Cover crops. Commercial growing of cover crop species. Paul Brown -- Kings

Transcription

1 Cover crops Commercial growing of cover crop species Paul Brown -- Kings

2 Kings A division of Frontier. Non combinable crops. Cover crops, Forage, Conservation. Close Links with Frontier Agronomy.

3 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.

4 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.

5 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 /ha.

6 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.

7 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

8 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%

9 Types of cover crop 1 Soil Structure improvement. Rye Phacelia Westerwolds ryegrass. Mustard

10 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 22 nd Oct.

11 August sown Vetch.

12 Autumn Vetch Fix N October 22 nd 9 weeks.

13 20 th Oct 9 weeks Nodules

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15 Vetch Nodules at 9 weeks

16 Nectar flower mixtures.

17 3 Catch crops Oil Radish Mustard Forage Rye Phacelia Westerwolds ryegrass Oats

18 2012 Doncaster trial Mustard class 1 Radish class 2

19 Oil Radish 20 th Oct--9 weeks

20 Oil Radish Oct

21 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

22 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.

23 Doncaster trial Mustard class 1 Bristle Oat.

24 Sugar Beet crop. Goal Detail Cover crop solution Crop hygiene Soil structure Reduce erosion Beet cyst nematode Rhizoctonia. Lesion Nematodes. Weed pressure decrease Drainage Organic matter Soil structure Cover the soil Aeration Root mass Catch Nitrogen Prevent leaching Oil Radish, Mustard Oil Radish multi res. Oil Radish, Bristle Oat Oil Radish,Mustard Phacelia Oil Radish / Rye / Phacelia Bristle oat. Bristle Oat Oil radish Phacelia Rye Oil radish, Rye, Mustard Fix /catch Nitrogen Prevent leaching /Fix N Soil Structure / OM Vetch. Rye Vetch mix

25 Potato crop. Goal Detail Cover crop solution Crop hygiene Soil improvement Reduce erosion Catch Nitrogen TRV Rhizoctonia Common Scab, Lesion Nem. PCN Humus Drainage Soil structure Cover the soil Aeration Root mass Prevent leaching Oil Radish Oil radish Brazil Oat, Radish. Solanum Sys.-s.nightshade. Bio-fumigant mix. Oil Radish, Rye Brazil Oat Oil radish Phacelia, Rye Bristle Oat, Oil Radish Rye, Phacelia, Mustard Fix Nitrogen Fix N, catch N, soil structure Vetch Rye / vetch mix

26 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.

27 Thank you.