TGS MM – Fixing of nutrients, reduction of leaching

• Nitrogen and other nutrients are lost from the soil when their soluble forms are leached by water, especially in spring and autumn when the soil is uncovered. Cover/catch crops "bind" excess of available nitrogen (and other nutrients) at the end of the growing season and store them for next-season crops. Cover/catch crop residues act as slow-acting fertilizers.
• Cover/catch crops, which accumulate nutrients from the soil, not only maintain soil fertility but also help protect groundwater from nitrate nitrogen contamination. Mustard, cereals, etc. are especially suitable for this.
• According to German scientists, the nitrogen accumulated in the soil in autumn is very well collected by fodder radishes, serradella, phacelia, white mustard, worse – by pea and buckwheat. Cover/catch crops can accumulate 20 to 100 kg ha^-1 nitrogen in their biomass during the autumn.
• Cover crops are said to improve groundwater quality by as much as up to 80 % (protecting against nitrates, nutrient leaching).