover crops are increasingly being adopted to provide multiple ecosystem services such as improving soil health, managing nutrients, and decreasing soil erosion. It is not uncommon for weeds to emerge
Many farms use leguminous cover crops as a nutrient management strategy to reduce their need for nitrogen fertilizer. When they are effective, leguminous cover crops are a valuable tool for
Cover crops reduce soil erosion, improve soil tilth, and increase soil biological activity. Legume cover crops maintain nutrient balance in organic cropping systems because they are one of the few
Reducing tillage and growing cover crops, widely recommended practices for boosting soil health, have major impacts on soil communities. Surprisingly little is known about their impacts on soil microbial functional
Discover ways Iowa farmers are using cover crops to reduce erosion, manage nutrients, and improve soil health.
The Central Claypan Area is dominated by high runoff potential claypan soils, and soil and water quality degradation within the northeastern Missouri portion of the region has been well documented
Dairy farmers in the northeast face challenges in the application of manure in fall and on-time planting of cool-season grasses to maximize recovery of residual N and nutrients released from
Corn (Zea mays) grown in the southern Piedmont requires 200 to 280 kg nitrogen (N) ha−1 annually and requires up to 0.87 cm of water per day, making groundwater systems
Subsurface carbon stocks are a prime target for efforts to increase soil carbon storage for climate change mitigation and improving soil health. However, subsurface carbon (C) dynamics are not well