TGS D strukt – Improvement of soil structure

• In particular, cover/catch crops improve soil structure with their roots, which increases soil stability, infiltration, and capillarity. The root systems of different plants are different, which again results in greater benefits when sowing plant mixtures. The root system of the grasses and cereals is quite dense, and located more in the top layer of soil. The roots of cruciferous or other plants with a trunk root penetrate deeper than a few meters. Thus, the roots of different plants are distributed unevenly in the soil, some of them loosening the top soil, others – reaching the subsoil, even deeper layers.
• The fast-growing above-ground mass of many cover/catch crops (red clover, fodder radish, white mustard, buckwheat, phacelia) covers the surface of the soil and prevents the soil surface from scrambling or collapsing from heavy rainfall.
• Deep-rooted cover/catch crops (legumes, narrow-leaved lupines, phacelia etc.) loosen the soil, increase aeration, intensify of nutrient and moisture exchange between the top soil and subsoil. The roots of cover/catch crop penetrate soil and reduce soil compaction, while improving soil aeration, water regime, and positively affecting soil structure. Cover/catch crop roots trap soil moisture and activate soil microorganisms, which destroy plant residues and adhere soil crumbs to stable aggregates.
• The soil structure is better improved by the roots of the under-crop plants (as their growth period is longer). Those under-crop plants can be red clover, cocksfoot, Italian ryegrass. Aftercrop plants (white mustard, fodder radish, etc.) in shorter growing period had a lesser but any way very positive effect on soil structure.