Testing cover crops as a sustainable alternative to plastic mulch for melons

The Soil Wealth ICP melon trials in Mildura are once again underway.

Building on the previous experience with straw mulch, the Soil Wealth team will once again collaborate with a Mildura melon grower to test whether a cereal rye cover crop, once rolled down and crimped, can effectively replace plastic mulch for moisture retention and weed control in a melon crop.

Cover crops are generally known to improve soil health and structure, reduce erosion, and add organic carbon to the soil system. As an additional benefit, this trial examines whether cover crops can reduce reliance on single-use plastic mulch a standard practice across Australia’s melon industry that carries significant economic and environmental costs.

The cover crop has been rolled down and melons will soon be planted. The team will monitor productivity, soil health, soil moisture, and weed pressure throughout the season, comparing it with the grower’s standard practice (plastic mulch).

Find out more

For more information, please contact project leader Umberto Calvo ([email protected]) from Applied Horticultural Research.