Organic Agriculture · 2020 · 18 citations · 6 references
AgricultureCrop SciencesOrganic AgricultureCover CroppingCrop ManagementCropping SystemsCover CropsCrop-weed InteractionsNitrogen ManagementNitrogen NutritionOrganic Nutrient ManagementTillage SystemsCover Crop Effects On LeachingCover Crop Nitrogen DynamicsCover Cropping EffectsCrop Mixture CompositionLeaching Risk ReductionOrganic Cover CroppingOrganic Farming SystemsWeed Density Assessment
Abstract The advantages and disadvantages of a winter-hardy vs. a freeze-killed cover crop mixture combined with reduced soil cultivation to a following maize crop were studied on an organic farm in Lower Austria in two consecutive experiments. Effects on soil inorganic nitrogen contents, weed density and the yield of a following maize crop were assessed. The winter-hardy compared with freeze-killed cover crop mixture, both consisting of legumes and non-legumes, reduced soil inorganic nitrogen contents over winter, leading to a reduced nitrate leaching risk, whereas the yield of a following grain maize crop was not significantly affected. Weed density was high in both cover crop treatments, presumably due to the continued reduced, non-inverting soil cultivation on the farm, and higher in the winter-hardy cover crop treatment at one of the assessment dates. Combined with an adapted soil cultivation, both the winter-hardy and the freeze-killed cover crop mixture were suitable before grain maize in this organic farming system with non-inverting soil cultivation under moderately dry site conditions, but the winter-hardy cover crop mixture seems advantageous because it reduces the nitrate leaching risk.
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