Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

“Flowering field” is a new concept in Sweden in which a farmer receives a subsidy for growing a variety of flowers in the field to support biodiversity. This study examines how farmers can improve the soil from the effects of the flowering fields, offering potential solutions to modern agricultural/horticultural problems, challenges like a changing climate and rising fertilizer costs.

To evaluate soil health, various biological and chemical parameters were analyzed. The experiment compared a flowering field mix (Red clover, Crimson clover, Persian clover, Yellow clover, Oilseed radish, English ryegrass, common Buckwheat and Lacy Phacelia) against a traditional cover-crop use (Spring barley followed by oilseed radish), managed through either ploughing or chemical spraying in the spring.

The result showed that the flowering field had a significantly greater nitrate change after winter; however, this nitrate change was lost later in the season, when the oilseed radish had a higher nitrate level than flower fields, regardless of soil management treatments. Regarding the biological parameters, microbial activity (FDA) showed a significantly greater change in the sprayed oilseed radish treatment than in both the flower mixes. Conversely, active carbon (POXC) had a significantly higher difference in the ploughed flowering field than the sprayed flowering field, but not for the oilseed radish treatments.

This result suggests that while different seed mixes distinctly influence soil health parameters, further research is required to determine the long-term effects of these flower mixes on subsequent crop and soil management. However, a flowering field could be a vital piece of the puzzle in the upcoming agricultural and horticultural system.