Cover Crops in Arid Lands

[Linda Poole]

Our friends at the New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group shared this report, which states:

Much of the research data we have on cover crops is from regions with high precipitation,” says Humberto Blanco, lead researcher at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. “So, questions remain about ecosystem services provided by cover crops in drier regions.”

Some skeptics have argued that growing cover crops in more arid areas could use too much water. In turn, it could reduce subsequent food crop yields. But the research concludes that isn’t necessarily the case.

“We found that cover crops can improve most ecosystem services in water-limited environments,” says Blanco. “In the majority of cases, these improvements come without negative effects on food crop yields.”

Read the full story at: https://www.nmhealthysoil.org/2022/03/15/benefits-of-cover-crops-extend-to-dry-areas/

 

[High Plainsman]

This is an area that research and data are sorely needed. While great strides have been made in eliminating the historical system of wheat/tillage fallow rotation, to wheat/dryland corn/millet/chem fallow, we need data information on actual yield responses to use of cover crops after harvest of cash crops and the reduction of depending on commercial fertilizers and weed control products.
Thirty years ago, some producers started planting corn into the previous year's standing wheat stubble. Most other producers were skeptical that the corn would even survive, let alone produce a harvestable crop. Now, no one even attempts to plant dryland corn unless it is into wheat stubble. So, progress is being made.