Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 11 COVER CROPPING C OVER cropping should be more than just an afterthought. It is an increasingly important part of the armoury for potato growers with research and experience showing that, if done well, cover crops protect, improve and augment soil between cash crops. Any time soil is bare, there is potential for cover cropping. But to work properly, it can mean increased costs and additions to a busy workload for the grower, while nancial bene ts can take several iterations to be Cover crops – The inside story Potato Agronomist Eric Anderson looks at sustainable farming practices realised. is is often frustrating and estimates suggest that few potato rotations currently include cover crops in the UK. Growing cover crops requires a di erent mindset as it is function, not yield, that is key. It means thinking about the full rotational and long-term bene ts over short- term nancial gain. ose who havemade a success of cover crops have foundways to overcome the barriers and e ectively integrate them into their cropping systems. is ‘whole system’ approach ➜