Cover Crop Varieties

Get the latest Cover Crop Varieties news, research and developments covering improved cultivars, seed selection, breeding, field trials, biomass production, nutrient management and climate adaptation. Coverage includes varieties developed for soil protection, nitrogen fixation, nutrient scavenging, weed suppression, erosion control and improved soil health.

Cover crops include grasses and cereals such as cereal rye, oats and barley; legumes such as hairy vetch, crimson clover and cowpea; brassicas such as radish and mustard; and broadleaf species including buckwheat and phacelia. Variety selection is increasingly based on traits such as winter survival, biomass, maturity, establishment, nitrogen fixation and suitability to local soils and climates.

Find updates on new cultivars, breeding programmes, seed production, variety trials and regional adaptation. A 2026 study evaluating 30 commercial legume genotypes across 31 environments found substantial genotype-by-environment interactions, highlighting the importance of locally adapted varieties. New programmes are also targeting improved establishment, winter hardiness, biomass, disease resistance, root growth and seed production for wider adoption of cover crops.