Promoting early season plant cover, primarily through the use of cover crops, can be more effective at reducing pest density and crop damage than insecticide applications, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers.

In a newly published study, the researchers suggest that the best pest management outcomes may occur when growers encourage biological control — in the form of pests' natural enemies — by planting cover crops and avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides as much as possible.

From the depths of a soil pit, it’s clear how cover crops and no-tillage benefit overall soil health. Michael Patin, a district conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Jamie Patton, senior outreach specialist of nutrient and pest management at the University of Wisconsin, share how cover crops can improve your soil health. 

Dairy to offer farm incentives rather than carbon offset credits