Precision agriculture unearths benefits of cover cropping

摘要

Cover crops are a key plank in sustainable agricultural practices helping to improve soil fertility and the management of pests and weeds. Cover cropping has been undertaken to provide surface cover for a winter cereal rotation during the peak rainfall period over summer in the northern growing regions of NSW. Rainfall events are characterised by high intensity, resulting in significant erosion risks. Surface cover of more than 70 per cent is known to reduce the risk of erosion. Much of the researchin cover cropping has been undertaken on the fertile heavy clay soils typically used for grain production in the northern region.