The SoilCare project has created several videos to show what experiments for Soil-Improving Cropping Systems are being carried out across Europe. Please click on the links below to watch.

SoilCare Overview video

Soil-improving cropping systems: Explainer video

Watch this video for an overview of the SoilCare project and some of the soil-improving cropping systems being trialled

Watch our animated explainer video to find out what we mean by 'soil-improving cropping systems' in just two minutes!

Introducing the SoilCare Study Sites

			Diverse cover crops, early sown wheat and direct maize sowing in France A diverse range of cover and companion crop mixes with early sown wheat (in August rather than November) and direct drilling of maize are all being trialled to improve soil health at the French study site.
			Cover crops for carbon & compaction in Norway In Norway with the short growing season, it is difficult to get a cover crop established. Find out how the study site here is trying to establish them.
			Soil improving cropping systems in Denmark In one of the msot intensively farmed parts of the world, the Denmark study site is trialling cover crops to add nutrients between wheat, OSR, bean and / or fodder crops. They are also trialling a new robotic weeder by AgriIntelli.
			Cover crop termination with Glyphosate - effects on microorganisms in Germany In Germany, the termination of cover crops using the controversial product Glyphosate is being monitored for its effects on the microbial soil populations and the wider soil health.
			Tillage experiments in Romania Compaction is an issue in the Romanian study site, where several mechanical methods of alleviation are being trialled alongside break crops that are deep-rooting to help aerate soils and improve structure and organic matter.
			Smart irrigation, min-till and cover crop experiments in Spain A range of SICS components are being trialled in Spain across two different sites in a similarly arid region; a large-scale top fruit company and an organic olive grower.
			Crop rotations, cover crops and fertilisation experiments in Portugal Organic rice and alfalfa are being trialled on rotation, as well as using various legumes to provide soil nutrition and green manure. Organic amendments such as sludge are also being tested to see the effects on soil.
			Compaction alleviation experiments in the UK UK arable soils are also experiencing compaction from intensive farming, therefore the study site is looking at ploughing with low-disturbance sub-soiling, mycorrhizae inoculations to help cover crops grow as well as deep rooting grasses.
			Results of the deep-rooting grass leys experiment for alleviating soil compaction in UK
			Results of the compaction alleviation experiment in the UK
			Hungary study site: Assessing the effects of organic fertilisation and reduced sillage on Soil/ Zoltan Toth from the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences describes the study site area, the soil-improving cropping systems tested and their engagement with the stakeholder farmers
			Fertiliser and cover crop experiments in Hungary Farmers are trialling various cover crops to improve soil health and long-term field experiments in Hungary are experimenting with organic and mineral fertilisers.
			Sub-soil loosening experiments in Sweden As with some of the other study sites, Sweden has compacted soils and is therefore looking into using sub-soiling to aerate and enhance soil structure.
			Precision applications of liming and cover crop experiments in Poland In Poland, the use of nutrient mapping systems are being trialled for farmers to apply lime in the field areas most needed, whilst cover crops are also being trialled to increase soil health more broadly.
			Increasing soil organic matter and cover crops experiments in Italy In Italy, low soil health and high compaction rates are being addressed by adding organic matter and trialling a range of cover crops.
			Increasing soil organic matter and cover crops experiments in Greece In order to address soil erosion, cover crops and minimum tillage practices are being trialled in the Greek study site.
			No-till and mineral fertilizer reduction experiments in the Czech Republic In the Czech Republic, two approaches are being incorporated for increasing soil health and reducing chemical use - no till and mineral fertilizer application reductions.
			Perennial wheat and woodchip soil amendment experiments in Belgium A very novel approach is being taken in the Belgium study site - using perennial wheat as a way to minimise the impact upon soils that would usually be caused by machinery and ploughing as well as trialling woodchips to increase soil organic matter (carbon) to stimulate microbial activity.

Introducing the SoilCare Stakeholders

			The importance of soil-improving cropping systems from a UK farmers' perspective Arable farmer Phil Jarvis talks about the importance of soil-improving cropping systems for regenerating arable farming.
			Spanish study site organic olive farmer on his SICS experience Organic olive farmer Rafael talks passionately about his family farm and the benefits for him in trialling SICS with the support of researchers on the SoilCare team.
			Italian study site farm advisor talks about his work with SICS (Italian with English subtitles) At the Italian study site Professor Antonio Berti talks to farm adviser Dott. Mario Boldrin from CIA - Agricoltori Italiani.
			Swiss study site farmers discuss their SICS experiments Swiss study site farmers talk about using the CULTAN fertiliser application method (Controlled Uptake Long Term Ammonium Nutrition), and using minimum tillage.
			Hungarian study site farmer gives his perspective on soil-improving cropping systems