{Tool} Choosing cover crops for arable crop rotations. Creator(s): Casagrande, Marion and Fontaine, Laurence. Issuing Organisation(s): ITAB - Institute for Organic Agriculture and Food. OK-Net Arable Practice abstract, no. 034. (2018)
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(Choosing cover crops for arable crop rotations)
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Online at: https://orgprints.org/32606
Summary
The tools aim at highlighting the main technical challenges as well as the ways and means of reflection, which can improve the understanding and the implementation of direct sowing into vegetal cover in organic agriculture.
Practical recommendation
First step: Determining the constraints
Considering constraints with regard to suitability of cover crops helps to narrow the number of potential plant species. A first selection refers to the main crops, the intercropping period, dates of sowing and the soil type.
Second step: Ranging objectives
In a second step, applicable objectives are selected from a proposed list. The species that are best suited to meet the objectives are selected.
Third step: Adapting cover crop management
In a third step, the methods of sowing and crop termination are taken into account. If the selected species with the best characteristics do not match the available workforce and machinery, species selection is redefined.
Fourth step: Final choice
The fourth step refers to the selection of a single species or a combination of different species. Seed costs and seed availability on the market or the farm finalize cover crop selection
| EPrint Type: | Practice tool | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| What problem does the tool address?: | Growing cover crops in organic arable crop rotations provides many agronomical benefits. Cover crops improve soil fertility and N self-sufficiency, limit nitrate leaching and soil erosion and/or break weed, pest or disease cycles. Nevertheless, choosing appropriate cover crops can be a challenging task. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What solution does the tool offer?: | A French working group initiated by ITAB developed a decision tree for selecting adequate cover crops in arable crop rotations. The decision tree is complemented by technical guides that provide information on cover crop management and appropriate cover crops, depending on specific constraints and objectives. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country: | France | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type of Practice Tool: | Practice abstracts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Theme: | Soil quality and fertility, Nutrient management, Pest and disease control, Weed management | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keywords: | arable crops, cover crop, soil fertility | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keywords: | arable farming, cover plants, soil fertility, soil quality, pest control, plant disease control, weed control, nutrient management | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Agrovoc keywords: |
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| Subjects: | Soil > Soil quality Crop husbandry > Crop combinations and interactions Soil Crop husbandry > Crop health, quality, protection Crop husbandry > Weed management Farming Systems > Farm nutrient management | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research affiliation: | European Union > Horizon 2020 > OK-Net Arable France > ITAB - Institut Technique en Agriculture Biologique International Organizations > International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IFOAM > IFOAM EU Group | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| H2020 or FP7 Grant Agreement Number: | 652654 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Links: | https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/32606 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project ID: | oknet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deposited By: | Basler, Andreas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ID Code: | 32606 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deposited On: | 01 Feb 2018 13:17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Modified: | 23 Nov 2020 10:01 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Document Language: | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status: | Published |
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