Evaluating cover crops as a climate change adaptation strategy

Abstract

Extended Abstract. The global climate system is changing due to human activities, with likely increases in temperature, precipitation and increased frequency of extreme events. Future climate change will influence agricultural productivity and environmental quality, but impacts can be reduced through effective adaptation strategies including winter cover crops, using conservation tillage, and adopting precision management technologies. The use of a winter cover crop is a promising adaptation practice that can reduce soil erosion, N leaching and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with little or no yield penalty. It is important to understand the range of expected performance of cover crops in reducing the impacts of climate change in different locations and under a range of possible climate scenarios. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental trade-offs of adopting cover crops as an adaptation strategy in a no-till corn-soybean rotation. The specific research questions are: 1) How much extra energy will be consumed by including the winter cover crops in the corn-based cropping system? 2) Will the use of winter cover crops reduce soil erosion and GHG emissions under future predicted climate change? 3) How difference will the performance of cover crops be in different locations and under different climate scenarios?