Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 33 COVER CROPS “Cover cropping builds resilience in the soil to cope with extremes and, over time, improves the chances of the crops that follow.” Zach Reilly, SAC Consulting oilseed rape. ey operate a six to seven-year rotation with two breaks. While the cover crops Hugh is growing - phacelia (6%), mustard (20%), oilseed radish (30%), vetch (30%) and fenugreek (14%) - are linked to the cereals rather than the potato crops, potatoes are a key aspect of the farm business and Hugh acknowledges that intensive cultivations associated with producing potatoes mean farm soils can be more vulnerable to damage. Maintaining and protecting soil health across the farm is therefore a key focus for Hugh and one the rest of the group are keen to keep informed on. Hugh said: “Potatoes are the most invasive crop to the soils here and this means the soils are cultivated more often to establish a good growing environment for the nished fresh potatoes on the shelf. We want to guarantee we are regenerative in our rotation of soil health and structure in order to produce in future.” Hugh already carries out full GPS soil analysis on a six-year rotation and uses precision agriculture techniques such as variable-rate spreading for lime. He imports manures and digestate, both to supplement inorganic fertilisers and improve soil organic matter. As a group member, he is interested in monitoring the variation in soil health experienced across his rotation, especially before and after the potato crop. “We are trying to recover the soils as best we can back to healthy strong levels,” said Hugh, adding that he also changed the way he samples “to try to get the balances of our soils to where they should be”. “Cover crops are something we have started working with over the last three or four years,” he said. “It’s something we are nding is bettering the soils.” e cover crop trial Hugh recently carried out, aimed at reducing aphid disease carry over, had not been overly successful. “We are nding that there is potential with cover crops in Scotland,” said Zach, “and the key, as well as establishing early, is to nd the right seed mix and method that works for your farm, which is what we are continually looking at within the group. Broadcasting seed pre-harvest, for example, has the potential to slash sowing costs due to the high work rates of sprayers or fertiliser spreaders.” This biofumigant mustard crop in flower was grown to reduce potato cyst nematode (PCN) at a farm in Lincolnshire. Should Scottish farmers being looking again at cover crops to build soil structure? Zach Reilly of SAC Consulting) is working with the Scottish Government-funded Farming for a Better Climate Soil Regenerative Agriculture Group. Intensive cultivations associated with producing potatoes mean farm soils can be more vulnerable to damage