Practice Abstract 4 - Faba-bean & grass-clover cultivation on arable farms in Denmark

Faba-bean & grass-clover cultivation on arable farms in Denmark

Farmers practicing arable farming (without animals) who cultivate faba-beans and grass-clover as part of their crop rotation face both advantages and challenges. Grass-clover is a legume crop which Danish farmers have been accustomed to cultivating for centuries and the climatic zone in Denmark makes this crop easy to handle. Grass-clover is cultivated as grazing fields for cattle or under-sown together with other types of crops; for example wheat. In organic farming the grass-clover ley is the foundation for successful crop production where nitrogen fixation by clover acts as a natural nitrogen fertilizer factory for succeeding crops in the rotation. However, for arable farmers the income per ha is lower than for annual crops. Compared to grass-clover, faba-beans poses more agronomic challenges for Danish crop farmers even though more stable and reliable cultivars have been developed. The Danish climate can challenge faba-bean yield due to poor competitive ability towards weeds especially in the early growth stages, severe aphid attacks and chocolate spot disease.
To promote domestic cultivation and utilization of grass-clover and especially faba-bean, we suggest more emphasis is put on the many ESS (Eco System Services) provided by these legumes. The value of e.g. faba-beans as a pre-crop must be disseminated. The resulting lower requirements for fertilizer and pest control (rotational effects), etc must be appreciated. The availability of new sowing machinery (e.g. Cameleon) facilitating dual seeding (intercropping), under-sowing and also mechanical weeding must also be disseminated. The economic benefits to farmers with direct co-operating and trading should also be addressed - both through field and fodder exchange.