Cover Crops Enhance Soil Organic Carbon and Soil Quality for Sustainable Crop Yield: A Systematic Review

Cover cropping serves as a promising technique with great potential to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC), boost crop productivity, and improve soil quality. The implementation of cover crops as a sustainable agricultural practice has gained popularity worldwide. To further evaluate the role of cover cropping, this systematic review examines empirical evidence from 38 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 to assess the impact of cover cropping on these key outcomes. Studies were selected based on strict inclusion criteria requiring original field data or validated modeling results that evaluated all three outcomes, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data on cropping system, duration, type of cover crop, and outcome metrics were extracted. More than 80% of the literature reported benefits. Multi-species cover crop mixtures that were managed long-term enhanced SOC by 5–30%, with 87% and 55% of studies demonstrating enhanced soil quality and yield, respectively. However, some studies recorded yield reductions in drought-prone regions or when cover crops were terminated at inappropriate times. In some studies, improvements in microbial function and nutrient cycling were observed while several United States (U.S.) studies focused more on physical and biological indicators under dryland conditions. Although outcomes vary by context, cover crops are widely recognized as a viable strategy for climate-smart agriculture and sustainable soil management. To optimize benefits, there is a need for region-specific incentives, targeted agricultural policies, and standardized agronomic guidelines. Cover crops represent a key strategy for climate change mitigation and sustainable soil management. This review reveals that species diversity and long-term adoption are crucial for achieving reliable results. With the integrative focus of this review on the tripartite relationship between SOC, crop yield, and soil quality, as well as its comparative lens on global versus U.S. practices, it is novel because it offers crucial insights for evidence-based policy development and region-specific cover cropping strategies.