Cover crop adoption has been a little slower in parts of the Great Plains, possibly more over fear of the unknown than actual poor outcomes seen by growers. But researchers reviewing decades of cover-crop studies say there are plenty of benefits to covers, whether you farm in the warm southern Plains or cooler prairies of western Canada.

Early termination, inclusion of legume species and a little patience might be what’s needed to make green manures and cover crops work in the drier areas of the U.S. without dinging yields and profits.