Soil nitrogen and water management by winter-killed catch crops

Abstract N min N min N min values between 18 % and 92 % higher on the sowing date of the following maize crop. However, only Mix12 was statistically significant. Catch crops depleted the soil water storage in the rooting zone during their growth in autumn and early winter, but preserved water later on when their residues covered the ground. The shallow incorporation of CC residues increased water storage capacity during the cropping season of the main crop even under reduced soil water availability. Hence, catch cropping is not just a simple plant cover for the winter but improves the growth conditions for the following crop with decreased N losses. Mixtures have been shown to compensate for the weaknesses of individual CC species in terms of nutrient capture, mineralization and transfer to the following main crop as well as for soil water management. Detailed knowledge about plant performance during growth and litter mineralization patterns is necessary to make optimal use of their potential.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Soil nitrogen and water management by winter-killed catch crops ; volume:8 ; number:1 ; year:2022 ; pages:269-281 ; extent:13 ; Soil ; 8, Heft 1 (2022), 269-281 (gesamt 13)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Gentsch, Norman ; Heuermann, Diana ; Boy, Jens ; Schierding, Steffen ; Wirén, Nicolaus von ; Schweneker, Dörte ; Feuerstein, Ulf ; Kümmerer, Robin ; Bauer, Bernhard ; Guggenberger, Georg

Further information

• DOI: 10.5194/soil-8-269-2022
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022041210330275903518
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:33 AM CEST