Which practice best supports soil health and reduces erosion?

• A. Bare soil with no vegetation.
• B. Over-application of chemical fertilizer alone.
• C. Cover crops improve soil organic matter and reduce erosion.
• D. Increasing the speed of irrigation.

Answer: (C)

Keeping soil covered with living vegetation is a powerful way to support soil health and cut erosion. When cover crops grow during times when main crops aren’t present, their roots hold the soil in place, while their above-ground tissue intercepts raindrops and reduces the energy that hits the soil surface. As they grow and later decompose, they add organic matter, which helps build stable soil aggregates, improves soil structure, and increases water infiltration and storage. All of these effects mean less runoff and less soil being washed away, especially on sloped ground or after heavy rains. In contrast, leaving soil bare provides no protection, so rainfall readily dislodges soil particles and runoff carries them away. Simply applying more chemical fertilizer doesn’t improve the physical structure of the soil or its protective cover, and it can lead to nutrient runoff issues. Increasing irrigation speed pumps more water across the surface and tends to boost erosion rather than reduce it. So the practice that best supports soil health and reduces erosion is using cover crops to maintain soil cover and boost organic matter.