Hero Image

Cover Crop Resources

Navigate to:

 

Contact Sonja Brodt if you know of additional resources to include below.

 

UC SAREP Cover Crop Resources

UC SAREP Cover Crop Database

Expert Grower Database: Cover Cropping Practices in Orchards and Vineyards

Challenges: Expert Grower Perspectives

Farmer Profiles: On-Farm Practices

Cover Crop Resources

General Resources

Crop-Specific Resources

Economic Resources

Cover Crop-Related Publications

 

Funding Resources

Coming Soon! 

 

Bibliography

  1. Report of the 2013-14 Cover Crop Survey. (Joint publication of the Conservation Technology Information Center and the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, 2014).
  2. Muramoto, J. Nitrogen Contribution of Legume/Cereal Mixed Cover Crops and Organic Fertilizers to an Organic Broccoli Crop. at <http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/46/8/1154.short>
  3. Brennan, E. B. & Boyd, N. S. Winter Cover Crop Seeding Rate and Variety Affects during Eight Years of Organic Vegetables: II. Cover Crop Nitrogen Accumulation. Agron. J. 104, 799 (2012).
  4. Jackson, L. E. et al. On-farm assessment of organic matter and tillage management on vegetable yield, soil, weeds, pests, and economics in California. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 103, 443–463 (2004).
  5. Christopher, S. F. & Lal, R. Nitrogen Management Affects Carbon Sequestration in North American Cropland Soils. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 26, 45–64 (2007).
  6. Zablotowicz, R. M., Focht, D. D. & Cannell, G. H. Nodulation and N Fixation of Field-Grown California Cowpeas as Influenced by Well-Irrigated and Droughted Conditions1. Agron. J. 73, 9 (1981).
  7. Montemurro, F. et al. Organic Fertilization, Green Manure, and Vetch Mulch to Improve Organic Zucchini Yield and Quality. HortScience 48, 1027–1033 (2013).
  8. Poudel, D. D., Horwath, W. R., Mitchell, J. P. & Temple, S. R. Impacts of cropping systems on soil nitrogen storage and loss. Agric. Syst. 68, 253–268 (2001).
  9. Drinkwater, L. E., Wagoner, P. & Sarrantonio, M. Legume-based cropping systems have reduced carbon and nitrogen losses. Nature 396, 262–265 (1998).
  10. Jackson, L. E. Fates and Losses of Nitrogen from a Nitrogen-15-Labeled Cover Crop in an Intensively Managed Vegetable System. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 64, 1404 (2000).
  11. Aase, J. K. & Siddoway, F. H. Influence of Tall Wheatgrass Wind Barriers on Soil Drying1. Agron. J. 68, 627 (1976).
  12. Battany, M. C. & Grismer, M. E. Rainfall runoff and erosion in Napa Valley vineyards: effects of slope, cover and surface roughness. Hydrol. Process. 14, 1289–1304 (2000).
  13. Ruiz-Colmenero, M., Bienes, R. & Marques, M. J. Soil and water conservation dilemmas associated with the use of green cover in steep vineyards. Soil Tillage Res. 117, 211–223 (2011).
  14. Smukler, S. M., O’Geen, A. T. & Jackson, L. E. Assessment of best management practices for nutrient cycling: A case study on an organic farm in a Mediterranean-type climate. J. Soil Water Conserv. 67, 16–31 (2012).
  15. Jackson, L. E. et al. Scientists, growers assess trade-offs in use of tillage, cover crops and compost. Calif. Agric.57, (2003).
  16. Andrews, S., S. et al. On-Farm Assessment of Soil Quality in California’s Central Valley. Agron. J. 94, 12–23 (2002).
  17. Steenwerth, K. & Belina, K. M. Cover crops and cultivation: Impacts on soil N dynamics and microbiological function in a Mediterranean vineyard agroecosystem. Appl. Soil Ecol. 40, 370–380 (2008).
  18. De Gryze, S., Lee, J., Ogle, S., Paustian, K. & Six, J. Assessing the potential for greenhouse gas mitigation in intensively managed annual cropping systems at the regional scale. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 144, 150–158 (2011).
  19. Basche, A. D., Miguez, F. E., Kaspar, T. C. & Castellano, M. J. Do cover crops increase or decrease nitrous oxide emissions? A meta-analysis. J. Soil Water Conserv. 69, 471–482 (2014).
  20. Baggs, E. M. et al. Nitrous Oxide Emissions Following Applications of Residues and Fertiliser Under Zero and Conventional Tillage. Plant Soil 254, 361–370 (2003).
  21. Kallenbach, C. M., Rolston, D. E. & Horwath, W. R. Cover cropping affects soil N2O and CO2 emissions differently depending on type of irrigation. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 137, 251–260 (2010).
  22. Steenwerth, K. & Belina, K. M. Cover crops enhance soil organic matter, carbon dynamics and microbiological function in a vineyard agroecosystem. Appl. Soil Ecol. 40, 359–369 (2008).
  23. Brennan, E. B. & Smith, R. F. Winter cover crop growth and weed suppression on the central coast of California. Weed Technol. 19,1017–1024 (2005).
