Yields of Selected Catch Crops in Dry Conditions

Abstract

HANDLÍŘOVÁ MARTINA, PROCHÁZKOVÁ BLANKA, SMUTNÝ VLADIMÍR. 2016. Yields of Selected Catch Crops in Dry Conditions. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 64(4): 1139-1148.Catch crops mainly reduce soil erosion and leaching of nutrients as well as enrich the soil organic matter. The aim of this research is to evaluate the yields of catch crops of Sinapis alba, Phacelia tanacetifolia, Fagopyrum esculentum, Carthamus tinctorius and Secale cereale v. multicaule, and thus determine the possible applicability of catch crops in areas with high average annual temperature and low precipitation totals. The small-plot field experiment was performed on clay-loam gleyic fluvisol at the Field Experimental Station in Žabčice, Southern Moravia, Czech Republic, within the period of 2006-2014. The catch crops were set up after winter wheat in mid-August. The results have shown a statistically significant difference among different catch crops in yield of dry matter and even among years. The yield of catch crops is mainly dependent on a sufficient supply of water in the soil and the appropriate amount and distribution of rainfall over the growing season. Sinapis alba and Phacelia tanacetifolia regularly reached the highest yields. High yields were also achieved with Fagopyrum esculentum. Due to the method of crop rotation in the Czech Republic, with a predominance of Brassica napus var. napus, it is inappropriate to include Sinapis alba. It is the best to grow Phacelia tanacetifolia and even Fagopyrum esculentum, or a mixture thereof, depending on the use of catch crops.

Wider Use of Honey Plants in Farming: Allelopathic Potential of Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.

“…[19]. Furthmore, Handlířová et al [25] found that, in an agroecosystem with a high average annual temperature and low rainfall totals, phacelia achieves higher and more stable yields compared to Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. In a Petri dish experiment designed to measure the palatability of organic matter of various stubble plants for earthworms Lumbricus terrestris L., Kliszcz, Puła [26] proved that during the first 24 h of breeding the soil-phacelia mixture the substrate uptake rate was the fastest by earthworms.…”