Inoculating field soils after potato harvest with donor soils from established grass-clover fields decreases the yields of subsequent grass-clover crops

Summary

Inoculating field soils with donor soil can potentially increase crop productivity through improved nutrient uptake and faster establishment of the crop. Soil inoculation with specific biota taxa or donor soils has already been found promising in restoration of grass lands or natural reserves. Applying this method in agriculture can potentially reduce fertiliser, herbicides or pesticide usage while increasing yields. The hypothesis was tested whether inoculation of field soils with donor soils from established grass-clover fields increases the productivity of subsequently sown grass-clover through the addition of beneficial soil biota.