UK: GREATsoils Trial Demonstration: Assessing the health of your soil

Monitoring the effect of cover crops on soil health, fertility and structure in a large scale conventional protected and field veg production system. This field day will evaluate the most practical and useful soil assessment tools for this system. Will include guest speaker Lizzie Sagoo of ADAS on the findings of CP107c - Precision technologies.

Background of the GREATsoils project
Presentation of the running field comparison trials of different soil assessment methods, specifics for field veg and protected cropping systems. Details and results of the trial hosted by Valefresco. (Anja Vieweger, Organic Research Centre)

Findings of CP107c - Precision technologies
Precision technologies offer growers opportunities to improve soil and nutrient management, with the potential to increase yields and profitability. Evaluation of current and future potential of precision farming techniques to optimise soil and nutrient management in horticulture. This session may focus on soil mapping, variable rate N on brassica crops, or soil/crop variability. (Dr Lizzie Sagoo, ADAS)

Field walk and soil assessment demonstration at trial site Valefresco
Field trial comparing different soil assessment methods in protected and field cropping systems. Improving soil organic matter and soil biology: introducing green manures in protected cropping (spinach and rocket rotation) and field (lettuce rotation); compared methods are NRM soil health test, visual soil assessment, infiltration rates, compaction and earthworm counts. (Led by Steve Nickells, Valefresco)

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