Taking a more holistic approach to maize growing can drastically reduce the environmental impact of the crop. Cover cropping maize ground reduces soil erosion, protects the soil profile and reduces nutrient leaching and one of the most reliable ways to establish a cover crop is by undersowing the growing maize crop.
There are now a number of options for maize growers within the Sustainable Farming Incentive including SAM2 multi-species winter cover crop, CSAM2 multi-species winter cover crop for growers entered into the expanded 2024 offer and SOH4 winter cover crops for maize, also within the expanded offer. All these options can be undersown with the growing crop. Agrovista's range of maize undersowing and postharvest mixtures offer flexibility around sowing, are fully compliant for the relevant SFI actions when grown in a way that meets the aims of the action and come backed by many years of research and experience.
TechniSward SoilMax
Slower to establish, SoilMax is the ideal undersowing mixture for sowing at the same time as the maize crop. Extensive trial work has shown that there is little if any yield check associated with this mixture. The deep rooting nature of the grasses improve and stabilise the soil structure, mop up excess nutrients and protect the soil structure over winter.
Sowing window | At time of maize sowing |
SFI/CSS compatibility | SAM2, SOH4 |
Sowing rate | 7.5-12.5kg/ha |
Sowing depth | 10-15mm |
Pack size | 20kg |
Mixture information | Fojtan festulolium, tower tall fescue, Donata soft leaved cocksfoot |
TechniSward SoilMax Plus
SoilMax Plus exhibits all the benefits of the original SoilMax but has the added clover to fix nitrogen and further help soil stabilisation due to the clover's stoloniferous nature.
Sowing window | At the time of maize sowing |
SFI/CSS compatibility | SAM2, CSAM2, SOH4 |
Sowing rate | 7.5-12.5kg/ha |
Sowing depth | 10-15mm |
Pack size | 20kg |
Mixture information | Fojtan festulolium, tower tall fescue, Rivendel small leaved white clover |
TechniSward EnviroMax
Designed to be sown when the established maize crop is at the 4-6 leaf stage. EnviroMax is faster to establish than SoilMax meaning that it has the chance to establish before the maize canopy closes.
Sowing window | At 4 to 6 leaf stage |
SFI/CSS compatibility | SAM2, SOH4 |
Sowing rate | 7.5-12.5kg/ha |
Sowing depth | 10-15mm |
Pack size | 20kg |
Mixture information | Fotjan festulolium, Twymax (T) late perennial ryegrass, Donata soft leaved cocksfoot |
TechniSward EnviroMax Plus
The common vetch in EnviroMax Plus acts as an efficient weed suppressor as well as providing soil structuring with its roots and improved stabilisation. Any vetch that grows high enough to be harvested with the maize will provide a boost to the protein content of the maize silage.
Sowing window | At 4 to 6 leaf stage |
SFI/CSS compatibiity | SAM2, CSAM2, SOH4 |
Sowing rate | 7.5-12.5lg/ha |
Sowing depth | 10-15mm |
Pack size | 20kg |
Mixture information | Twymax (T) late perennial ryegrass, Donata soft leaved cocksfoot, common vetch |
FastMax
Designed to be sown at the 4 to 6 leaf stage, this mixture is fast to establish before the canopy closes and slows growth down but then grows away again quickly once the maize is harvested.
Can provide an early silage cut the following spring if ground conditions allow, though care should be taken to avoid soil contamination.
Sowing window | At 4 to 6 leaf stage |
SFI/CSS compatibility | SAM2, SOH4 |
Sowing rate | 7.5-12.5kg/ha |
Sowing depth | 10-15mm |
Pack size | 20kg |
Mixture information | Fox Italian ryegrass, Lofa festulolium, Donata soft leaved cocksfoot |
After maize cover crop
This fast establishing post harvest cover crop can provide late winter grazing or even an early silage crop the following spring. As with FastMax soil contamination should be avoided.
Sowing window | Post harvest up to mid-October |
SFI/CSS compatibility | SAM2, CSAM2, SOH4 |
Sowing rate | 30-37kg/ha |
Sowing depth | 10-15mm |
Pack size | 20kg |
Mixture information | Westerwolds ryegrass, winter vetch |