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February 22, 2026Soil SecurityOpen Access

Long-Term Effects of Cover Crops on Soil Carbon Forms and Stocks Under No-Till Corn-Soybean Rotations in Midwest USA

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Examines soil carbon storage in cover crop systems, indicating potential for climate change mitigation.

The study aims to explore the long-term effects of cover crops on soil carbon forms and storage under no-till practices.
Analyzed soil carbon content at various depths (up to 100 cm) under cover crop management.
Compared soil from 5-year-old and 10-year-old cover crop fields.
Implemented no-till cover crop (CC) and no-till no-cover crop (NCC) treatments.
Measured soil organic carbon%, potentially mineralizable carbon (PMC), and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC).
Cover crops significantly increased soil organic carbon%, particularly in the top 0-5 cm of soil.
Cumulative SOC stocks were 10.3% higher in the 10-year-old cover crop field compared to NCC.
Higher POXC and PMC values were observed under cover crop conditions compared to no-cover crop fields.
Enhanced microbial activity and carbon mineralization were noted near the soil surface.

Rambadagalla et al. (2026) studied this question.

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