In this session, leading experts dive deep into the soil-related benefits of cover crops. Ray Weil (University of Maryland) discusses the physical benefits, including improved water infiltration and aggregate stability,
In this panel, farmers Skip Paul (Rhode Island), Jeff Frey (Pennsylvania) and Perry Lilley (Maine) share their experiences with cover crops, including their motivation for using them, successes and challenges,
Cover crop mixes, or cocktails, can do a lot, but can also be complex to put together. Mitch Hunter (Penn State University) discusses the principles of how to assemble different
In this session, Matthew Ryan (Cornell University) discusses the necessity of proper establishment timing and seeding rates for maximizing cover crop performance. He explains how knowledge of the interaction between
Rob Myers (North Central SARE, University of Missouri) reviews data from three years of a national SARE/CTIC cover crop survey, including yield and economic data, and gives examples of new
Rob Myers (North Central SARE, University of Missouri) reviews data from three years of a national SARE/CTIC cover crop survey, including yield and economic data, and gives examples of new
Cover crop use is increasing in the Pacific Northwest, but information is not readily available on the growth potential, biomass production, adaptability, and bloom period of warm season cover crop
In Coastal Plain soils, low levels of carbon and soil organic matter in the soils lead to a range of crop production problems including high disease rates, low yields, compacted
There is an increased interest in sunn hemp entries as a cover crop for sugarcane production in southern Louisiana. Incorporating sunn hemp into a sugarcane cropping system can control soil
In this session, Matthew Ryan (Cornell University) discusses the necessity of proper establishment timing and seeding rates for maximizing cover crop performance. He explains how knowledge of the interaction between
Warm season cover crops have the potential to fill fallow periods between vegetable crops, after field crop harvest, or act as living mulches in cash crop plantings. Substantial research has
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
The following sections include 22 species that are used throughout the Northeast as cover crops. After each section and at the end of this review, the sources of information used
On U.S. cropland, the use of cover crops increased by 50 percent between 2012 and 2017. During this same period, Federal and State conservation programs increased efforts to promote 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
Methods of improving soil health come back to the core principles identified by NRCS, including a greater diversity of plants, keeping the soil covered, having living roots in the soil
In a 3-year field study, population densities of Belonolaimus longicaudatus and other plant-parasitic nematodes and crop yields were compared between potato (Solanum tuberosum) cropping systems where either sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor
Soil health is a combination of physical, chemical and biological properties impacting the function and productivity of the soil. Several of these properties directly affect your farm’s net return. Soil
Cover crops are beneficial to agricultural systems because they provide a living root in the soil year-round. They can improve soil nutrient and moisture content, reduce runoff, increase helpful soil