Cover crops are plants grown to protect and improve soil rather than to be harvested. They can enhance soil structure and biology, reduce erosion, increase water infiltration, build organic matter, and improve nutrient management. They are typically used during fallow periods such as autumn and winter, or in wet conditions like a rainy spring, and have been shown to benefit subsequent crops.
Northumberland’s soils face a range of pressures, including widespread nutrient deficiencies, declining organic matter, soil degradation, compaction, and biodiversity loss. These challenges weaken soil function, reduce crop productivity and resilience, and contribute to declining environmental quality.
Although research demonstrates that cover crops can meaningfully improve soil health and performance, adoption across the WADER project area remains low. As a result, many of their potential benefits are not yet being realised.
WADER set up a three-year project to test the benefits of using cover crops on a local farm with in-depth monitoring of soil and crop samples. The site then served as a demonstration, allowing farmers and land managers to see the practical application of cover crops and helping to influence local land management practices.
Cover crops were used over three years on a Northumberland farm to assess whether winter cover crops can improve soil health, nutrient availability, and crop performance. The demonstration field was divided into alternating sections containing four cover crop strips and four bare soil control strips. In the cover crop strips a brassica mix was drilled in August, terminated in February, and incorporated into the treatment strip. Spring barley was then drilled into both cover crop and control strips in March. Throughout the project, comprehensive soil, deep core nitrogen, leaf, grain, and weather measurements were collected to track changes in soil structure, organic matter, nutrient status, and biological activity.
Coming soon…
