New KWS catch crop mixtures - for sustainable agriculture

KWS 'portfolio covers 11 of the 13 most important crop types. In line with this range, the seed specialist is now repositioning itself with cover crop blends with KWS Fit4Next. All mixtures are individually compiled and extensively tested in field tests. In addition, all of them also contain components from KWS 'own breeding program.

Catch crop mixtures loosen crop rotations and at the same time close growing gaps. They serve to protect against erosion, improve soil structure, support weed suppression and promote soil life and insect diversity. Another important aspect is the conservation and mobilization of valuable nutrients within the crop rotation. Catch crop mixtures are therefore an important building block for more sustainable agriculture. “KWS has been investing in the cultivation of catch crops for many years. Our new blends benefit from this expertise and experience and cover a wide range of uses, ”explains Markus Molthan, product manager at KWS responsible for catch crops. In concrete terms, this means: The new portfolio is compact and clear, there is a suitable, freezing mixture for the most important crop rotations with grain, corn, sugar beet, rapeseed and potatoes. There is also a hardy variant that can be used for animal feeding. When it comes to component selection and production, quality comes first. The total of eight mixtures are “greening-capable” and each covers different agricultural requirements. KWS Fit4Next Raps, for example, offers farmers the greatest possible flexibility in crop rotation thanks to its individual composition. KWS Fit4Next Diversity, on the other hand, contains twelve different species and is also suitable for special programs such as honey fields - it thus promotes the biodiversity of insects and, thanks to the different root types, especially soil life. “Fit4Next stands for forward-looking solutions for sustainable crop rotation that ideally complement and expand our portfolio. With the distribution of catch crop blends by KWS grain, there are also many synergies with the grain business. We are pleased that we can offer our farmers the new mixtures for the 2020 season, ”says Oliver Wauer, Country Manager for Grains in Germany at KWS.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in Germany. This English summary has been prepared with Google Translate and edited for clarity.