Cover crops, a tool to protect soils

Published 2020년 6월 1일

Tridge summary

A study from INTA Cañada de Gómez in Santa Fe, Argentina, has shown that the planting of cover crops in rotation with soybeans and corn can improve water and nutrient balances in the soil. This is particularly important in areas where winter crops are not planted, as is common in southern Santa Fe. The study found that cover crops increase the water recharge capacity in the soil profile, leading to higher soil water content during the soybean cycle. The use of cover crops also reduces water loss through surface runoff, deep filtration, and evaporation. The study found that soybean yields were higher when vetch was included as a cover crop, highlighting the importance of species mixture in cover crops.

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Original content

Currently, the attributes of those cover crops that are planted in rotation schemes with soybeans and corn, whose objective is to improve soil fertility, improve water balance and increase the biodiversity of productive environments, are well known. Thus, a study by INTA Cañada de Gómez, Santa Fe, showed that its incorporation allows improving water and nutrient balances in the soil, for the benefit of income cultivation. "In Santa Fe, cover crops gained ground, especially in those lots where winter crops do not intervene," said Julia Capurro, crop specialist and head of the Rural Extension Agency Cañada de Gómez of INTA. The three most planted crops in southern Santa Fe are premium soybeans, wheat, and corn. However, the relationship between the surfaces of each one has varied considerably in recent decades, as in much of the Pampas region. “If we compare the two grasses, corn grew significantly more than wheat. In 1988/89, 4.2 hectares of wheat were planted for every hectare of ...

Source: ARabc