Integrating cover crops into crop rotations in upstate Missouri

Abstract

"There is an increasing emphasis on management strategies such as reduced tillage, use of cover crops, and implementation of conservation practices (i.e. terraces, no-till, and cropping systems) in Missouri cropping systems. By combining best management practices for conservation, soil health could be improved, and farmers could obtain higher yields and economic returns. Soil health is the capacity of a soil to function for plant, animal, and microbial sustainability evaluated by set parameters and evaluated over time. A "best management practice" refers to economically-viable practices that prevent or reduce pollution generated by non-point sources (Centner et al., 1996). Field research is needed to devise optimal combinations of these management practices for farmers, while balancing them with the economic realities of crop production." -- Introduction