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Create Cover Crop Systems for Year-Round Soil Protection

Bare soil between crops loses nutrients and organic matter, yet cover crops could provide continuous soil protection while building soil health and suppressing weeds. The challenge is developing cover crop systems that provide maximum benefits while integrating with cash crop production. Barriers include seed costs, management complexity, and potential competition with cash crops. Without cover crops, agricultural soils remain vulnerable to erosion and nutrient loss during non-cropping periods. Successful cover crop systems could protect and build soil health while reducing fertilizer and herbicide needs, potentially covering millions of acres with living plants year-round while demonstrating soil-building agriculture.

Applied Sciences, Sustainable Farming, Conservation Agriculture