Radish (Raphanus sativus) is a great addition to almost any cover crop mix, and NRCS commonly recommends cover crop mixes that include radish as a component. However, radish has many different varieties which have very similar and at the same time very different benefits when it comes to soil health and crop production. For example, certain varieties of radish differ greatly in their effect on different nematode species. Many radish varieties can actually increase nematode populations, while others can be an effective means of decreasing nematode problems.