How catch crops can reduce nitrate leaching

Almost 30,000 ha of cover crops are grown in Ireland ever year. Fiona Doolan, Teagasc ASSAP Advisor highlights the important environmental role early sown catch crops have in preventing nitrate leaching.

In this video, Fiona Doolan, Teagasc ASSAP Advisor highlights the important environmental role early sown catch crops have in preventing nitrate leaching. A good catch crop can trap up to 80Kg of N/Ha that would otherwise be at risk of leaching. It’s also important to take into account the role of the catch crop in terms of crop rotation, GLAS, greening, feeding livestock or incorporation.

This video also outlines the key steps needed to ensure the catch crop is sown early so as to maximise production. The better the catch crop, the more N that is tied-up by the crop.