Journal
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
Volume 28, Issue 3, Pages 437-448Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2007.11.013
Keywords
crop system; cover crop; crop growth and development; winter survival; nitrogen minerlization; subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.); annual medic (Medicago spp.); yellow sweetclover [Melilotus officinalis (L.)]; crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.); hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.); weed management
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Weed suppression and green manure effects are two potential benefits of including a legume cover crop in vegetable cropping systems. A requirement for using autumn established cover crops, however, is to find species and cultivars adapted to the local climate and latitude. Knowledge about optimal sowing time is also needed. The objective of this study was to monitor the crop behavior, with special emphasis on winter survival and biomass production, of winter annual and biennial legumes sown at various times of year before the establishment of vegetables in the subsequent year. Low growing species/cultivars, including annual medics (Medicago spp.) and subterranean clover (T subterraneum L. cv. Denmark), which may be suitable when vegetables transplanted directly into a senesced living mulch, showed poor winter survival and are thus not recommended for our climate. Taller species, including hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.), crimson clover (T incarnatum L.) and yellow sweetclover [Melilotus officinalis (L.)], which require mowing before the establishing of vegetables, showed much better winter survival and biomass production the subsequent year. The study showed however, that the suitability of these cover crops depends on cultivar, sowing time and climate region. The mineralization study showed that hairy vetch and white clover were rich in N and showed a high N mineralization rate. Mineralization of N from crimson clover and yellow sweetclover was lower. We conclude that hairy vetch, crimson clover and yellow sweetclover, used in the proper way, have potential as cover crops under northern conditions. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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