Cover Crops Improve Soil

Cover the Soil, Reduce Disturbance and See Improvements Soon

Oregon State University research assistants monitor insects on a broccoli crop as part of their experiment examining the benefits of cover crops and other management strategies to improve soil. Photo by Joan Sandeno

Planting cover crops and reducing tillage in Oregon vegetable systems improved soil quality in just one to two years, according to SARE-funded research at Oregon State University. Scientists conducting research on five farms in the Willamette Valley were surprised to observe changes in soil structure and biology - including increased enzyme activities, improved soil aggregation and greater populations of soil fauna - in such a short time. Comparing the 'improved' system to a conventional system, researchers observed more beneficial insects such as ground beetles, greater microbial activity and better water infiltration. Farmers wondering how long to wait to see benefits in soil quality from management improvements also can use a scorecard created by OSU and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Questions on earthworm counts and compaction evaluate how new management strategies improve the soil. In its second printing, the scorecard has been popular among extension agents and master gardeners. The research has contributed to an increase in cover crop usage in the valley; researchers observe at least half of the row crop acreage in the valley is under winter covers compared to largely fallow fields 10 to 15 years ago. Soil quality also was identified as a priority among California extension and NRCS educators as part of a SARE professional development grant. In response, the California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) developed a package of resources covering soil quality, biology and cropping systems management geared toward educators. For more information, go to www.sare.org/projects/ and search for SW95-025 and EW96-009

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