A relatively early finish to the winter barley harvest will provide tillage farmers with an ideal opportunity to plant cover crops, according to Teagasc specialists.
And given that there is a requirement under the nitrates directive to cultivate ground seven days post-straw removal, this presents an ideal opportunity to push ahead with such projects.
One of the main functions of a cover crop is to mop up any remaining nutrients, especially nitrogen, after the previous cereal crop.
Choice of cover crop mix depends on the intended use (E.g., Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS), forage, soil improvements to prevent nitrate leaching) and sowing date.
Sowing date is crucial and ideally all cover crops should be planted before the end of August.
Straw and cover crops
The question then arises – how to factor straw into this equation?
It hs been confirmed that chopping and incorporating straw helps to increase soil organic carbon levels and also has a positive impact on soil biology and soil workability.
From a greenhouse gas (GHG) perspective, chopping and incorporating straw sequesters carbon in tillage soils which further improves the environmental sustainability of the tillage sector.
Straw incorporation returns significant amounts of potash (which is released in time for the following crop), and some phosphate, magnesium and sulphur.
Based on current fertiliser prices, the value of chopped straw has increased significantly in the last 12 months.
Types of crops
Meanwhile, winter oilseed rape is likely to be one of the most profitable crops in Harvest 2022 and, based on current forward prices, can be very profitable in its own right for Harvest 2023.
This is before the soil structure benefits, ability to control grass weeds and yield benefits to succeeding crops, are factored in.
The area of winter oilseed rape increased to 14,500ha for Harvest 2022 and a further increase is expected for next season.
Attractions to winter oilseed rape for tillage farmers are the potential nitrogen savings when good growth and development is achieved in the autumn/winter period, along with alternative weed control options.
With the prospect of high fertiliser prices remaining a reality into 2023, the attraction of oilseed rape as a low nitrogen-requiring crop is obvious.
Another factor in this regard is the fact that nitrogen can be applied to these crops in a very strategic way, given the development of canopy testing techniques.
It should all add up to a win-win scenario for Irish tillage farmers during the months ahead.