Why Have Legumes Been Planted as a Cover Crop to Improve

Question

Why have legumes been planted as a cover crop to improve the soil fertility of a field?
A) Legumes aid organic decomposition.
B) The leaves of legumes absorb more nitrogen than other plants.
C) Legumes need about 100 times less nitrogen than other plants.
D) Legumes have carbon-fixing bacteria in their root nodules.
E) Legumes have nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules.

Accepted Answer

Legumes have nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules, which convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use. This not only improves the soil fertility of the field but also reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.