Optimizing the Use of Cover Crops in the Palouse Region.

Long-term sustainable food production in the Inland Pacific Northwest (IPNW) is threatened by factors such as soil erosion, increasing cost of fertilizers and climate change. One potential method of improving resiliency in these systems is by developing management practices that enhance soil water storage, reduce erosion and enhance nutrient availability. Cover cropping is a potential tool to meet these goals.  One scenario for cover crop use in the IPNW is planting in the late summer/early fall after cereal crops. Ideal cover crops accumulate biomass quickly, fix atmospheric nitrogen, stabilize the soil and prevent erosion - improving soil conditions for crop planting in the spring. This study investigates various cover crops and their potential use in the Palouse region. We hope to identify functional cover crops that could be utilized and increase the sustainability of local agriculture operations.