The Environmental Impact of Ecological Intensification in Soybean Cropping Systems in the U.S. Upper Midwest -Andrea Cecchin , Ghasideh Pourhashem, Russ W. Gesch, Yesuf A. Mohammed, Swetabh Patel, Andrew W. Lenssen and Marisol T. Berti - Sustainability 20

An assessment of multiple environmental impacts (global warming potential, eutrophication, soil erosion and soil organic carbon variation) was performed on a continuous soybean system in the U.S. upper Midwest. Four sequences were assessed and compared: a soybean cropping system with winter camelina, field pennycress, or winter rye as cover crop, plus a control (sole soybean). Cover crops were interseeded into standing soybean in Year 1, while in Year 2 soybean was relay-cropped into standing camelina or pennycress. Rye was terminated before sowing soybean. When compared with the control, sequences with cover crops showed lower eutrophication potential and soil erosion, in addition to a lower global warming potential when the cover crop was not fertilized. 

Read more  https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041696