Cover crop root attributes and their contribution to soil processes and agroecosystem sustainability

作者：L. B. Madrid, Akanksha Sehgal, Rongzhong Ye, Kadambot H. M. Siddique, Kirsten Hein, Christopher Topp, Sruthi Narayanan · 发表于：Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1016/j.agee.2026.110468 · 被引用次数：4 · 研究领域：Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism、Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics、Tree Root and Stability Studies

Modern agriculture faces growing threats from soil degradation, nutrient loss, and declining biological activity, primarily driven by intensive tillage, monoculture, and the extensive use of agrochemicals. Cover crops hold promises for restoring soil health and resilience. However, their potential is often underutilized due to the limited understanding of cover crop–soil interactions. This review synthesizes the current knowledge on the role of cover crop root systems in shaping soil biological, chemical, and physical functions. The review methodology followed an ‘integrative’ approach to overview the knowledge base, critically review, reconceptualize, and expand on the theoretical foundation of the broad and interdisciplinary topic of cover crop root functions in agroecosystems. Through structural root traits and exudates, cover crops can influence microbial communities, regulate organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling, improve soil aggregation and porosity, and promote carbon sequestration. However, the extent of these benefits depends strongly on cropping system design, tillage intensity, species selection, and management practices such as sowing date, seeding rate, and harvest timing. Despite their importance, root traits remain underutilized in cover crop breeding due to limited phenotyping capabilities and insufficient germplasm resources. Advances in biosensors, in situ imaging, and genomic techniques, now provide opportunities to identify and select root tra...