Short-term Effect of Winter Cover Crops on Improvement of some Soil Properties and Potato Yield

Cover crops have a high ability to help sustainable agriculture. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of using white radish and oat cover crops as monoculture or mixed on improvement of some soil properties and potato yield. 

A field experiment in the form of randomized complete block design with three replications at Research Field of University of Mohaghegh Ardabili in 2017 and 2018. Experimental treatments included of oat (Avena sativa L.) and white radish (Raphanus sativus L.) monoculture or their intercropping with 50% seed from each other and control (no cover crop) in 2017 and subsequently potato planting in 2018. 

The results showed that the highest biomass of cover crops was obtained from monoculture of white radish treatment (466.1 g. m-2). The highest biomass of weeds was obtained from control treatment (353.6 g. m-2). Monoculture and intercropping of oats and white radish did not have a statistically significant difference in terms of weed biomass reduction. Most of the measured soil properties, except for soil organic carbon, were affected by cover crops. Potato yield in monoculture and intercropping of cover crops did not have a statistically significant difference, but compared to the control treatment without cultivation of cover crops, monoculture of oats, white radish and their intercropping 31.45, 24.55% and 20.56% respectively, increased potato yield. 

The results of this experiment showed the positive effect of winter cover crops as monoculture and intercropping on physical, chemical and biological properties of soil as well as potato yield.