Title : The role of catch crop in improving soil fertility and plant nutritional status in boreal climates of Lithuania
Abstract:
In Lithuania, due to short seasons after harvesting, low temperature or lack of moisture during germination, it is not always possible to grow valuable catch crop (CC). Agronomic practices related to CC should therefore be adapted to the specific soil and climatic conditions of the region. We hypothesize that the optimization of CC technologies, taking into account the applied agronomic practices, can partially reduce the negative influence of meteorological conditions and increase the efficiency of CC. The research aims to clarify the impact of post-sown cover crops management on their biomass, accumulated nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and to determine environmentally safe methods of biomass utilization/incorporation.
The implementation of this study contributed to the development of Lithuanian science and the complex solution of problems of agricultural beneficiaries. During the implementation of the study, 10 (ten) field trials were installed in the farmers’ and LAMMC arable lands (2022-2023) according to a wide range of methodological materials, reflecting Lithuanian agro: soil characteristics, farming practices and farm specialization. Three types of catch crop mixtures were studied for the purpose of influence: frost-free and fallow (for direct sowing in spring), mixture of multispecies crop (to increase the vitality of the soil) and a mixture of Brassicaceae plants (to reduce the amount of mineral N in the soil, remaining after abundant fertilization of the crop with N fertilizers). Studies have shown that the biomass of catch crop mixtures grown in various regions of Lithuania was determined by the time of sowing, the amount of moisture in the soil at the time of plant germination (or precipitation) and the average daily temperature during the autumn period. According to research data, intercrops in different pedoclimatic conditions accumulated unequal amounts of N and P in the biomass. The amount of N accumulated by the catch crop was directly correlated with aboveground biomass yield. The amount of mineral N in the soil was determined by the species composition and yield of the plants in the mixture. Deeper soil layers (30-60 cm) are reached by the roots of Brassicaceae plants with biomass >2 t ha-1 DM. Research results showed that the direct sowing of CC in the spring increased the yield of spring wheat grains from 2.9 to 13.1% in the lighter granulometric composition soils of Central and Western Lithuania, compared to the incorporation of biomass in autumn. At that time, in heavier soils (Northern Lithuania region), the biomass of catch crops incorporated in autumn increased the yield of spring wheat grains more (14.3-21.7%) than that introduced in spring. Studies have shown that the yield of spring wheat depended on the mass of CC inserted, its quality, the time of decomposition (autumn or spring), soil and meteorological conditions. Rolling promoted complete freezing of CC and better-preserved nutrients until spring.
Audience Take Away Notes:
The generated research data will significantly enhance the understanding of catch crop cultivation technologies and their environmental benefits. By implementing modern post-autumn period technologies, farmers can expect practical advantages, such as improved soil fertility and stabilized farm income. These advancements in agricultural practices not only support sustainable farming but also contribute to environmental protection by optimizing the use of natural resources and reducing the ecological footprint of farming activities
