1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

01/04/2013

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

The technology involves soil management with cover crops (natural or spontaneous) in the streets of an olive grove to evaluate their effectiveness against soil loss by water erosion and its effect on production and quality of virgin olive oil.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Three types of covers have been used within the olive streets, applying herbicide on the trees.
A cover of grasses, barley (Hordeum vulgare), another cover legume sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) both planted annually in November, and a cover of Brachypodium distachyon just planted the first year, and managed to harvest to allow reseeding. Finally, we have applied a deeper tillage in November as control treatment.

The purpose of cover crops in the olive streets is to reduce or even stop soil loss caused by erosion occurring on the bare ground. Furthermore, the effect of each of the covers on the olive harvest and on the quantity and quality of virgin olive oil is evaluated.

The establishment consists of planting seeds of barley and sainfoin annually, Brachypodium the first year, and plowing the streets of the control treatment. The operation is the same for all treatments, consisting of one or two mowings in spring to avoid competition for water with the crop covers.
Herbicides are applied on olive trees in order to facilitate management under the tree such as collection tasks, application of treatments and pruning.

The plot is located in a research centre, so that its object is only applied research of this technique.
The soil is a Xeric-Haplogypsid, with a dominance of marl-gypsum. The topography is dominated by small hills and former terraces of the Tajo river.
The climate is Mediterranean-continental, with an average temperature of 13,8ºC and 395 mm of rainfall, which falls mainly in Autumn and Spring.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• 10-50 years ago

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• during experiments/ research

Comments (type of project, etc.):

In the central part of Spain it is a technique that is used scarcely by farmers, though in Andalusia it has been researching on it for decades and there are large areas in which it is used.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Conventional management involves tilling between 3 and 5 times a year to eliminate the natural vegetation, which increases the loss of soil and reduced soil moisture. It can also reduce the quality of olive oil.
Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Vegetation between the olive is perceived as a negative management for being a competitor for water and nutrients with the crop. For this, the olive growers style difficults collection tasks in the Fall and Winter and favors the appearance of gullies. Correction of these gullies incurs a heavier workload and higher economic costs.

3.3 Further information about land use

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 90, Longest growing period from month to month: February-May; Second longest growing period in days: 60, Second longest growing period from month to month: October-December

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• improved ground/ vegetation cover

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 0.3 m2.
Working plot is situated in the experimental farm "La Chimenea", which is owned by Comunidad de Madrid.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Type of agronomic measures: cover cropping

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main causes of degradation: soil management (An intense plowing)

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• prevent land degradation
• reduce land degradation

Comments:

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

The olive orchard is of the variety "cornicabra" with a frame planting of 7 m x 6 m. On the streets different species have been planted (barley, sainfoin, Brachypodium distachyon) to study its effect respect to conventional tillage. On each side of the line of olive trees, a strip of 0.5m has been left without vegetation (treated with herbicide).
All cover crops are cut in spring, before they start to compete for water and nutrients with the crop (one or two passes, depending on the year). Mowed residues are left in the area to also protect the soil, encouraging nutrient recycling.
A selection of species or spontaneous vegetation have to be done, depending on the study area. In our case the best option seems to be sowing Brachypodium distachyon.

Location: Colmenar de Oreja. Comunidad de Madrid
Date: 15/10/2010

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate (The technique is simple, but requires a detailed management to avoid competition with the crop covers for nutrients and water.)
Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate (The technique is simple, but requires a detailed management to avoid competition with the crop covers for nutrients and water.)

Main technical functions: control of raindrop splash, control of dispersed runoff: retain / trap, improvement of ground cover, increase of surface roughness, improvement of surface structure (crusting, sealing), increase in organic matter, increase in nutrient availability (supply, recycling,…)
Secondary technical functions: control of dispersed runoff: impede / retard, improvement of topsoil structure (compaction), improvement of subsoil structure (hardpan), stabilisation of soil (eg by tree roots against land slides), increase of infiltration, increase / maintain water stored in soil

Cover cropping
Material/ species: Barley
Quantity/ density: 280 kg
Remarks: 153 kg/Ha

Agronomic measure: Cover cropping
Material/ species: Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia)
Quantity/ density: 37,5 kg
Remarks: 42 kg/Ha

Agronomic measure: Cover cropping
Material/ species: Brachypodium distachyon
Quantity/ density: 19 kg
Remarks: 40 kg/Ha

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

other/ national currency (specify):

Euro

Indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (if relevant): 1 USD =:

0.75

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	labour	ha	1.0	27.0	27.0
Plant material	seeds	ha	1.0	130.0	130.0
Plant material	sainfoin seeds	ha	1.0	100.0	100.0
Plant material	Brachypodium seeds	ha	1.0	20.0	20.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					277.0

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 2 month(s)

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Sowing	Agronomic	yearly
2.	Mowing	Agronomic	yearly (or twice a year)

4.7 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	labour	ha	1.0	18.0	18.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					18.0

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: Sowing machine and weeding machine

The indicated cost has been calculated for an olive orchad under semiarid condition (300 mm annual rainfall) in the centre of Spain, with a marl-gypsum soil. The average slope is less than 10%.

