Mixed Species Cover Crop Project – Final Report

The objectives of the project were to investigate, test and communicate the suitability of multi species cover crops in a range of environments across south-eastern Australia.  Activities measured the impacts cover cropping had on soil health. Soil analyses were selected to both test relevant and innovative soil health and biological parameters such as nitrogen cycling pathways and microbial community structure, and place these in the context of more traditionally understood agronomically-important soil properties. In addition, cover species suitable for environments across south-eastern Australia was investigated and cover crop termination methods were compared. Outcomes achieved were efficient knowledge transfer to growers, facilitating optimum cover crop choice and termination methods suited to their farming systems and environment, and improved understanding of soil fertility, structure, biological health, and invertebrate impacts across south-eastern Australia for improved farm resilience and profitability. See the full summary report here