Green Manures and Cover Crops - GMCC
A GMCC is...
“A species of plant, often but not always leguminous, whether a tree, bush, vine or crawling plant, which is used by a farmer for one or several purposes, at least one of which is that of maintaining or improving soil fertility or controlling weeds.” Roland Bunch
Green manures are those used for the primary purpose of improving soil fertility
Cover crops are those crops used for the primary purpose of controlling weeds
Potential benefits of GMCCs include:
- increase soil organic matter through biomass production
- increase nutrient cycling
- biological nitorgen fixation (leguminous crops) adds nitrogen to the soil
- maintain or increase soil life through covering the soil as "living mulch"
- lower soil temperature
- help retain soil moisture
- increase soil resilience
- soil structure
- soil fertility
- moisture retention
- decrease inputs
- can use locally available seed
- 25-40% decrease in chemical use
- reduced labor (while growing)
- potentially income generating
- fodder for animals
- human food (pulses)
Potential disadvantages include
- Slow results: benefits of a first-year GM/CC crop often not seen until the next growing season
- When intercropped, there may be competition between crops
- Unless GM/CC also produces food or income, it is not always readily accepted
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Green manure cover crops (gmcc) are rapidly growing crops that cover and protect the soil. They are left on the soil surface as mulch or plowed under to enrich soil organic matter content. Legumes are prioritized for their ability to source atmospheric nitrogen through symbiosis with...
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1987-11-19 Success Reported On Homemade Mouse Trap What We Have Learned To Date About Green Manure Crops For Small Farmers
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1984-01-19 Leucaena leucocephala ("koa haole"-Hawaii; ipil ipil - Phillipines) is a fast-growing, leguminous tree that can be used for reforestation, for firewood, and as a forage crop that can equal alfalfa in nutritional value. There are three basic types of leucaena trees: Hawaiian, Salvador, and Peru....
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Key Resource1985-01-01 Green manure crops are crops that are [often times in North America] grown to be turned under to increase soil fertility. Leguminous green manure crops ( i.e., those which can make nitrogen fertilizers from atmospheric nitrogen) can offer small-scale Third World farmers a tremendous number of...
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Key Resource2013-01-20 About 98% of agricultural production in the Sudano Sahelian region of West and Central Africa is based on rainfed crops. With a mean annual rainfall of 300 to 800 mm/year, the number of staple crops is very limited. It includes two grain crops: pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) for sandy soils...
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Key Resource2017-05-26 By integrating legumes into cropping systems, small-scale farmers in low-resource settings can invest in the long-term health and resilience of their soils. Success or failure depends largely on choosing the right legume(s). With that in mind, this document presents insights on legume selection...
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2017-03-30 Making Silage in Vichada Tech Note Spotlight: Biosand Water Filter Echoes from our Network: Member Highlight Adria and Job From ECHO's Technical Respose Team: Appropriate forage crops for clay soils From ECHO's Seed Bank: Forage peanut
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Key Resource2012-11-14 The UNCCD estimates that over 250 million people are affected by land degradation, and about 1 billion people in over 100 countries are at risk. According to the WMO, 33% of the world’s land surface is vulnerable to land degradation.Degraded lands lead to overall reduced productivity and reduced...
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Key Resource2016-09-28 Farmers in many parts of the world, because of human population growth, have little choice but to crop their land continuously, with scarce resources to replace nutrients withdrawn by each successive crop. Crop residues are often lost as a source of organic matter and mulch, usually through...
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2011-07-01 This article is from ECHO Asia Note #10 Introduction During the late rainy season, the permanent hill fields that surround a cluster of hilltribe villages in the Chiang Dao district of northern Thailand radiate various hues of green. These verdant fields, belonging to ethnic Lisu, Lahu, Akha,...
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2005-01-20 Proper crop rotation is Fundamental #1. It will beat the disease and pest cycle while promoting nutrient cycling. This is a forgotten age-old method to assure the health of future crops. It is of the utmost importance to minimize nutrient loss for long-range success. When the same plant is...
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2005-10-01 One of the most important things a farmer can do for his farm is to prevent soil erosion. One way to do so is by keeping soil covered, especially during the rainy season. Vegetative cover and high levels of soil organic matter are key. Below is a brief description of several vegetative or...
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2014-04-20 EDN 122 highlighted multi-purpose cowpea varieties with spreading vines that cover the soil. Below is an ECHO research update from South Africa relating our experience so far with a spreading cowpea variety intercropped with maize grown in a Foundations for Farming (FFF) system. “Living carpet”...
