Launch of the C-Cover project

The intercropping covers are an improvement leverage of the carbon content of soils. 
This beneficial role of cover crops (CIPAN, green fertilisers) meets two major challenges:

• Limiting the rise of the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases
• Improvement of the soil fertility.

However, there are very few knowledge to describe the ability of the species and varieties to store carbon in the soil.
Thus, the C-Cover project offers to test methods for measuring root exudation, in vitro and in situ, that is in the soil, on a range of black oat and common vetch varieties. One of the objectives will be to suggest some ways of varietal creation.

The C-Cover project has started in January 2022 and will last for 3 years. Led by Cérience, it brings together LEMiRE (CNRS-CEA) and IPS2. Its financing is provided by a Special Agricultural and Rural Development Assignment Account (Casdar) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.