Researchers examine how cover crops can boost farm yields
A collaborative effort between the Danforth Plant Science Center and the University of Illinois is setting the stage for potentially groundbreaking agricultural research.
Funded by a substantial grant, their study focuses on the effectiveness of cover crops in enhancing soil health and increasing corn yields.
The research team, led by experts like Christopher Topp from Danforth and Kaiyu Guan from the University of Illinois, will use a variety of cover crop species across multi-year field trials. These trials will employ cutting-edge technologies, including root phenotyping and machine-learning models, to evaluate the influence of cover crop root systems on soil conditions and agricultural productivity.
The goal of this research is to fill critical knowledge gaps that hinder the adoption of cover crops, despite their known benefits for sustainable farming. "Roots are the interface of the plant with soil, but there is a limited understanding of cover crop root system traits and their empirical effects on soil health and cash crop productivity," explained Topp.
The study also aims to foster greater adoption of cover crops across U.S. farmlands by demonstrating their benefits in diverse farming environments.
Guan added, “Combining the Danforth Center’s root phenotyping with our advanced modeling capability will deepen our understanding of cover crop root diversity and their impacts, helping to inform better crop management practices.”