14 min read·
Microbial inoculants vs compost vs cover crops: soil health restoration approaches compared
Head-to-head comparison of three leading soil health restoration strategies. Microbial inoculants cost $10–50 per acre with yield boosts of 5–15% in responsive soils, compost applications at 2–5 tonnes per acre deliver $50–200 ROI per acre over 3 years, and cover crops reduce erosion 70–90% while building organic matter 0.1–0.3% annually.