Inzet winterrogge als klimaatadaptatiemaatregel voor melkveebedrijven op droge zandgrond: Resultaten veldproef Agro-innovatiecentrum De Marke 2021-2022

At Agro-innovation centre De Marke, the cultivation of winter rye was investigated in the winters and subsequent growing seasons of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 with the aim of quantifying the yields and feed values for different applications of winter rye in the perspective of dairy farming. Three applications were investigated: (1) overseeding permanent grassland with winter rye, (2) winter rye as a cover crop for newly sown grassland after silage maize and (3) winter rye as a catch crop for the cultivation of silage maize or sorghum. The dry matter and nitrogen yield were determined per sub-trial and the feed value characteristics were analysed. The trials were carried out in three repetitions and at one fertilisation level. In sub-trial 3, a comparison was made between the destruction or harvesting of the catch crop and the application or non-application of irrigation and mineral N in the soil (Nmin) was determined. In the first year winter rye as a catch crop was compared with Italian ryegrass and a combination of Italian ryegrass and winter rye and in the second year with English and Italian ryegrass. In overseeding permanent grassland with winter rye the emergence of winter rye was negatively affected by a moderate success of overseeding. Winter rye as a cover crop showed a high yield potential in early spring, although yield was only significantly higher in the second year compared to newly sown grassland without cover crop. This was because the harvest was ten days earlier than in the first year, which allowed the early growth of winter rye to be expressed more. Winter rye as a catch crop only gave a higher feed value yield than English and Italian ryegrass with an early harvest (for silage maize), but the difference with Italian ryegrass was small. Harvesting a catch crop gave compared to destroying a catch crop in 2021 an equal and in 2022 a significantly lower dry matter and starch yield of silage maize. The total yield of the catch crop and silage maize was significantly higher in 2022. It is essential that winter rye is sown before October 1st. At a high yield level, the feed value of winter rye is relatively low compared to that of English and Italian ryegrass, which is why heavy cuts (>2.5 tons dry matter per ha) should be avoided. Sorghum is still a crop with uncertain yields. For this crop, a pre-crop is necessary to compensate for the relatively low yield to some extent. Irrigation significantly enhanced N uptake and reduced N surplus and Nmin in the soil. The results of this study show that the application of winter rye has the potential to be a climate-adaptive measure by utilising moisture in early spring when grass is barely productive.