While this book was not written to serve as an encyclopedia of cover crop management — it certainly comes close. Inside we discuss the benefits of a wide range of individual cover crops and blends/mixes for specific agronomic crop rotations and geographic locations. Descriptions, photographs, and illustrations (including those of plant height, leaf architecture, and rooting patterns) demonstrate to readers how cover crops should look in the field. Long-term benefits are described for soil health, water quality, nutrient contributions, soil biodiversity, air quality, and climate change. In addition to the “whys” of cover crop use, this book also includes details on the “hows”: how to choose cover crops for specific applications and locations; how (and when) to plant; how to manage and maintain the cover for maximum benefit; and how (and when) to terminate. We hope this book will interest a broad audience including faculty members, students, farmers, agriculture researchers and educators, ecologists, economists, federal and state personnel, policy makers, and those who are looking for simple and illustrative information on sustainable agriculture.
For more information, please contact Dr. Rafiq Islam at islam.27@osu.edu