Article by James J. Hoorman, Cover Crops and Water Quality Ohio State University Extension Rafiq Islam, Soil and Water Specialist Ohio State University Extension Learn about soil microbes roles in unlocking nutrients from organic matter for plant availability. This paper discusses the benefit of no till methods to encourage mycorrhizal fungi to increase plant resilience and access nutrients and water. It details how no tilled soils contain far greater numbers of microbes, active carbon, soil organic matter and stored carbon than conventional tilled soils.