Addressing water scarcity and quality to promote ecosystem services
Cover crops are plants not intended for harvest that are grown in agricultural fields during the off season, between cycles of “cash crops,” to protect soil health. Cover crops also improve water quality by absorbing excess nitrates from leftover fertilizer, preventing it from being washed from the fields into the local water supply by winter rains.
Only about 5% of agricultural lands in California use cover crops, partly because farmers and water managers fear it would require too much extra water. While cover crops can require some irrigation, they also take advantage of seasonal rainfall, and the improved soil health they provide could result in many water conservation benefits that help to offset their water needs.
To explore these dynamics, researchers are conducting a four-year study at the UCSC Farm and greenhouses and with farmers in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties. The team will explore how different cover cropping practices impact water use and water quality, along with growing conditions for the next round of cash crop. They hope to demonstrate practical techniques for reaping the benefits of cover crops in the most water-efficient ways possible.
Center for Agroecology/UCSC Participants: Hannah Waterhouse
Funding: National Institute of Food and Agriculture