Cover Crops and Conservation Tillage
for Soil Erosion Control on Cropland
Recycling of unused soil nitrogen - Benefits of Cover Crops
Unused soil nitrogen left over at the end of the growing season tends to leach out during the fall, winter and spring and may end up in the ground water. Some of this nitrogen is used by cover crops, whether legume or grass, if they can grow after the primary crop slows or stops its nitrogen uptake. These cover crops need to be adapted to relatively cool fall or spring conditions to be effective in removing unused nitrogen from the soil. Some of the nitrogen ultimately is recycled for use by future crops as plant residues are broken down by soil microbes.