Cover crop and soil quality interactions in agroecosystems

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Maintaining environmental quality implies sustainable agricultural production systems that preserve and prated soil resources. Cover crops play a dual rote maintaining resource quality by providing ground cover to prevent wind and water erosion and carbon input to enhance soil quality. Carbon input from cover crops and crop stover play a vital role in agroecosystems for insuring long-term economic benefits with minimal impact on soil, water and air quality. The fresh carbon from cover crops is critical because of the role of the soil organic carbon cycle in controlling water, temperature, aeration, and soil structure. Both aboveground and root biomass are important to chemical and biological properties for the role in nutrient cycling. The benefits of available nitrogen from symbiotic fixation makes legume cover crops an environmental and economic preference. Use of selected cover crops and associated allelopathic effects can reduce chemicals required for weed control. While there are positive and negative aspects of cover crops from the economic viewpoint, when environmental costs are properly credited, cover crops surface as a major contribution to soil and environmental quality. The challenge is to assure cost-effective production using cover crops to maintain a healthy environment, a healthy economy, and a high quality of life.