The importance of species selection in cover crop mixture design

Abstract Cover crops are increasingly being included in crop rotations as a mechanism to promote diversity and provide agroecosystem services, including weed suppression. Recently, cover mixtures have increased popularity an attempt greater ecological services compared with monocultures. Several recent studies, however, failed detect positive effect of on biomass production or Here we assessed productivity suppression 19 seeded monocultures varying species composition functional richness (two- three-species mixtures) full-season Atlantic Canada. varied by identity, diversity, richness. As regardless declined. Highly productive forbs grasses provided the greatest monoculture. In line previous observations, were not more suppressive average than most We observed that inclusion highly buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) sorghum–sudangrass [ Sorghum × drummondi (Nees ex Steud.) Millsp. & Chase] mixture stand evenness, productivity, suppression, spatiotemporal stability. Taken together, our results suggest effects specific. This further demonstrates importance selection design.