Cultivation

Green Manures — Common Vetch

Vicia sativa L.

Common vetch (Vicia sativa) is valued as an early-maturing green manure for short crop rotations, effectively fixing nitrogen in symbiosis with nodule bacteria. Due to the presence of tendrils, the crop is frequently used in mixed and binary cropping to prevent lodging of the main plant.

In the reference 20 varieties crop Common vetch, where this is mentioned in the description.

The main advantage of common vetch is its high rate of biomass accumulation and the ability to regrow rapidly in spring, allowing its use as an intermediate crop before late vegetable varieties. Due to its thin stems, vetch is most often sown in mixtures with cereals, where oats act as a support, ensuring uniform distribution of plant matter and simplifying subsequent incorporation into the soil.

As a green manure, the crop is demanding of growing conditions: it poorly tolerates acidic or sandy soils, drought, and excessive waterlogging. Optimal agronomic practice involves sowing seeds at a depth of 4–6 cm, depending on the soil type; it is important to note that vetch should not precede other legumes in the crop rotation.

General information about the subject — on the page Green manures.

Sources8

Varieties of Common vetch mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.