Multi-species summer cover crop in protected vegetable systems

Authors: Benjamin Perrin, Parès Laure, Amélie Lefèvre

Problem: In protected vegetable systems of the Mediterranean area, having bare soil for several weeks in late summer, post cash crop harvest, may induce soil degradation. Providing a soil cover in any period is key to preserve the soil's biological activity and maintain good agronomic conditions (e.g. soil structure) for the following crops.  

Solution: A mixture of Sudan sorghum (Sorghum drummondii), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and fodder pea (Pisum sativum subsp. Arvense)can be used as a cover crop at the end of summer under plastic greenhouse systems in the South of France. These species all grow fast and so provide a suitable cover crop in a few weeks. The higher the biomass production the better the crop is at delivering expected benefits.  

zenodo.org: Multi-species summer cover crop in protected vegetable systems