Cultivation

Green Manures — Hairy Vetch

Vicia villosa Roth

Hairy vetch is a highly effective winter green manure crop, possessing unique winter hardiness and the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in light soils.

In the reference 7 varieties crop Hairy vetch, where this is mentioned in the description.

Hairy vetch stands out among other vetch species for its ability to develop intensively during the autumn-spring period due to its high winter hardiness, which is comparable to winter cereals. It adapts effectively to sandy and loamy-sand soils and is capable of germinating at low temperatures of 2–3 °C, making it an indispensable crop for early spring biomass accumulation and soil structure restoration during the off-season.

Through symbiosis with nodule bacteria of the genus Rhizobium, the plant ensures a high level of nitrogen accumulation. Due to its thin, branching stem and tendency to lodge, it is recommended to grow hairy vetch in mixed stands with cereal crops, which serve as mechanical support and allow for the optimization of organic matter accumulation.

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

Sources7

Varieties of Hairy 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.