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Background <p>Intensive soil cultivation in organic vegetable production causes soil degradation and loss of organic matter. While no-tillage often reduces vegetable yields, strip-tillage – limiting tillage to planting rows – may maintain productivity. Knowledge remains limited on how mulched strip-tilled systems influence nutrient and water dynamics and yields.</p> Methods <p>A two-year field trial compared strip-tilled rye mulch and clover living mulch with bare soil, assessing soil moisture, temperature, nitrogen mineralisation, weed suppression and yields of cabbage and celeriac. Non-replicated on-farm trials with celeriac were conducted at three sites to evaluate performance across diverse soil types.</p> Results <p>Clover living mulch reduced cabbage and celeriac yields by 17–25% compared to rye mulch and bare soil in both years (except for celeriac in 2023), due to competition for mineral nitrogen (52% lower than bare soil in July 2024 but not different from rye mulch) and water (lower soil moisture than rye mulch in 2023 and bare soil in both years under celeriac). Weed suppression by soil cover treatments plus hand mowing was comparable to bare soil for most of the season. Despite reducing nitrogen availability by 40% in July 2024, rye mulch achieved yields comparable to bare soil under high fertilisation. In 2024, yield patterns were similar at on-farm trials (descriptive results), likely due to enhanced grower experience and weeding efforts.</p> Conclusion <p>Strip-tillage should be combined with rye mulch and supplemental fertilisation rather than clover living mulch to minimize competition for nutrients and – in the case of celeriac – also for water.</p>

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Cabbage and celeriac yields were preserved by strip-tillage with rye mulch but reduced by clover living mulch due to effects on soil nitrogen, moisture and temperature

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月10日

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  • Margita Hefner,
  • André Sradnick,
  • Katia Heistermann

摘要

Background

Intensive soil cultivation in organic vegetable production causes soil degradation and loss of organic matter. While no-tillage often reduces vegetable yields, strip-tillage – limiting tillage to planting rows – may maintain productivity. Knowledge remains limited on how mulched strip-tilled systems influence nutrient and water dynamics and yields.

Methods

A two-year field trial compared strip-tilled rye mulch and clover living mulch with bare soil, assessing soil moisture, temperature, nitrogen mineralisation, weed suppression and yields of cabbage and celeriac. Non-replicated on-farm trials with celeriac were conducted at three sites to evaluate performance across diverse soil types.

Results

Clover living mulch reduced cabbage and celeriac yields by 17–25% compared to rye mulch and bare soil in both years (except for celeriac in 2023), due to competition for mineral nitrogen (52% lower than bare soil in July 2024 but not different from rye mulch) and water (lower soil moisture than rye mulch in 2023 and bare soil in both years under celeriac). Weed suppression by soil cover treatments plus hand mowing was comparable to bare soil for most of the season. Despite reducing nitrogen availability by 40% in July 2024, rye mulch achieved yields comparable to bare soil under high fertilisation. In 2024, yield patterns were similar at on-farm trials (descriptive results), likely due to enhanced grower experience and weeding efforts.

Conclusion

Strip-tillage should be combined with rye mulch and supplemental fertilisation rather than clover living mulch to minimize competition for nutrients and – in the case of celeriac – also for water.