Soils have been long overdue the attention they have been getting in recent years and that focus is unlikely to disappear.
Not only are there agronomic benefits from improving soils, but Government policy is likely to drive further adoption of soil-friendly practices, with the arable soil standard among the initial eight standards in the pilot scheme of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in England.
Martin Lines, UK chairman of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, says: “The early opportunity around SFI will be focused on soil.
“We are being encouraged to protect and enhance soils and that will include growing cover crops, not removing straw and other activities.” That is likely to mean further adoption of cover crops in rotations, but there can be plenty to learn about establishing them successfully and maximising benefits without impacting on the following cash crops.
Flexibility is important, says Mr Lines.
He has been growing cover crops in front of autumn and spring sown crops for the past five years, after originally gradually introducing them in places where he felt they would provide greatest value, usually ahead of spring crops.
Moisture
“We use the roots of the cover crops and the worms to be our cultivator.
We’ve found the soil becomes more workable, has less standing water after high rainfall and crops grow for longer as there is more moisture held in the structure of the soil.” Covers are direct drilled at an angle to how the combine went with a Kuhn Aurock direct drill.
“It has harrows on the back and we actively use them to disturb the tilth on top to get any weed seeds to germinate at the same time.” Ahead of autumn-sown cereals, the cover mix is usually fast-growing broad-leaved species, such as radishes, sunflowers, phacelia, spring vetches and buckwheat.
“You need to be flexible with what you put in depending on drilling date.
Every extra day in August is almost a week of extra growth.” Winter cereals are then drilled directly into the cover ‘into the green’ with the Aurock and the cover is sprayed off with glyphosate either just before or after drilling.
“You’re running on roots rather than bare soils, so you’re avoiding compaction.
We’re on heavy clay though, so if it is too wet, you’re best off not drilling.” The Aurock’s integrated crimper lays the cover crop down and helps with weed suppression in the first few weeks and reduces erosion risk from heavy rainfall, he says.
In front of spring broad-leaved crops, grass species covers are used, such as oats and rye, with radishes and some non-frost-tolerant species that die off and open the canopy.
Before spring cereals, a legume will be added.
For spring cereals, termination of the cover is at least six weeks before drilling to dry the land to drill, but also to remove black-grass.
“If you plant into black-grass, it robs yield from the following crop.
But with less soil disturbance, our weed burden is reducing, so my herbicide costs are dropping, with 62% lower fuel use costs.
So while the investment into the machine could be a factor, the overall benefit to the business and overheads is a lot better.
“I see the Kuhn Aurock as my Swiss Army knife because it gives me the flexibility to go into a cultivated crop, if necessary, or a metre-high cover crop and deal with both,” he says.
