Cover crops (CCs) are a promising and sustainable agronomic practice to ameliorate soil health and crop performances. However, the complex of relationships between CCs, the soil, and the plant nutritional status has been little investigated. In this article, for the first time, we critically review, under a holistic approach, the reciprocal relationships between CCs and the soil physical and hydraulic properties, microbial, and faunal communities, soil nutrient availability, and plant nutritional status in temperate climates.

Diversified cropping systems can be time consuming for the farmer, finding techniques that can save farmers time is therefore a key goal. For the Syppre experiment in the Champagne region, France, crop diversification involves the use of diverse cover crops, to protect the soil, improve soil fertility, and store carbon. The planting of crops and cover crops must be always done under favourable conditions, and some crops such as sugar beet need deep soil loosening.

Organic fruit orchards are dependent on commercial organic fertilizers derived from intensive conventional animal husbandry. These inputs are contentious and to be phased out. The document proposes as a solution to develop new fertilization strategies based on farm internal resources (e.g., clover based), plant-based sources (e.g., grain legumes as living mulch in the tree row, cover crops).

As the negative health and environmental effects of chemical soil fumigation become more apparent, it is critical to devise safe, alternative methods of soil fumigation. Organic growers constantly struggle with weed control and need innovative, chemical‐free weed management techniques.