This experiment evaluates how green manure mixtures can improve soil health in sustainable farming systems. It focuses on how sowing time and species composition influence biomass production, soil organic matter, nutrient cycling, and pest control.
The study compares three scenarios: a green manure mix without legumes, a mix with legumes sown simultaneously with the cereal crop, and a mix with legumes undersown later in the cereal using a cam-wheel seeder. Early sowing is expected to increase biomass and organic matter, while legumes contribute biological nitrogen fixation and soil fertility improvement. Additional species such as deep-rooting plants aim to enhance subsoil structure, and Tagetes is included for its potential to reduce free-living root nematodes, particularly benefiting potato rotations. The trial assesses which combinations and timings provide the best agronomic and soil health outcomes with low external inputs.