Assessing how cover crops close the soil health gap in on‐farm experiments

Assessing the success of cover crops (CCs) as a way to promote soil health at the farm scale remains a challenge. At four on‐farm CC experiments in Nebraska, we quantified soil health relative to a reference soil. We examined physical, chemical, and biological properties in near‐surface soil. Cover...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agricultural & environmental letters 2022, Vol.7 (2), p.n/a
Main Authors: Krupek, Fernanda Souza, Mizero, Steven Mugisha, Redfearn, Daren, Basche, Andrea
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural land
Agricultural practices
Agricultural production
Biodiversity
Biological properties
Carbon sequestration
Cover crops
Crops
Discriminant analysis
Farm buildings
Farms
Organic matter
Plant communities
Plant populations
Sampling
Soil chemistry
Soil dynamics
Soil erosion
Soil properties
Soil surfaces
Soils
Soybeans
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Summary:Assessing the success of cover crops (CCs) as a way to promote soil health at the farm scale remains a challenge. At four on‐farm CC experiments in Nebraska, we quantified soil health relative to a reference soil. We examined physical, chemical, and biological properties in near‐surface soil. Cover crops reduced the soil health gap between bare (no‐CC) and reference soil in the short (3‐yr) timescale, but the magnitude of responses depended on cropland management history and ecological dynamics of reference site plant communities. Increases in soil health relative to reference soils showed some relationship to increases in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and corn (Zea mays L.) yields. Clear discrimination of reference from bare soils was most influenced by organic matter and infiltration measurements conducted under the highest sampling intensity. Framing soil metrics relative to reference soils and ensuring appropriate sampling intensity are important to quantify the effects of CC on farm landscapes. Core Ideas We used a soil health gap framework with reference soils to assess cover crop impacts at the farm scale. Cover crops reduced the soil health gap between cropland and reference soil in less than three years. Soil health relative to a reference soil was weakly associated with grain yields. Reference soils embodying soil health principles can be used to evaluate cover crops success on farms. Sampling intensity needs to be sufficiently high to accurately represent cover impacts at the farm scale.
ISSN:2471-9625
2471-9625
DOI:10.1002/ael2.20088