  24. Wayman, S. et al. The influence of cover crop variety, termination timing and termination method on mulch, weed cover and soil nitrate in reduced-tillage organic systems. Renew. Agric. Food Syst. (2014).
  25. Wyland, L. J. et al. Winter cover crops in a vegetable cropping system: Impacts on nitrate leaching, soil water, crop yield, pests and management costs. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 59, 1–17 (1996).
  26. Jensen, E. S. et al. Legumes for mitigation of climate change and the provision of feedstock for biofuels and biorefineries. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 32, 329–364 (2012).
  27. Kruidhof, H. M., Bastiaans, L., & Kropff, M. J. (2008). Ecological weed management by cover cropping: effects on weed growth in autumn and weed establishment in spring. Weed research, 48(6), 492-502.
  28. Teasdale, J. R., Brandsaeter, L. O., Calegari, A. D. E. M. I. R., Neto, F. S., Upadhyaya, M. K., & Blackshaw, R. E. (2007). Cover crops and weed management. Non chemical weed management principles. Concepts and Technology, CABI, Wallingford, UK, 49-64.
  29. Haramoto, E. R., & Gallandt, E. R. (2004). Brassica cover cropping for weed management: A review. Renewable agriculture and food systems, 19(4), 187-198.
  30. Light, S., Lloyd, M., Berris, H., Stewart, D., & Goodrich, B. (2022). Estimated Costs for a Winter Cover Crop in an Annual Crop Rotation. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension and UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
  31. Gaudin, A., Mitchell, J., Westphal, A., Yaghmour, M., Zuber, C., Hanson, B., Jarvis-Shean, K., Williams, N., Hodson, A., Wilson H., Solis S., Creze, C., S. Haring, DeVincentis A. What do cover crops have to offer? Opportunities and Challenges for Almond systems. American Society of Agronomy: California Plant and Soil Conference (2020) presentation. https://ucanr.edu/sites/calasa/files/319850.pdf
  32. Ory, J., and Iles, A. "Fostering Healthy Soils in California: Farmer Motivations and Barriers." True Cost Accounting for Food. Routledge, 2021. 137-146.
  33. DeVincentis, A., et al. "Impacts of winter cover cropping on soil moisture and evapotranspiration in California's specialty crop fields may be minimal during winter months." California Agriculture1 (2022): 37-45.
  34. Çerçioglu, M., et al. "Effect of cover crop management on soil hydraulic properties." Geoderma 343 (2019): 247-253.
  35. Ingels, C., Horn, M., Bugg, .R, Miller, P. 1994. Selecting the right cover crop gives multiple benefits. Calif Agr 48(5):43-48.
  36. Unger, P. W., and Vigil, M. F. "Cover crop effects on soil water relationships." Journal of soil and water conservation3 (1998): 200-207.
  37. Celano, G., et al. "Evaluation of soil water content in tilled and cover-cropped olive orchards by the geoelectrical technique." Geoderma3-4 (2011): 163-170.
  38. Prichard, T. L., W. M. Sills, W. K. Asai, L. C. Hendricks and C. L. Elmore. 1989. Orchard water use and soil characteristics. California Agriculture 43(4):23–25
  39. Blanco-Canqui, H., et al. "Cover crops and ecosystem services: Insights from studies in temperate soils." Agronomy journal 107.6 (2015): 2449-2474.
  40. Joyce, B. A., et al. "Infiltration and soil water storage under winter cover cropping in California’s Sacramento Valley." Transactions of the ASAE2 (2002): 315.
  41. Parker, L., Pathak, T., & Ostoja, S. (2021). Climate change reduces frost exposure for high-value California orchard crops. Science of The Total Environment, 762, 143971.
  42. Snyder, R. L., and de Melo-Abreu, J.P. "Frost protection: fundamentals, practice and economics. Volume 1." Frost protection: fundamentals, practice and economics 1 (2005): 1-240.
  43. O'Connell, N., and Snyder, R. "Cover crops, mulch lower night temperatures in citrus." California Agriculture 53.5 (1999): 37-40.
  44. Snyder, R. L., Kyaw Tau Paw, U., Thompson, J. F. (1987). Passive Frost Protection of Trees and Vines. United States: Cooperative Extension, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
  45. Cre´ze´, C., Mitchell, J., Westphal, A., Lightle, D., Doll, D., Yaghmour, M., Williams, N., Amanda Hodson, A., Hanson, B., Wilson, H., Haring, S., Gaudin, A.C.M. (2018) Developing Cover Crop Systems for Almond Orchards. Almond Conference Poster https://newsroom.almonds.com/sites/default/files/P.2018.18-STEWCROP7-Gaudin.Cover%20Crops.pdf
  46. Lindow, S. E., McGourty, G. and Elkins, R. "Interactions of antibiotics with Pseudomonas fluorescens strain A506 in the control of fire blight and frost injury to pear." Phytopathology 86.8 (1996): 841-848.
