Sustainable diversification is a prerequisite for achieving food security without compromising our environment. Crop rotation and cover cropping are locally adaptable strategies to augment agroecosystem sustainability. Despite this importance, a recent national survey reveals that the majority of producers are not aware of and/or convinced of the numerous merits of crop diversification. Therefore, we propose to investigate the benefits of a diverse combination of cover crops in simplified to diversified cropping systems in the southeast U.S., an under-represented region with marginal soils and warmer climate. Specifically, the proposed project will quantify the effects of single, double and multi-species cover crops on corn monoculture, soybean monoculture, corn-soybean rotation and corn-soybean-cotton rotation to explore the impacts on: (i) soil health, (ii) soil microbial abundance and diversity with particular emphasis to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, (iii) agronomic response of production systems, and (iv) soil resilience to climate extremes. In addition, we will integrate the knowledge generated into extension programs that aim to improve producers’ awareness and adoption of crop diversification. The expected outcome is to optimize the extent of diversification of both cash and cover crops to support soil health, resilience, and productivity benefits in the warm and humid regions of southeast U.S. 

Funding Agency: USDA NIFA AFRI 

Funding Amount: $500,000 

Timeline: 08/01/2020 – 07/31/2024 

Lead PI: Sindhu Jagadamma 

Co-PIs: Lori Duncan, Jaehoon Lee, Angela McClure, Tyson Raper, Stephanie Kivlin