Evaluating Cover Crops for Benefits, Costs and Performance within Cropping System Niches

The integration of cover crops into cropping systems brings costs and benefits, both internal and external to the farm. Benefits include promoting pest‐suppression, soil and water quality, nutrient cycling efficiency, and cash crop productivity. Costs of adopting cover crops include increased direct costs, potentially reduced income if cover crops interfere with other attractive crops, slow soil warming, difficulties in predicting N mineralization, and production expenses. Cover crop benefits tend to be higher in irrigated systems. The literature is reviewed here along with Michigan farmer experience to evaluate promising cover crop species for four niches: Northern winter (USDA Hardiness Zones 5–6), Northern…

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  Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service