What agricultural practice helps maintain soil structure and enhance moisture retention?

Cover cropping is a practice that effectively maintains soil structure and enhances moisture retention. When cover crops are planted, they grow during the off-season or between main crop cycles, creating a living mulch that protects the soil from erosion and helps prevent compaction. Their root systems help to improve soil aeration and structure by creating channels for air and water to penetrate deeper into the soil.

Additionally, cover crops can increase organic matter when they decompose, which enhances soil health and improves its ability to hold moisture. This is particularly beneficial during dry periods as healthy soil can better retain water and nutrients. Furthermore, cover crops can suppress weeds and reduce the need for chemical inputs, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices.

In contrast, tillage often disrupts soil structure and can lead to erosion and loss of soil organic matter. Fallowing leaves the soil bare, which can expose it to erosion and increase evaporation of moisture. Monocropping can deplete specific nutrients from the soil over time and often leads to reduced soil health. Therefore, cover cropping stands out as the most effective method for maintaining soil structure and enhancing moisture retention.