Planting a select mixture of grasses and forages can increase pasture feed by 20 per cent and cut weeds in half, researchers at the federal agriculture research station at Swift Current have found.
Dr. Jillian Bainard cautions that more research will be required to identify the proper mix for different soil types and regions.
“These benefits will . . . depend on the species selected in the mixture and care should be taken to determine if certain crop species will grow in different regions.
“Ongoing research is trying to better understand soil nutrition and how to manage fertilizer use.
“Ideally, a good polyculture will provide a way to reduce reliance on inputs, like fertilizers, while increasing productivity,” the research team said in a news release.
