Cover crops in organic field vegetable production

• Published in: Scientia horticulturae 2016-08, Vol.208, p.104-110
• Main Authors: Robačer, Martina, Canali, Stefano, Kristensen, Hanne Lakkenborg, Bavec, Franc, Mlakar, Silva Grobelnik, Jakop, Manfred, Bavec, Martina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cropping system design; Environmental services; Fertility building crops; Legumes; Living mulch; Organic agriculture; Organic farming; Weed management
• ISSN: 0304-4238; 1879-1018
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2015.12.029

•Various aspects of cover crop usage in organic vegetable production are presented.•Cover crops can reduce the use of external inputs.•Cover crops suppress weeds as well as improve and maintain soil fertility.•Examples of their effects to pest populations and diseases are included in review. Environmental protection and human health have recently become important factors when selecting food production systems. The wide usages of pesticides and synthetic fertilisers in conventional production cause environmental pollution and degradation. Cover crops can reduce the use of external inputs such as pesticides and fertilisers and can at the same time suppress weeds as well as improve and maintain soil fertility. Cover crops can also modify the microclimate which affects pest populations and diseases. The cover crops are usually terminated before the planting of the main crops, but some management practices use cover crops simultaneously with the main crop to, provide living mulch. Determining, cover crop species and management practices is based on the needs and goals of sustainable production. The summarised studies show that further research is needed for best practices of vegetable production especially using living mulches and roller crimper for termining cover crops before planting vegetables.