The Effect of Cover Crops on the Yield of Spring Barley in Estonia

Abstract

Using cover crops in fallow periods of crop production is an important management tool for reducing nitrate leaching and therefore improving nitrogen availability for subsequent crops. We estimated the short-term effect of five cover crop species on the yield of successive spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) for two years in Estonia. The cover crop species used in the study were winter rye (Secale cereale L.), winter turnip rape (Brassica rapa spp. oleifera L.), forage radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. longipinnatus), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.). The results indicated that out of the five tested cover crops, forage radish and hairy vetch increased the yield of subsequent spring barley, whereas the other cover crops had no effect on barley yield. All cover crop species had low C:N ratios (11-17), suggesting that nitrogen (N) was available for barley early in the spring.

Over winter cover crops provide yield benefits for spring barley and maintain soil health in northern Europe

“…In contrast cover crops with rye can decrease soil mineral N (White et al, 2016). Similar benefits from radish containing cover crops on spring barley yield have been observed in elsewhere in Northern Europe (Toom et al, 2019).The cover crops were sensitive to the winter temperatures which differed greatly between years (Fig. S1).…”

Influence of soil conservation practices on soil moisture and maize crop (Zea mays L.) productivity in Centre Benin

“…Contour ridges are regarded as water harvesting methods in semi-arid regions. It transforms the land into small pockets called tied ridges or soil bund called furrows and is very useful to stabilize yield (SUSTAINET, 2010;Uwizeyimana et al, 2018).The advantages of mulch are widely recognized (Araya et al, 2015;Toom et al, 2019). Crop residues as mulch at the soil surface acts as shade, protects the soil surface against raindrops and limit surface runoff (Bashagaluke et al, 2018), increased carbon sequestration (Balesdent et al, 2000), maintains soil moisture and maintains high soil biological activity (Douzet et al, 2010;Mazarei and Ahangar, 2013).…”

The importance of introducing cover crops in conventional agriculture

“…Among several conservation practices, the cultivation of cover crops has increased farmer's interest in the past decades (Parlak et al 2015). Introducing cover crops in conventional agriculture has numerous benefits (Table 1), such as conservation of soil, surface and groundwater, benefits to the subsequent main plant cultivation in the crop rotational system and protection of wildlife and biodiversity (Salazar et al 2013;Charles et al 2017;Schenck et al 2017;Sharma et al 2018;Toom et al 2019;Ugrenović et al 2019). The subject of this review paper is to demonstrate the benefits of cover cropping from an environmental point of view and to briefly present the importance of introducing cover crops in Macedonian intensive conventional agriculture.…”

“…Farmers employing cover crops should not expect immediate beneficial results since, in the beginning, they will have increased expenditures for new equipment (Sharma et al 2018) on one side. On the other, the desired significant increases in main crop yields will occur after the long-term use of cover crops in crop rotations due to the time need it to improve both soil fertility and stores of organic matter (Blanco-Canqui et al 2015;Toom et al 2019). Another negative aspect is the confirmation of Lu et al (2000); Димов (2013) and Bakker et al (2016) that cover crops are hosts for insects and pathogens which use the cover crop to complete their life cycle in the offseason and act as a major pest for the main crop, evoking yield loss.…”