{Tool} Results of cultivation trials with pea-camelina-oat mixtures. Creator(s): Mäkelä, Pirjo; Xiao, Chao; Alakukku, Laura; Simojoki, Asko and Himanen, Sari. Issuing Organisation(s): UoH - University of Helsinki, Luke - Natural Resource Institute of Finland. (2024)
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Summary
Three-crop mixtures of oats, pea and camelina tested in Finnish organic systems (2022–2023) showed consistently higher land-use efficiency (LER > 1) and more stable yields than pure crops. Mixtures with 33:33:33 and 50:50:50 reached maturity at similar times, easing harvest. Oats strengthened mixture competitiveness and tolerated early drought best, while pea contributed nitrogen; camelina weakened under high oat density and may shatter in wet years. Weed suppression was clearly better than in pure pea or camelina, and pest and disease pressure remained low. Use 33:33:33 for balanced performance; use 50:50:50 only when oat dominance or higher biomass is desired. Keep oat share moderate where weed pressure or competition is high. Choose varieties with similar maturity, harvest timely, and plan for seed cleaning if camelina is included. Mixtures suit organic and low-input farms seeking stable yields and improved resource efficiency.
Summary translation
Seosviljelyn mahdollisuudet ja haasteet ovat olleet viime vuosina esillä erityisesti luomutuotannon osalta johtuen niiden mahdollisista eduista, kuten lisääntyneestä satovarmuudesta, monimuotoisuudesta ja tuotannon kestävyydestä. Vaikka rehukasviseokset ovatkin yleisesti käytössä, siemensadoksi korjattavien kasvien seokset ovat vielä toistaiseksi vähemmän käytettyjä.
| EPrint Type: | Practice tool |
|---|---|
| Teaser: | Stable yields through smart three-crop mixtures. |
| What problem does the tool address?: | Organic farmers in Northern Europe face unstable grain yields, weed pressure and variable nitrogen availability when growing single crops such as oats, peas or camelina. Pure stands often underperform under low-input conditions and unpredictable weather. |
| What solution does the tool offer?: | Three-crop mixtures of oats, pea and camelina increase yield stability, improve resource use efficiency, and reduce weeds. Finnish field experiments (2022–2023) show that balanced mixtures (e.g. 33:33:33 or 50:50:50 of pure stand density) achieve higher land equivalent ratios (LER > 1) and better weed suppression than pea or camelina alone. |
| Country: | Finland |
| Type of Practice Tool: | Other type of tool |
| Other Type: | Article |
| Agrovoc keywords: | Language Value URI English intercropping http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3910 English mixed cropping http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4871 English cereal crops http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_25512 English legumes http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4255 English oil crops http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5328 |
| Subjects: | Crop husbandry > Crop combinations and interactions Crop husbandry |
| Research affiliation: | European Union > CORE Organic > CORE Organic Cofund > Third Call > DIVERSILIENCE European Union > CORE Organic > CORE Organic Cofund European Union > Organic Farm Knowledge Finland > Univ. Helsinki Finland > Luke Natural Resources Institute |
| Horizon Europe or H2020 Grant Agreement Number: | 727495 |
| Related Links: | https://projects.au.dk/coreorganiccofund/2021-call-projects/diversilience, https://orgprints.org/id/eprint/56379/, https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/56525, https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/39637, https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/42384, https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/39648 |
| Project ID: | OFK |
| Deposited By: | Stensrud, Mrs. Anniken Fure |
| ID Code: | 56525 |
| Deposited On: | 18 Dec 2025 16:43 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Feb 2026 15:46 |
| Document Language: | Finnish/Suomea |
| Status: | Published |
| Additional Publishing Information: | Deliverable report 3.1: Borgen. A. et.al. (2025) Farmer-participatory design and assessment of multispecies forage intercrops. Core Organic. |
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