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2015-04-30 We recently learned of correspondence among several network members on the topic of Conservation Agriculture (CA) in areas of heavy rain. The information seemed potentially helpful for others in ECHO’s network, so we are sharing it here.
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2005-01-20 Cover cropping is Fundamental #7. It is the technique of growing plants that protect the soil to conserve topsoil and moisture. It can be considered a living mulch. Under sowing legumes below existing crops and other companion plants will work well. You get all the advantages of mulching; soil...
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2002-01-20 The conventional view of the relationship between soil nutrients and crop productivity in the tropics is leading to both damaging agricultural policies and inefficient and damaging farm-level practices. There is no need to use the huge quantities of chemical fertilizers that are so often...
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This document distinguishes between ‘anchor’ cover crops (that are intercropped with a main crop such as maize) and ‘secondary’ cover crops (that don’t compete with the main crop because they have a short life cycle, and that can help cover the soil at the start of the growing season). The...
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2013-04-20 The article by Dov Pasternak about lablab (in this issue) reminded me of material in ECHO’s files from many years ago. Reimar von Schaaffhausen, working in São Paulo, Brazil, sent articles and letters over the years about the valuable role that lablab (and pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan]) have played...
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2016-04-08 A report from Roland Bunch regarding his efforts to promote green manures and cover crops in Africa.
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2004-04-20 Rice bean (Vigna umbellata) is one of the top five most commonly grown green manure/cover crops in the world.
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2005-01-20 Green fertilizer is Fundamental #5. It feeds the next crop efficiently. As you plow crop residue into the soil it will eventually become humus and fertilizer for following crops. It is a form of composting, in which materials do not need to be transported to a mixing/composting site. You could...
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This green manure cover crop selection tool is an interactive way to discover which varieties are appropriate for your unique situation. By changing the conditions and requirements a prioritized list of potentially appropriate crops is generated. Each of these plants can be sourced through the...
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Session:The major factor in the increase in droughts across Africa has been caused mostly by the gradual death of fallowing, and the resulting decrease in rainwater infiltration from about 60% down to 20% in most areas. GM/CCs are the only feasible way to save Africa from the rapidly increasing...
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Key Resource2019-05-21 Now available through Amazon as well as the ECHO Bookstore Smallholder farmers around the world face some of the harshest growing conditions globally, yet they produce the majority of the world’s food. Soils in these areas often lack nutrient and water holding capacities, due to erosion or poor...
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This group pageexists so that individuals involved in GMCCaround the world can connect. We encourage you to share the challenges you face in your GMCCendeavors, discuss lessons and techniques learned through your experiences, and share your story!
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2014-10-27 The following photos were all taken in the fields or homes of practicing farmers in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Haiti, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Benin, Cameroon, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia
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2017-01-19 Dr. Motispresented an overview of the use of tropical legumes as green manure/cover crops. Drawing on findings from ECHO research, this talk will cover 1) benefits of legumes, 2) basic characteristics and growth requirements of some commonly grown legumes, and 3) ways to integrate these into...
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2017-02-08 Cover crops play a key role in sustainable agriculture by providing sustainable sources of nutrients as well as protective soil cover to minimize erosion and reduce moisture stresses. Examples of successful cover cropping systems in East Africa will be illustrated as well as constraints and...
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2017-02-07 Pigeon pea is an important green manure/cover crop with multiple agronomic and market impacts for small farmers, and fits ideally in a conservation agriculture system. Kilimo Markets integrates value chains through enhancing production, inputs supply chains especially seed for which it is...
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2017-02-08 Dolichos lablab is an under estimated crop which recently is finding its niche Presenter :Wilfred L Mariki is a retired Principal Agricultural Research Officer, from Selian Agricultural Research Institute who pioneered a country program to introduce CA in Tanzania 1999 – 2011, under FAO-UN. He...
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2017-02-07 Pigeon pea is an important green manure/cover crop with multiple agronomic and market impacts for small farmers, and fits ideally in a conservation agriculture system. Presenter : Said Silim has recently retired from a distinguished career in international development from ICRISAT, and helped to...
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This group page exists so that individuals involved in GMCC around the world can connect. We encourage you to share the challenges you face in your GMCC endeavors, discuss lessons and techniques learned through your experiences, and share your story!