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Seed quality, seed predation, drought, etc.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 50-100 persons/km2

5.7 Average area of land owned or leased by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• state

• Regional Government

• Regional Government

Comments:

As far as it is a research project, there is no population applying it yet.

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	well
local windstorm	not known

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	not well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	well

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
reduced growing period	well

Comments:

The selection of species can be adapted to a dryer climate. The species which performed the best is Brachypodium distachyon. Once established, this species covers the soil and is more or less independent of precipitation.

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

Comments:

The management of cover crops is a reduction of the labours, although these have to be more accurate than conventional (adapted to each time). By having cover crops, the farmer may gather olives at the time that suits him, to obtain maximum profitability, and not when the weather permits (heavy rains and / or continuous, make the machinery can not enter any time ).

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

Comments:

La tecnología has sido sólo implementada de forma experimental en una finca por investigadores, por lo que no hay experiencia con agricultores.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
It is a simple technique that greatly improves soil quality, while reducing erosion losses.
This technique is cheap and easy to implement.
Soil moisture increases, favoring the production of olive fruit, in areas where water is limited.
This technique facilitates olive harvest at the right time as determined by the farmer, as vegetation cover prevents soil mudding and facilitates access of machinery even when wet.
Decreases the use of fertilization, as cover crops increase the amount of C and N in the soil.

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
The management change from what they have been done all their lives to a new land management culture.	Demonstrating that this technique improves soil and crop quality.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Changing plot management and the need to be aware of the evolution of the cover, to determine the right time to mow.	With guidance in the early stages of implementation.
Mistrust of olive growers regarding the effect that the cover has in the production of olive fruit or in the olive grove.	Showing plots with and without covers at the moment that olive trees have the fruit, and give production data, both in olive fruit as in olive oil.
The need for using new machinery or different from the usual, as sowing or weeding machine.	Provide financing for the acquisition of new machinery. If it would not be possible, in the early stages of implementation, facilitate the machinery to avoid investment by the farmer.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Evaluation of infiltration measurements under olive trees in Córdoba. Soil and Tillage Research 48(4):303-315. Vanderlinden, K., Gabriels, D., Giráldez, J. V. 1998.

Title, author, year, ISBN:

El manejo de la cubierta vegetal en el control de la erosión en olivar. Perspectivas de la Degradación del Suelo. eds. R. Bienes y M.J. Marques. I Simposio Nacional sobre Control de la Erosión y Degradación del Suelo. Madrid. pp. 43-54.Saavedra, M.2003

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Implantation and management of vegetation covers: a control system against erosion in olive grove and ligenouw crops. Agricultura 788: 218-222.Saavedra, M., Castro, J., Humanes, M.D. 1998.

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Cubiertas vegetales en el olivar. Agricultura.Rodríguez Lizana, A. 2003

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Influencia de las cubiertas vegetales vivas sobre el contenido de agua en el suelo. Cubiertas vegetales en olivar, eds. A. Rodríguez Lizana, R. Ordoñez Fernandez y J. Gil Ribes, Junta de Andalucía. Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca, pp. 41-53.Pastor, M. 2007

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Sistemas de manejos de suelo. In: Barranco D. Fernandez RE. Rallo L (eds.). El cultivo del olivo. Madrid (Spain). Mundiprensa p 190-228.Pastor, M., Castro, J., Vega, V. Humanes, M.D. 1997

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Introducción a la agricultura de conservación en olivar. Evaluación del comportamiento de los sistemas de manejo de suelos. Cubiertas vegetales en olivar. eds. A. Rodríguez Lizana. R. Ordoñez Fernandez y J. Gil Ribes. Junta de Andalucía. Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca. pp. 7-16.Martínez Raya, A., Francia, J.R., Martínez Vilela, A. 2007

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Soil erosion and runoff response to plant-cover strips on semiarid slopes (SE Spain). Land Degradation & Development 17(1):1-11.Martínez Raya, A., Durán Zuazo,V. H., Francia Martínez, J. R. 2005.

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Grass strip effects on runoff and soil loss. Agronomie 24: 129-136.Le Bissonais, Y., Lecomte, V., Cerdan, O.2004