In this video from University of Arkansas Extension, find out how different types of cover crop work together in cover crop mixes to improve the soil, how cover crop mixes can maximize cash crops, how to choose cover crop species for a mix, and more.

Penn State researchers, in a recent study, were surprised to learn that they could take the exact same number of seeds from the same plants, put them in agricultural fields across the Mid-Atlantic region and get profoundly different stands of cover crops a few months later. The study came to be known as “‘farm-tuning’ cover crop mixtures,” noted researcher Jason Kaye, professor of soil biogeochemistry, who added that the findings are significant because they show the need to customize cover crop mixes to achieve desired ecosystem services, depending on soil and climatic conditions.

You have probably seen mung beans before but didn’t know what they were. This warm-season legume used by many as a cover crop is best suited to certain regions and soil types. Mung beans can be an additional cover crop species to add diversity to cover crop mixes.

While not getting a cash crop planted is a negative event, there can be some positives that come out of it, such as an opportunity to break out of the corn/soybean rut and plant cover crops to add diversity to farm operations, says Keith Berns of Green Cover Seed.

Several researchers weigh in on what cover crop monocultures and mixtures do the best job of balancing nitrogen (N) sequestration to protect water quality while still contributing N to subsequent cash crops to improve yields.

New easy-to-use fact sheets made available by the Midwest Cover Crop Council are designed to help beginning cover crop users get off to a successful start.