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QSoilIn a drought, won't cover crops use up the moisture meant for the main crop?
They can, if they are left to grow too long. While alive, they use water; once terminated, their residues protect the soil. So the choice of species and the timing of termination are decisive: when soil moisture is low, aim for earlier termination, matched to the main crop.
Do not chase maximum green biomass at any cost. Start with a small trial and watch the moisture and the emergence of the next crop. A cover crop should solve a specific problem without creating a bigger one. Under the conservation tillage intervention, cover is mandatory (section A).
Source: University of Minnesota Extension (crop news).