engleski

The role of cover crops in climate change mitigation

Use of cover crops is usually considered as useful practice which contributes to agroecosystem sustainability with a special emphasis on plant production. The positive impact of cover crops implementation in plant production systems on numerous chemical, physical and biological properties of soil as well as water quality improving is well known. The role of cover crops in the maintenance and increase of biodiversity is also a very important function why cover crops should be always present part of crop rotation. Due to today's awareness of climate change and well- known facts about the positive effects of using cover crops there is a need to understand whether and how the cover crops can help in climate change mitigation. Soil covering is the first and primary role of cover crops. Covered soil has potential to reflect more light compared to bare soil because of albedo changing caused by the presence of plant cover. The presence of cover crops thus leads to greater light reflection instead of absorbing the significant amount of light and heat. Soil carbon sequestration is one more function of cover cropping in climate change mitigation. With cover crops incorporation (input of organic residues) as one of the termination possibilities sequestrated atmospheric carbon returns back to the soil. Cover crops sown in fallow period greatly affect the nitrogen loss from soil. They can reduce it by preventing soil erosion and runoff. Nitrogen leaching is reduced because of cover crop uptake of residual nitrogen from previous crop. Otherwise there is a risk of nitrogen loss by wash away into surface and groundwater or volatization from the soil. Catch crop function in this case reduce possibility of formation of nitrous oxide (N2O) which has far bigger warming potential compared to CO2. Legume cover crops can leave significant amounts of nitrogen in the soil available for cash crop and thus reduce the need for N fertilizer use whose production and transport takes a part in greenhouse emissions. With cover crops incorporation other plant nutrients also becomes available for cash crops after cover crops decomposition and mineralization which reduces the need for mineral fertilizer application especially if the cover crops are in a continuously longtime use. Introduction of cover crops in plant production systems can contribute to mitigate the climate changes effects by increasing albedo and carbon sequestration, decreasing nitrogen loss and mineral fertilizer consumption and should be included in agricultural practices which are recommended for climate change mitigation.

cover cropping; catch crop; climate change mitigation

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