  47. Creze, C. (2020) Growers’ regional tradeoff analysis of cover cropping and impact on its adoption in California almond systems.
  48. Wood, S. A., and Bowman, M. "Large-scale farmer-led experiment demonstrates positive impact of cover crops on multiple soil health indicators." Nature Food2 (2021): 97-103.
  49. Crézé, C. M., and Horwath, W.R. "Cover Cropping: A Malleable Solution for Sustainable Agriculture? Meta-Analysis of Ecosystem Service Frameworks in Perennial Systems." Agronomy5 (2021): 862.
  50. Ritchie, J. T. & Adams, J. E. (1974). Field measurement of evaporation from soil shrinkage cracks. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 38(1), 131-134.
  51. Somasundaram, J., Lal, R., Sinha, N.K., Dalal, R., Chitralekha, A., Chaudhary, R.S. and Patra, A.K., 2018. Cracks and potholes in vertisols: characteristics, occurrence, and management. Advances in Agronomy, 149, pp.93-159.
  52. UC Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM). Almond Pest Management Guidelines: Navel Orangeworm. (2019). https://www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/almond/Navel-Orangeworm/
  53. Wilson, H., Daane, K.M., Maccaro, J.J., Scheibner, R.S., Britt, K.E, Gaudin, A.C.M. Winter Cover Crops Reduce Spring Emergence and Egg Deposition of Overwintering Navel Orangeworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Almonds. Environ Entomol. 2022 Jul 14:nvac051. doi: 10.1093/ee/nvac051. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35834263.
  54. Siegel, J., et al. "Postharvest survival of navel orangeworm assessed in pistachios." California agriculture1 (2008): 30-35.
  55. Sibbett, G., and R. Van Steenwyk. "Shredding “mummy” walnuts is key to destroying navel orangeworm in winter." California Agriculture5 (1993): 26-28.
  56. Goodell, P. B., and Bentley, W. J. "Lygus bugs." Oakland, USA: Univ. Calif. Div. Agr. Natural Resources(2003).
  57. Bugg, R. L. "Cover crops and control of arthropod pests of agriculture." Cover crops for clean water (1991): 157-163
  58. Meyer, J. R., et al. "Survival and growth of peach trees and pest populations in orchard plots managed with experimental ground covers." Agriculture, ecosystems & environment3-4 (1992): 353-363.
  59. Gruver, L. S., et al. "Brassicaceous and rye cover crops altered free-living soil nematode community composition." Applied soil ecology1 (2010): 1-12.
  60. Ferris, H., McKenry, M. V. and McKinney, H. E. "Spatial distribution of nematodes in peach orchards." Plant Disease Reporter 60 (1976): 18-22.
  61. Wang, K-H, Sipes, B. S. and Schmitt, D. P. "Crotalaria as a cover crop for nematode management: a review." Nematropica (2002): 35-58.
  62. Fourie, H., et al. "Brassicacea-based management strategies as an alternative to combat nematode pests: A synopsis." Crop Protection 80 (2016): 21-41.
  63. Kruger, D. H. M., J. C. Fourie, and Malan, A. P. "Cover crops with biofumigation properties for the suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes: a review." South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture2 (2013): 287-295.
  64. Connell, J. H. "Leading edge of plant protection for almond." HortTechnology4 (2002): 619-622.
  65. Li, L., et al. "Sheep trampling modifies soil and plant C: N: P stoichiometry in a typical steppe of the Loess Plateau." Rangeland Ecology & Management 76 (2021): 100-108.
  66. de Faccio Carvalho, P. C., et al. "Managing grazing animals to achieve nutrient cycling and soil improvement in no-till integrated systems." Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems2 (2010): 259-273.
  67. Garrett, R. D., et al. "Social and ecological analysis of commercial integrated crop livestock systems: Current knowledge and remaining uncertainty." Agricultural Systems 155 (2017): 136-146
  68. Attwood, G. T., et al. "Applications of the soil, plant and rumen microbiomes in pastoral agriculture." Frontiers in Nutrition 6 (2019): 107.
  69. de Albuquerque Nunes, P. A., et al. "Livestock integration into soybean systems improves long-term system stability and profits without compromising crop yields." Scientific reports1 (2021): 1-14.
  70. Schuman, G. E., et al. "Soil carbon dynamics and potential carbon sequestration by rangelands." Environmental pollution3 (2002): 391-396.
  71. Napa RCD, Fibershed, UCCE-Sonoma, and CAFF, director. Sheep & Grapes Workshop, Day 1. Youtube, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dItPMoi7mc&t=3440s
  72. Turinek, M., et al. "Biodynamic agriculture research progress and priorities." Renewable agriculture and food systems2 (2009): 146-154.
  73. Garrett, R. D., et al. "Policies for reintegrating crop and livestock systems: a comparative analysis." Sustainability3 (2017): 473.