A three-year field experiment investigated the potential yield benefits and soil effects from over winter cover crops in Scotland, U.K. Brassica composition of cover crops significantly increased the grain yield and grain nitrogen (N) concentration of the following spring barley crop. The increased yield with cover crops was outweighed by increased costs and thus without subsidy (Ecological Focus Area) payments there was decreased profitability for the following spring barley crop. Cover crop effects were mostly neutral on soil properties, but surface shear strength was significantly lower than in the stubble control. This indicates that even direct drilling of cover crops will loosen the surface soil. Cover crops varied in their effect on slug populations but in all cases slug numbers were below treatment thresholds. No cover crop effects were detected for total nematode and earthworm abundance or the total soil organic carbon concentration. This study indicates that cover crops can improve cereal production in a region with a short growing season with no negative impact on soil health or the agronomic sustainability.

一项为期三年的田间试验调查了英国苏格兰越冬覆盖作物的潜在产量效益和土壤影响，覆盖作物的芸苔属植物成分显着提高了随后春季大麦作物的谷物产量和谷物氮 (N) 浓度。覆盖作物的产量增加被增加的成本所抵消，因此如果没有补贴（生态重点领域）付款，接下来的春季大麦作物的盈利能力就会下降。覆盖作物对土壤特性的影响大多是中性的，但表面剪切强度显着低于留茬控制。这表明即使直接钻孔覆盖作物也会松动表层土壤。覆盖作物对蛞蝓种群的影响各不相同，但在所有情况下，蛞蝓数量都低于处理阈值。未检测到总线虫和蚯蚓丰度或总土壤有机碳浓度对覆盖作物的影响。这项研究表明，覆盖作物可以提高生长季节较短地区的谷物产量，而不会对土壤健康或农艺可持续性产生负面影响。