The Basics to Winter Cover Crop Considerations for Arizona Growers

Cover cropping is essential for sustainable crop production. These cover crops can be used as a single species or a mix of species. The main purpose of cover cropping in desert environments is to cover the soil, protecting the rich topsoil by introducing a layer of protection against eroding agents like wind. A growing cover crop can also use residual soil nutrients (nitrate-nitrogen), protecting our environment from pollution like nitrate in water or greenhouse gas emissions, as excess nitrogen can become gases like nitrous oxides). Rarely, cool season cover crops can catch off-season winter precipitation as well through improved infiltration facilitated by their root systems, bolstering soil health. Producers can reap other benefits from cover cropping as well, such as integrating crop diversity, improving soil fertility by fixing additional nitrogen (legume cover crops can fix nitrogen through Rhizobia symbiosis), and providing off-season hay for livestock (grazing or baled/green chop hay). Overall, cover crops can be custom-designed to fit a farm’s goals and maximize soil health and economic benefits.