The use of cover crops - drawing on experiences from organic farming systems over the last 20 years and how this experience can be applied to conventional farms?

摘要

Cover crops are a fundamental component of cropping systems in organic farming. In mainstream agriculture there is a renewed interest in their use to build soil carbon, improve soil structure, manage weeds and reduce the reliance on petrochemical based fertilisers. There is a wide range of cover crops suited to UK cropping using annual, over winter or companion cropping approaches. Choice is dependent on a wide range of factors including establishment techniques, timing, utilisation management and other crops in the rotation. Careful programming with appropriate timing, successful establishment and appropriate management of the cover crop components is essential to achieve the desired outcomes. Some cover crops can be effective as tools for weed control. Some exhibit allelopathic properties which can be useful for the management of pests and diseases. Others can help build soil fertility or reduce N losses. The management of accumulated N from leguminous cover crops can be managed by understandingthe C:N rations and decomposition characteristics, matching release to cash crop uptake. Mixtures of cover crops have multiple above and below ground benefits over single species use. Approaches for successful cover crop use can be transferred from low input and organic systems to input based farming systems. This requires careful selection and management of cover crops and clear objectives of what outcomes are desired from cover crop use.