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Access Agriculture Training Video In the coastal savanna of West Africa, farmers explain how a mucuna cover crop helped to revive their highly degraded soil, and suppress the noxious weeds Striga and Imperata. They show how to grow it to benefit your maize and cassava, and why discussing land...
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The Tropical Forages websiteis a collaborative effort between CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries (Qld), Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). The website is designed to enable...
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Abstract,Agronomía Mesoamericana, 2017 The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge on cover crops and native vegetation mulches and the willingness to implement them by papaya, oil palm, and banana producers in Costa Rica. An evaluation instrument with twenty eight questions to be...
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2017-05-23 This presentation on Gree Manure Cover Cropsseeks to answer the question: How do we achieve all of these objectives (profitability, practically, resiliency, reduced reliance on fossil-fuels, sustainability) when land is limited/degraded, inputs are unavailable or unattainable, labor is scarce,...
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Session :Green manure/cover crops are the only feasible way for smallholder farmers to significantly increase the organic matter content of their basic grain fields (that is, anything over 0.5 ha) at a reasonable cost. We can now say that we know of good species and systems that will work in...
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2019-11-19 Session :Green manure/cover crops are the only feasible way for smallholder farmers to significantly increase the organic matter content of their basic grain fields (that is, anything over 0.5 ha) at a reasonable cost. We can now say that we know of good species and systems that will work in...
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Ed : While not dealing specifically with tropical crops, some of the management situations discussed can be adapted for consideration in other contexts. Farmers around the country (US) are planting cover crops on millions of acres to protect and improve the soil, and the more that farmers use...
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Session:By using green manure/cover crops, rural families can make sure theyhave enough calories, with or without droughts. By growing ediblegm/ccs (nearly all of which are leguminous, they can get enough proteins.By drying and storing the leaves of lablab beans or cowpeas, they can add to their...
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2019-11-26 Session:By using green manure/cover crops, rural families can make sure theyhave enough calories, with or without droughts. By growing ediblegm/ccs (nearly all of which are leguminous, they can get enough proteins.By drying and storing the leaves of lablab beans or cowpeas, they can add to their...
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2019-11-26 Session: Permanent ground cover is one of the fundamental principles of conservation agriculture. This coverage can be achieved by keeping crop residues on the ground, but if the time between harvest and installation of the next crop is large, it may be necessary to install other cover plants...
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1995-10-19 The living mulch of Nepal Unexpected source of income - Niger Aggressive colonizers Initiatives to combat savannization and land degradation in Ghana Soil conservation and weed control Green manures - Brazil Cover crops - Honduras Weed management - trees- Kenya Labor issues - India The yield of...
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1992-12-19 Erosion saves work Industrious insects Playing with family labour Fossil energy Green manures Cover crops Ecological agriculture
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1987-05-19 Integrated nutrient supply Improved fallow Nitrogen transfer from legumes Cover crops on acid soils Sunnhemp Rock phosphate Micro-nutrient drain Soil conservation and shifting cultivators Cycles of poverty
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2008-06-20 Optimising nutrient cycles with trees in pasture fields Talking soil science with farmers Soil quality fand farm profitability Cover crops do it all Green manures Micro-organisms Feeding and watering the soil to increase food production Soil rehabilitation starts with more efficient cookstoves...
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2005-03-20 Energy use in agriculture Planting to catch more sunlight Biodigesters in ecological farming systems Biogas in Uganda Improving organic fertilizers Saving energy with better tools Biogas production with guinea pig manure Improving traditional water mills Clean energy for chilling milk Passive...
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Patrick J Trail,Tim N MotisandAbram J Bicksler Journal of Agricultural Studies, 2019, vol. 7, issue 1, 103-114 Abstract:While maintaining adequate levels of soil fertility can be a challenge on any farm, maintaining those levels on the resource-limited smallholder farms of the tropics requires...
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2003-12-20 Little bugs, big problems Nitrogen fixation on a national scale From soil erosion to soil quality Healing the earth - an Ethiopian story Understanding traditional terracin Adoption of green manure and cover crops Kick-starting legumes Bioremediation: decontaminating polluted soils Using weed to...
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1997-10-19 Rebuilding lost soil fertility A tool for quantitative farm analysis Intensification of swidden agriculture in the Philippines Poor soils need organic matter Indigenous green manure in Nepal New Kekulam Recycling household waste in Egypt Biomass transfer