Optimizing water and nitrogen use efficient tillage and legume cover crop systems for California tomato and cotton production

The goals of this project are to demonstrate soil quality improving practices, extend quantitative information on the impacts of different soil management practices that aim to optimize resource use efficiency, increase understanding of the extent to which these practices may improve soil quality, and create greater awareness of the importance of soil quality that will eventually lead to increased adoption of improved precision tillage and cover crop practices. Adoption of these techniques would result in cheaper crop production systems, increased carbon in the soil, reduced fertilizer use and nitrogen losses, and reduced dust.