Choosing cover crops for arable crop rotations (OK-Net Arable Practice abstract)

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