Radish-based cover crop mixtures mitigate leaching and increase availability of nitrogen to the cash crop

Agricultural soils are at risk of nitrogen (N) leaching especially during the fallow period in autumn and winter. Cover crops grown to capture soil mineral N that otherwise would leach groundwater. They can serve as green manure providing cash crop spring. We investigated whether mixing species cover enhance therefore reduce more effectively than pure stands without increasing hypothesised mixed with complementary traits will accumulate biomass. It was also expected residues from higher biomass lower C:N ratio mineralise faster subsequently increase In a 4-year field experiment, were between August February rotation different crops. used eight treatments, including three stands: radish (Raphanus sativus), vetch (Vicia sativa) oats (Avena strigosa), all possible 2- 3-species mixtures (no crop). Treatment effects on losses estimated by analysing concentrations samples leached pore water below rooting zone modelling volume per plot. Most occurred winter while amount spring negligible due precipitation. correlated negatively biomass, uptake root length density. Radish most productive dominated mixtures. Compared fallow, contained reduced 49–73% characterized quick cover, high low moderate ratio. Subsequently, containing mineralized quickly, resulting an 70–110% compared fallow. This did not available subsequent crop. study demonstrates importance selection recommends use radish-based if purpose is provide