{"id":14499,"date":"2021-12-13T20:19:27","date_gmt":"2021-12-13T19:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/?p=14499"},"modified":"2023-02-10T07:33:16","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T06:33:16","slug":"cover-crops-what-are-they-and-what-benefits-do-they-have-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/blog\/cover-crops-what-are-they-and-what-benefits-do-they-have-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Cover crops: what are they and what benefits do they have?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"14499\" class=\"elementor elementor-14499\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-72ad852 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"72ad852\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c92c37c\" data-id=\"c92c37c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5322548 elementor-toc--minimized-on-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"5322548\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;,&quot;h3&quot;],&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;numbers&quot;,&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;No headings were found on this page.&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tContent\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__5322548\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M207.029 381.476L12.686 187.132c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941l22.667-22.667c9.357-9.357 24.522-9.375 33.901-.04L224 284.505l154.745-154.021c9.379-9.335 24.544-9.317 33.901.04l22.667 22.667c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941L240.971 381.476c-9.373 9.372-24.569 9.372-33.942 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__5322548\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M240.971 130.524l194.343 194.343c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941l-22.667 22.667c-9.357 9.357-24.522 9.375-33.901.04L224 227.495 69.255 381.516c-9.379 9.335-24.544 9.317-33.901-.04l-22.667-22.667c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941L207.03 130.525c9.372-9.373 24.568-9.373 33.941-.001z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__5322548\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M500 975V858C696 858 858 696 858 500S696 142 500 142 142 304 142 500H25C25 237 238 25 500 25S975 237 975 500 763 975 500 975Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd90508 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fd90508\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2><strong>What are cover crops?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The definition of cover crops is the implantation of one or more plant species in association with the main crop or in alternation between production periods of our farm to make an improvement of our agricultural soil.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>History of cover crops<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One could say that the ancestors of cover crops are the agricultural management of crop rotation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the beginning of the 20s, with fertile agricultural lands and almost no limiting aspects that could condition agricultural production, crops were used to regenerate the useful depth of root development of agricultural crops, called rotation crops, used until then in existing agriculture, where there was no differentiation between traditional, sustainable or ecological.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the 40s with the appearance of the first agricultural inputs when gradually tend to disappear or decrease the use of these crops until almost the disappearance of this practice, since the use of agricultural chemicals replaced in a more productive way the benefits provided by rotation crops.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not until the 70s when the increase in the prices of agrochemicals, together with an evolution of the resistance of the species of the limiting factors such as pests, diseases, weeds and nutrient blockages begins to reintroduce different production managements re-incorporating among them the rotational crop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, in the 70s the agricultural systems began to take a turn in their productions, beginning to be classified as a more sustainable system.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Benefits of using cover crops<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The general benefits of cover crops can be listed in:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improvement of the physical and chemical capacities of the soil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid erosion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increases the moisture retention capacity avoiding evaporation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintains organic matter in the soil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We prevent the spread of other weeds<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Benefit of Crescent Sunn as a cover crop<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefits of <a href=\"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/crescent-sunn-crotalaria-juncea\/\">Crescent sunn<\/a> as <\/span> <b>cover crops<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are many, and can be used both in association with the main crop and alternately for agricultural soil improvement for the coming crop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below, we describe the improvements as crescent sunn (crotalaria juncea) cover crop:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Improvement of the physical capacity of the soil<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: due to its high index of plant matter. By incorporating plant matter into the soil it increases the number of macro and micropores, thus giving a great structure to the agricultural soil for greater storage of water in its internal cavities available for our cultivation.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another fact to highlight is the control of both water and wind erosion due to the increase in organic matter.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Atmospheric Nitrogen Fixation: <\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crescent Sunn has a great power of Nitrogen fixation due to the high index of nodulation it has in its roots, capable of fixing up to 200 units of nitrogen per hectare.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Increase of nutritional parameters available for our crop: <\/strong>we incorporate in addition to <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus and Calcium, increasing the fertility of our soils.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Powerful root system: <\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">large root system, not only developing in horizon A of the soil or Rhizosphere, but also penetrating into horizon B or subsoil, thus emerging accumulated nutrients and making a natural tillage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Nematode control:  <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">control of most families and subfamilies of nematodes, since in addition to being a non-host crop, they exude their roots a natural nematicide substance called monocrotaline; It also favors the elements of biocontrol of the soil and the allelopathy in its leaves make it impossible to regenerate nematodes, acting against them as an ovicide and acting fully on the juvenile and adult phase. I recommend this article about the <a href=\"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/nematodes-3-ways-crescent-sunn-can-help-you\/\">benefits of crescent sunn for the control of nematodes.<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Fungal action: <\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">directly increasing the antagonistic elements of the soil against <a href=\"https:\/\/es.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pythium\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Phityum,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/es.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fusarium\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fusarium<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/es.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sclerotinia_sclerotiorum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sclerotinia.<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Soil health against pathogens:<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">creating a hostile environment against soil pathogens such as Agroites sp.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All this increasing not only the quantity in production but the quality of the harvest with less agricultural inputs, so we obtain more benefits per hectare.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can say that the future is already present in agriculture.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>implantation of one or more plant species in association with the main crop or in alternation between production periods of our farm to make an improvement of our agricultural soil.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13778,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"iawp_total_views":24,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[152],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14499"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14499\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17296,"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14499\/revisions\/17296"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esseeds.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}