Optimizing climate and production services of cover crops inorganic arable rotations (CCRotate)
Cover crops (CC) provide essential ecosystem and production services in arable organic farming. These services relate to reduced environmental impacts through lower nitrate leaching, reduced climate impacts through enhanced soil carbon sequestration although N2O emissions may not always be reduced, and enhanced biodiversity through positive effects on soil microbiology and fauna. These effects are currently not well understood. and there are inadequate tools for farmers to evaluate services and benefits of CC. CCRotate will enhance the knowledge of the climate and production services of CC through literature review, use of long-term experimentation and through a targeted three-year field experiment aims at exploring quantifying carbon and nitrogen fluxes of a range of CC species and species mixtures, including Plantago which is reported to contain a natural nitrification inhibitor, possibly resulting in lowering N2O emissions. A camera system will be developed to help farmers quantify in-field variation in CC quantify and quality for use in decision making. Improved farmer recommendations on the targeting of CC species and mixtures and their management in cropping systems will be developed to enhance climate and production values.