How Cover Crop Sowing Date Impacts upon Their Growth, Nutrient Assimilation and the Yield of the Subsequent Commercial Crop

Cover crops are typically sown post-harvest of commercial crops, prior to winter, which means that as sowing date is delayed, so will biomass production potential. The wide range benefits associated with cover relies on them produce sufficient biomass. Therefore, it must be identified how late certain species can sown. In the climatic conditions Northern Ireland, not only has no research been conducted perform at various dates but also their effect subsequent crop yield investigated. Addressing these issue in turn help provide recommendations maximise and encourage later crops. Consequently, five were chosen, from a families, then 14 August, 7 September 27 September. This mimic when land becomes fallow typical crops/rotations this region. It was found tillage radish (Raphanus sativus L.), earliest date, could accumulate maximum 261 kg/ha nitrogen (N), whereas, last phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia L.) significantly outperformed all other assimilated 70 N. incorporated into soil over-sown spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). However, unaffected by any treatments. trial shows non-leguminous chosen highly effective assimilating nutrients mid-August until early-September.