Nutrient mobilisation by cover crops

Conservation and utilization of soil fertility is among the key objectives of sustainable cropping system intensification. Cover cropping is a well-established and efficient agro-environmental measure for groundwater protection, erosion control and stabilization of soil organic matter content. Currently there is hardly any scientific information available to quantify cover crop induced mobilization of soil nutrients with low mobility and thereby estimate potential positive effects on a subsequent main crop. Based on soil and plant nutrient analyses for 13 different cover crops and a bare soil control from a field trial, a database for cover crop nutrient mobilization will be established and the effect on nutrient uptake and yield of the subsequent main crop will be determined.