To get a complete picture of how an agroecosystem is doing, you have to look at what’s happening below the ground. One way to do so is with soil testing, which measures a wide range of soil characteristics and data points, including pH, organic matter, and microbial activity.

A four-year University of Nebraska cover crop research project is exploring whether winter cover cropping in no-till corn and soybean systems can benefit soil quality despite their short growing season.