could it fit into the region’s...

Plant Science into practice

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An introduction to cover cropping; could it fit into the region’s cropping programme?

Nathan Morris


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So why cover crops?

• Cover crops can be a significant and cost-effective measure

for tackling diffuse water pollution from arable land.

• Cover crops and ground water – can take up significant quantities of nitrate over the autumn and winter

period and reduce leaching into groundwater

– UK research by ADAS suggests that cover crops can reduced the

concentration of nitrate in leachate by about 25% - 40%

– French research by Arvalis indicated cover crops can half nitrate leaching

– Danish research; cover crops and associated programmes can half nitrate

leaching but a reduction of around a third has been set as a target

• Cover crops, bio-cultivation and soil improvements – can improve soil structure, nutrient availability and other soil characteristics

– Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (Ontario); ‘cover crops can

help reduce compaction and improve soil structure’

– however this can require more than a single season of growth or use

• Cover crops would can also help reduce soil erosion – 30% soil cover can reduce run-off by 50% and erosion by 80%.


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The effect of cover crops on the

potential for nitrate leaching

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Bare plot

RyegrassRye

Phacelia

Swede rape

Turnip ra

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Fodder radish

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from Bontemps et al (2004)

Belgian data following peas


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New Farming Systems (NFS) project

The project started in 2007 and delivers several ongoing (large

scale fully replicated) rotation projects focusing on improving

sustainability, resilience and output.

Main research themes: 1. The evaluation of the potential energy saving and fertility building

benefits of cover crops and/or legume bi-crops within rotation systems.

2. Examining cultivation suitability within defined approaches.

3. Determining the value of soil amendments to soils and rotation

systems.

JC Mann Trust


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NFS: The evaluation of the potential energy saving and fertility

building benefits of cover crops and/or legume bi-crops

within a range of rotational systems.

• Three rotational approaches – ‘winter’ cropping, ‘spring’ cropping and a mix of the two

• Four management regimes – standard practice

– legume (clover) bi-crop

– legume mixture cover crop

– non legume cover crop

• Three nitrogen strategies – no nitrogen

– half the standard dose for the crop being grown

– a full standard dose for the crop being grown

New Farming Systems (NFS) (supported by The Morley Agricultural Foundation and The JC Mann Trust)

The legume species mixture is an ‘All

Species Mixture (ASM)’ developed

within Defra Sustainable Arable LINK

project (LK09106 - Using legume-

based mixtures to enhance the

nitrogen use efficiency and economic

viability of cropping systems)

JC Mann Trust


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New Farming Systems

Funded by The Morley

Agricultural Foundation

and The JC Mann Trust


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Clover recovery from rotations trial


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Zero N (18% yield response)

100 kg/ha N (8 % yield response)

200 kg/ha N (3% yield response)

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ld (t/

ha)

current system clover bi-crop system

Yield response in winter wheat comparing current practice to the inclusion of a white clover

bi-crop. Data from NFS ‘cover crop’ experiment 2010.


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Zero N (15% yield response)

100 kg/ha N (2 % yield response)

200 kg/ha N (<1% yield response)

Yie

ld (t/

ha

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current system clover bi-crop system

Yield response in winter wheat comparing current practice to the inclusion of a white clover

bi-crop. Data from NFS ‘cover crop’ experiment 2012.


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Zero N 100 kg/ha N 200 kg/ha N

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)Yield response in winter wheat

Mean yield response from legume bi-crop (t/ha) from 2010 and 2012


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Zero N 100 kg/ha N 200 kg/ha N Average

Yie

ld (

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Current legume (clover) bi crop Radish cover crop Legume mix cover crop

Yield data 2012 harvest. (% response to cover cropping approaches in winter wheat)


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Practical use of cover crops

• Establishing a cover crop before spring cropping can be

beneficial.

• Use of a mix of species e.g. barley and peas.

• Cover crop established in Sept 2012 left until Jan-Feb

2013 before being destroyed ahead of spring crop.

Photographed: November 15th 2012


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Benefits and issues

• Disadvantages – can interfere with other farm operations and is another cost

– establishment could be difficult in wet years (or very dry years!)

– potential for disease carry over / green bridge / volunteer problems

– long term commitment to see the full benefits

– effect of improved infiltration rates on small seeded crops?

• Advantages – improvements in soil physical (e.g. bulk density, infiltration rates, penetration

resistance etc) and other(e.g. nutrient availability) characteristics

– reduced diffuse pollution and nitrate leaching risks

– improved yield (and yield resilience?)

– biodiversity benefits

– improved returns through environmental schemes

• Things to consider – not all cover crops are the same; differences to cost profiles and performance

– increasing evidence mixes tend to perform better than single species

(research from LK09106 - Using legume-based mixtures to enhance the

nitrogen use efficiency and economic viability of cropping systems)

– think about the influences of input costs

could it fit into the region’s...

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