Cover crops - the wonders it uncovers

Cover crop offers myriad benefits. My experience in growing green peas and clover in young tea plantations, back during my plantation days was a wonderful experience. Cover crop means a lot to the organic growers as they find many solutions in a single practice.

If you are in an organic business of plantation crops, your main challenge would be to keep the soil covered under a green layer during winter when rains dries down and wind not only tends to evaporate  residual moisture but also blow away fertile top soil. While during summer and rains, that same very green layer will prevent washing out of the upper soil layer. For managing field crops, maintaining a green layer after the main season and before advent of the winter cropping is critical for upholding farm fertility. One has to decide thoughtfully blend of crops along with the main crop which will act as either inter crop or a cover crop.

Cover crops keep the soil temperature in balance critical to retention of soil moisture and maintaining the microbiome beaming. More microbes and roots of cover crop assures maintenance of soil structure thereby assuring aeration and water movement. Carefully chosen blends of cover crop ensures suppression of unwarranted flora and prevention of pest and diseases. Cover crop supplies huge biomass and thus organic C to soil for increasing Cation Exchange Capacity of the soil. Different species which exhibit allelopathy, would also help in checking few dominant and aggressive plant species which otherwise could pose serious threats for business sustenance.

Contrary to the common belief that the Cover crops are essentially legume, the same should actually be a mixture of suitable grasses, legumes, flowering plants and cucurbits. I have personally seen wild radish being cultivated along with wheat in Germany. Cucurbits not only penetrates soil deeper than monocot field crops and loosen up/ opens up the strata preventing formation of hard pans, its emitted biofumigant compounds from glucosinolates controls soil borne pests like nematodes.  

Deep-rooted species like radishes are particularly effective at breaking up compacted soils, improving water infiltration, and enhancing root penetration for subsequent crops. Studies have shown that radishes can reduce soil bulk density from 1.5g/cm³ to 1.2 g/cm³, significantly improving soil health.

Cover crop blend with marigold, clover, rye and radish is my personal favourite for their contributions towards penetrating and loosening up the soil, growing diverse biome, adding more N in soil and also contributing meaningful P, K and other essential elements. A humble clover can add not only about 120kg N but can also contribute 70kg K and 50kg P/Ha.

Recently, I had a good opportunity in discussing more on this absorbing subject with my friend Madeleine Kröger during a filed visit and getting enriched.  At NATURE BIO FOODS we remain committed to the cause of a healthy soil as in the soil depicted is the societal character.

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Sustainable Agriculture