Cover crops Commercial growing of cover crop species

Paul Brown -- Kings

Kings

• A division of Frontier.

• Non combinable crops .

• Cover crops, Forage, Conservation.

• Close Links with Frontier Agronomy.

Cover Crops

• A very wide range of crops grown between cash

crops.

• They are primarily used to :--

• Reduce nutrient loss –Nitrogen the key.

Hence often called Green manures or Catch crops

• Reduce erosion.

• Improve soil organic matter /soil nutrients.

• Conserve moisture.

• Improve drainage.

• Reduce soil pests , soil disease and weeds.

Problems on Arable Farms

-- Cover crops can help .

• Straw being removed

frequently.OM lower.

• Soil structure.

• Intensive rotations –soil

pests and disease.

• Less chemical Fumigant.

• Water quality and erosion.

• Higher Nitrogen costs and

limits on Nitrogen use.

• Volume of Biomass.

• Large Root structures

• Nematode resistance.

• Biofumigation.

• Reduce leaching & erosion.

• N fix or N catch.

A new opportunity?

• Crop changes in last 2 years.

• Breeding developments.

• Much more than just Mustard.

• Nitrogen@ £ 300 plus.

• Catchment Sensitive Farming /NVZ’s.

• Soil Organic matter lowering.

• Nematode reduction.

• Stewardship payments -- £ 65 /ha.

Choosing a cover crop

• It will pay to select crop species and variety carefully .

• These factors need to be considered :--

– What do you want the crop to do?

– What else could be crop do for you ?

– What soil type ? Sowing time and length of growth?

– What pest and disease problems exist ? -- Nematodes.

– What is the rotation and the next crop ?

– How will the cover crop affect the cash crops ?

– Plus Stewardship, Feed value and place in a rotation.

3 Basic groups of Cover crops.

-- and 1 sub group.

• Segmented by Nitrogen influence :--

-- Soil Structure -- Erosion control and OM .

-- Nitrogen fixing -- legumes. High Nitrogen prices .

Need time , soil temperature.

-- Catch crops -- capture soil N , retain it and recycle it.

Fast growing annuals that scavenge for N, even at low

temperatures. Improve efficiency of N use.

Recent developments with catch crops offer the opportunity

to reduce soil pests and diseases.

-- Nematode reducing Catch crops

Improve soil Fertility

-- Catching Nitrogen

• Needs to be the driver for most cover crops.

– ADAS 2011 trials – a range of cover crops took up 48 – 70kg N/ha ,

most of which was available to a following potato crop

• RB209 Nitrogen use efficiency by crops:--

– Light sand 70% (70 kgN used for every 100 applied)

– Medium and Clay 60%

– Shallow soils over Chalk 55%

Types of cover crop

1 Soil Structure improvement. – Rye

– Phacelia

– Westerwolds ryegrass.

– Mustard

2 Nitrogen fixers

• Vetch

• Clovers

• Vetch the key crop

• Good autumn growth

• Need time.

• Plant early

• Mix with a cereal.

• Vetch /Rye mix

• 9 weeks 22nd Oct .

August sown Vetch.

Autumn Vetch – Fix N October 22nd 9 weeks.

20th Oct – 9 weeks –Nodules

Vetch Nodules at 9 weeks

Nectar flower mixtures.

3 Catch crops

• Oil Radish

• Mustard

• Forage Rye

• Phacelia

• Westerwolds ryegrass

• Oats

2012 Doncaster trial — Mustard class 1 –Radish class 2

Oil Radish 20th Oct--9 weeks

Oil Radish -2012 Oct

• Oil Radish

• Leafy.

• Frost tolerant -6º C

• Quick growing

• Late flower.

• Grazing –regrowth

• BCN Nematode control

• Good nutrient catch

• Deep tap root

• Low Club root risk

Nematode reducing catch crops

• There are 3 types :--

– Trap Crops with specific nematode resistance.

– Trap Crops with multi-resistance .

– Bio-fumigant crops.

– Effective use requires detailed knowledge of soil pests.

– Do understand the relationship with other crops in a rotation .

– Requires a quick growing high density crop - agronomy.

– Plus all the usual cover crop benefits.

Doncaster trial—

Mustard class 1– Bristle Oat .

Sugar Beet crop.

Goal Detail Cover crop solution

Crop hygiene Beet cyst nematode

Rhizoctonia.

Lesion Nematodes.

Weed pressure decrease

Oil Radish , Mustard

Oil Radish – multi res.

Oil Radish, Bristle Oat

Oil Radish ,Mustard Phacelia

Soil structure Drainage Organic matter

Soil structure

Oil Radish / Rye / Phacelia

Bristle oat .

Reduce

erosion

Cover the soil

Aeration

Root mass

Bristle Oat

Oil radish

Phacelia –Rye

Catch Nitrogen Prevent leaching Oil radish , Rye , Mustard

Fix /catch

Nitrogen

Prevent leaching /Fix N

Soil Structure / OM

Vetch .

Rye Vetch mix

Potato crop.

Goal Detail Cover crop solution

Crop

hygiene

TRV

Rhizoctonia

Common Scab, Lesion Nem.

PCN

Oil Radish

Oil radish

Brazil Oat , Radish.

Solanum Sys.-s.nightshade.

Bio-fumigant mix .

Soil

improvement

Humus

Drainage

Soil structure

Oil Radish , Rye

Reduce

erosion

Cover the soil

Aeration

Root mass

Brazil Oat

Oil radish

Phacelia , Rye

Catch

Nitrogen

Prevent leaching Bristle Oat , Oil Radish

Rye, Phacelia , Mustard

Fix Nitrogen Fix N , catch N ,

soil structure

Vetch

Rye / vetch mix

What drives success--

• Choosing the best Cover crop and variety.

• Planting early –after W.Barley?

• Correct seed rate – high.

• Good conditions for fast growth—hold moisture

and consider fertiliser -- N.

• Leave as long as possible before destroying.

• But not too long –a few weeks before planting .

Thank you.