Uses of cover crop residues:

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• Uses of cover crop residues
• No-till (NT)cover crops are killed andretained
  as a dense, uniform mulch over theentire field.
• NT is difficult because
• Cover crops must be mechanically killed
  before planting.
• NT systems require specialized equipment for
  plant establishment and weed management.

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• Uses of cover crop residues
• B. No-till, living mulch (NT-LM)cover crops
  are killed only in the areas (zones) where cash
  crops are grown (grow zones) cover crops are
  keep alive (living mulch) in the alleyways
  during the growing season.
• NT-LM is difficult because
• Cover crops must be mechanically killed in
  grow zone areas.
• Specialized NT equipment is required to
  establish cash crops.
• Living mulch in alleyways must not encroach
  or shade cash crops.

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• Uses of cover crop residues
• Green manure, zone-till (GM-ZT)cover
  crops are shallow incorporated in grow
  zones cover crops are either killed or
  keep alive in alleyways.
• GM-ZT is relatively easy because
• No specialized equipment is required for
  zone tillage and plant establishment.
• Weeds in grow zones can be managed using
  conventional methods.

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• Uses of cover crops
• D. Green manure, conventional tillage (GM-
  CT)cover crop residues are shallow
  incorporated over the entire field.
• GM-CT is easy
• Conventional equipment is readily
  available.
• Weed management can be achieved using
  mechanical cultivators.

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• Conclusions
• Although there are many associated challenges,
  organic-CA systems can produce the best of both
  worldshigh crop yields, improved soil quality,
  and many emergent or synergistic properties such
  as pest suppressiveness and crop quality.
• Success with organic CA can be achieved when
  selecting well-suited environments and following
  recommended practices examples include
• Fertile soils with low weed populations (many
  crops)
• Fall crops (broccoli) staked or erect growing
  crops (tomato)
• Crops forming rapid, dense leaf canopies (squash-
  and cabbage-family species)
• GM-ZT systems, using simple conventional
  equipment (many crops)