Cover Crop Calculator

This soil health calculator allows users to estimate soil property changes that can result when growing winter cover crops

Instructions for use

Select climate type
Select soil texture group
Select cash crop (for monocultures) or crop rotation
Select the desired cover crop species or mixture
Select desired output parameters
Click Calculate

cover crop photo

Note: This Soil Health Calculator provides estimates based on overall average values of measurements reported in more than 500 studies. These studies represent a range of cropping systems and times since implementation of winter cover crops. Therefore, actual results will likely vary.

Climate

Enter climate here:

If you don't know your climate, please click here

Soil Texture

Soil textures are grouped based on the Cornell Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) framework.

Coarse: sand, loamy sand, sandy loam
Medium: loam, silt loam, silt, sandy clay loam
Fine: clay loam, silty clay loam, sandy clay, silty clay, and clay

Enter soil texture here:

If soil type is unknown, please visit http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm

Cash Crop

Cash crops are grouped into the following categories:

Monocultures: corn; soybean; wheat; vegetables
Rotations: corn-soybean; corn-soybean-wheat
Other (monocultures or rotations)

Select the cash crop type:

Cover Crop

Cover crop types are grouped into the following categories:

Grasses: examples include cereal rye, barley, wheat
Legumes: examples include hairy vetch, crimson or red clover, winter pea
Other: single-species cover including brassicas (e.g., rapeseed, radish) and sunflowers
Multi-species mixtures

Select the cover crop type:

Worst

Neutral

Best

Parameter

Average change (%)

Cash crop yield for the season following winter cover crops.
Positive (+) values mean that on average the cash crop will have a higher yield

Cash crop yield

N/A

Mass of soil particles within a given volume.
Negative (-) values are associated with more pore space and less compaction

Bulk density

N/A

Organic matter associated carbon in soil.
Positive (+) values are associated with greater soil water holding capacity and better structure

Soil organic carbon

N/A

Amount of nitrogen in the soil, including inorganic and organic forms
Positive (+) values mean that less inorganic nitrogen may be required for the cash crop(s)

Nitrogen

N/A

Ability of soil aggregates to hold together during disturbances such as rain.
Positive (+) values indicate greater stability and more resistance to erosion and crusting

Aggregate stability

N/A

Rate at which water can enter into the soil.
Positive (+) values indicate that soil will absorb more water and have less overland flow during rain

Infiltration rates

N/A

Saturated hydraulic conductivity, which controls the rate of water movement through soil.
Positive (+) values indicate that water will move with less resistance into and through soil

N/A

Movement and/or loss of soil due to wind or rain.
Negative (-) values mean that less soil is affected by erosion

Erosion

N/A

Water that ponds up on the soil surface and moves as overland flow.
Negative (-) values means less overland flow, meaning less erosion and greater replenishment of soil water

Runoff

N/A

Water that drains below the root zone.
Negative (-) values mean less leaching, which can reduce loss of fertilizers and herbicides/pesticides from soil

Leaching

N/A

Biomass associated with weeds during the following cash crop growing season.
Negative (-) values mean that fewer weeds were found in the field after cover crops

Weeds

N/A

Carbon associated with soil microbes.
Positive (+) values are associated with beneficial biological functions and more plant available carbon

Microbial biomass C

N/A

Nitrogen associated with soil microbes.
Positive (+) values are associated with beneficial biological functions and more plant available nitrogen

Microbial biomass N

N/A

Click on the triangles above to see more information, including how to interpret each parameter