NEW:
Scottish Agronomy Research on Cover Crops
New research for 2023/24
One intervention can drive multiple outcomes, including reducing soil erosion, mitigate water pollution and flooding, soil structure, nutrient recycling, disease or pest management, or providing habitat and wildlife benefits. Scottish Agronomy has several years of experience in appropriate cover crops for Scotland. Having ascertained context and suitability for Northern soil type and climatic constraints, examination of their benefits in the rotation is now required.
Whilst there is clear evidence that cover cropping (particularly by non-legumes) can reduce nitrate leaching, there is still considerable uncertainty regarding when nitrogen recovered by a cover crop is mineralised and made available for subsequent crops or whether this N can potentially be lost by leaching in subsequent winters. Moreover, there is also the possibility that incorporation of cover crop residues may result in temporary Nitrogen immobilisation, which could affect the establishment, Nitrogen fertiliser requirement, and performance of the subsequent cash crop. While the use of cover crops is increasingly being adopted, and their benefits to soil health and biodiversity are widely accepted, their role in soil fertility is under-researched. There is also uncertainty in the scientific literature regarding the effect of growing cover crops on soil organic matter content and nutrient availability.
A new trials series will be established at Balgonie, looking at the rotational benefits of cover crops. Investigating both spring and autumn establishment options, it will examine the relative benefits of different cover crop mixtures on the following crop. It will also investigate in the following cereal crop what nitrogen savings can be gained from the use of cover crops in the rotation.
Eric Anderson
