‘Living Mulch’ Cover Crops Benefit Soil Health

The journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment published research from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlighting the soil health benefits of a “living mulch” cover crop actively growing between rows of corn. The researchers found in field testing that legume cover crops increased dissolved organic carbon and available nitrogen in the soil, altering the microbial community structure and promoting carbon cycling. Grass cover crops, on the other hand, helped maintain soil carbon and total nitrogen levels while boosting overall microbial biomass, particularly among bacterial groups. A mixed cover crop of both grasses and legumes delivered the best results, however, by combining the benefits of both types of covers and significantly enhancing microbial functions.
Related ATTRA blog: Living Mulch Cover Cropping for Gardens and Small Farms: Managing an “organic matter” system