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The effects of perennial cover crops on soil health
An assistant professor of agronomy at Purdue University says his department is looking at how using Kura clover as a cover crop can impact corn production.
Yichao Rui says the system could help boost nitrogen in the soil.
“Integrating perennial Kura clover into a corn production system might be one of the ways to enhance the sustainability of continuous corn production system,” he says.
He tells Brownfield its use could also help reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers.
“It fixes nitrogen from the air through biological nitrogen fixation, so that will provide nitrogen in organic form into the soil,” he says.
He says Kura clover can help reduce erosion and retain soil moisture.
The research is funded by a grant from the USDA.
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