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Multi-species cover crops are proving to be a valuable tool in improving soil health and boosting farm productivity, according to ongoing research led by Dr. Bharat Shrestha at Beaverlodge Research Farm. Dr. Shrestha, the biology study lead in soil health and fertility development, is part of a collaborative project under the Peace River Living Lab initiative, funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Agricultural Climate Solutions - Living Lab program.
Dr. Shrestha explains that preliminary data indicate multi-species cover crops outperform conventional systems in terms of soil health. "In preliminary data, what we see is covered crop is doing better compared to our conventional system. And similar, we see BMP - beneficial management practices - for example. tillage type. No tillage is doing really great in this region, and producers are almost 90 per cent or more practicing no tillage system in this area. So that is building soil, and that is really good. What we have seen from the preliminary data. Data collection, as I said, is still ongoing; it will continue this season and next season, and we will evaluate what the data is saying from a science perspective."
Producers participating in the Peace Region Living Lab (PRLL) are already practicing multi-species cover cropping. Dr. Shrestha highlights the benefits, stating, "The multi-species cover crop help use nutrients from different depths and help improve the Soil Health. As an example tillage radish helps by tilling the soil and builds organic matter in the soil."
One of the key principles of soil health is maintaining soil coverage and live roots. Dr. Shrestha elaborates, "Living roots will be there, it can trap the residual nitrogen fertilizer and can be incorporated into the soil. So, it recycles the nutrient and also keeps the soil covered. So when there is rainfall event or any surface erosion, that will be minimized by the cover crop. Also, biomass production will be continued so it will keep the live root in the soil. Live root aggregates feed the microbes, so microbial activity will be continuous even if there is no main crop, and that enhances soil health."
The research adopts a holistic approach, bringing together farmers, ranchers, scientists, and industry representatives. The Peace Region Living Lab project is led by the Peace Region Forage Seed Association and involves three Co-Principal Investigators: Dr. Bharat Shrestha from Beaverlodge Research and Development Centre, Dr. Kirsten Hannam from Summerland Research and Development Centre, and Dr. Shabtai Bittman from Agassiz Research and Development Centre. Collaborations extend to the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia, with eight applied research associations working alongside 58 producers across the Peace region.