Description
Living mulches are semi-permanent legume understories that are integrated into cereal cropping system. After harvest in the establishment year, a cereal crop is direct drilled into the mulch.
Explanation
Living mulches in arable systems can reduce annual weed pressures and reduce the need for herbicides, therefore acting as a cultural control technique for weed management. They also offer potential benefits associated with improving soil health, increasing infield biodiversity. Living mulches represent an intersection of widely recognised agricultural practices, including cover cropping, intercropping, undersowing, and mulching.
Advantages
Can reduce annual weed pressure and decrease reliance on herbicides.
If the grower already owns the necessary equipment, additional investment may not be required.
Relatively easy to implement once training has been completed.
Reduces pesticide inputs, supporting more environmentally sustainable practices.
Drawbacks
• If not properly managed, living mulches can outcompete the main crop, potentially leading to significant yield losses.
• In wet autumns, mulches may encourage high slug populations.
• Poor establishment can result in patchy mulch cover, increasing weed pressure both during the season and in subsequent years.
• High training and education demands to ensure successful adoption and ongoing management.
• Potential need for specialized equipment, such as a specific drill for mulch management.
• Managing the living mulch requires additional time and planning.
• If poorly managed, the system can increase weed pressure in future seasons, undermining its intended benefits.
Technical Aspects
Technical readiness
The required equipment is already available, and the method is currently in use in relevant farming systems.
Ease and efficiency of implementation
Successful implementation requires a strong understanding of the cover crop or mulch species being sown and how to manage them effectively throughout the season to ensure compatibility with the main crop.
Need for training and education
Training and knowledge exchange are essential for success. Farmers must select appropriate cultivars and manage them with precise timing to avoid competition with the crop or unintended weed pressure. Practical, farmer-to-farmer learning and peer-led knowledge exchange events can play a key role in supporting adoption.
Need for investments
Investment is needed for additional seed and potentially for specialized equipment (e.g. precision drills suited to mulch systems). There is also a need for investment in training and advisory support.
Policy Recommendations
Policy support should include subsidies—either to cover equipment costs or as incentive payments for adopting living mulch systems. In addition, training and education programs are crucial to promote effective management. Efforts to reduce the cost of mulch seed could also lower entry barriers and encourage broader adoption.
Social Analysis
The social score of 63.21% for the living mulches in arable systems suggests a moderate impact, with significant benefits noted in improved labour conditions and reduced exposure to chemicals, enhancing workplace safety and contributing to environmental sustainability. However, improvements were highlighted in areas such as job creation, gender inclusivity, and support for vulnerable groups. Studies like DeVetter et al. (2015) and Hostetler et al. (2007) confirm these findings, highlighting that while living mulches can effectively reduce chemical usage, thereby protecting farm workers, its broader social impacts require further development.
The social impact perceptions gathered from the questionnaire provide additional insight into the perceived social impacts of living mulching. The highest impact is noted in working conditions, with a score of 0.78, reflecting strong support for reduced herbicide exposure and improved safety for farm workers. Other positive effects include: education and skills development scoring 0.75, indicating progress in equipping farmers with knowledge in sustainable practices; stable income with a score of 0.57, suggesting that living mulching contributes moderately to financial stability; management flexibility with a score of 0.34 which could become more evident with increased experience and adoption. The broader social impacts associated with living mulches—such as inclusivity and community-wide economic benefits—remain limited. Studies suggest that the social value of living mulching can increase over time as awareness grows and communities begin to experience indirect benefits like enhanced community health and ecosystem services.
Social Analysis Percentage
63.21
Social Analysis Color
green
Environmental Analysis
The overall environmental score of 59.79% for living mulches in arable systems indicating a moderate impact. Living mulches provide benefits such as enhanced biodiversity and improved soil structure which emphasize these long-term ecological gains. However, immediate impacts are perceived as less substantial as benefits from living mulches such as retaining moisture, suppressing weeds and protecting the soil, take time to become fully apparent as evidenced by the moderate perceptions from stakeholders. This timeframe for realizing the full environmental benefits is consistent with findings from Schütte (2019), which highlights that the effectiveness of mulching on erosion and soil health depends on local soil conditions and the specific type of mulch used.
The environmental impact questionnaire results show a mix of high and moderate scores. High scores of 0.8 were reported for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, external inputs, and water usage and a score of 1.00 was achieved for biodiversity enhancement. Soil erosion control achieved a score of 0.88 reflects a recognition of mulching's protective role against erosion, although there is some hesitancy about the immediate impact, as erosion control benefits may require time to be fully observed. The positive score of 0.63 for soil organic matter suggests a moderate perception of mulching’s potential to increase organic matter. There is a need for more awareness and demonstration of living mulching’s long-term environmental and economic benefits, especially in improving soil health, moisture retention, and erosion control.
Environmental Analysis Percentage
59.79
Environmental Analysis Color
green