Instant Insights: Optimising the use of cover crops - Various authors;Dr Iris Vogeler;Dr Peter Sørensen;Ingrid Thomsen;Professor Friedhelm Taube;Professor Deirdre Prischmann-Voldseth;Dr Keiran Hyte;Dr Rachel E. Mallinger;Dr Jarrad Prasifka;Dr Ken Staver;Professor Sieglinde Snapp;Dr Carmen M. Ugarte;Dr Dane W

Building on our earlier Instant Insight, this book features four more peer-reviewed reviews on the use of cover crops in agriculture.

The first chapter discusses the benefits of service crops, including their role in reducing nitrogen leaching losses and the transfer of nitrogen from the service crops to the main crop. The chapter also considers the residual effects of service crops, as well as the benefits of intercropping service crops with cash crops.

The second chapter addresses the use of cover crops in North America, the resulting benefits for soil health, as well as best practices for integrating cover crops within specific cropping systems. The chapter also provides a detailed overview of the main cover crop types and their services/functional traits.

The third chapter reviews the effects of cover crops on the biodiversity of key arthropod species, focussing on subterranean soil arthropods, epigeal (above ground) soil arthropods and insect pollinators. A case study exploring the potential of different cover crop treatments to provide floral cover and attract bee pollinators in the Northern Great Plains is also included.

The final chapter identifies some of the key challenges in increasing the use of cover crops by farmers, including initial investment costs and potential negative impacts on cash crop yields. The chapter also highlights the mutual benefits of using cover crops as forage.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the use of cover crops in agriculture, their influence on soil health and arthropod biodiversity, as well as best practices to increase cover crop adoption by farmers.