b"to fulfill some irrigation deficiency, he explains. So, you're applying even more nitrate polluting water to your plants. You already applied some nitrogen that's excessive from the top and then coming more from the bottom.With this study the CMCDC team wants to show how important its to test groundwater during the growing season to make sure growers arent overapplying nitrogen to potato crops.Building Soil HealthSoil health is becoming more and more paramount in the potato industry, which has more growers looking for ways to build their soil health. The CMCDC team are testing out cover cropping systems at their site to help build soil health. Andrea Hamilton, the applied research technician for MHPEC Inc. explains theyre looking at cropping options for the spring and fall shoulder growing seasons. They planted a spring wheat as its a quick emerging cereal crop, and then as a companion crop peas were planted to help supply nutrients organically. The seed was broadcast in the front of the potato planter and then worked into the soil with the planting pass.The jurys still out whether it actually helped within season, but it'll definitely help that organic nitrogen and throughout the rotation. Whenever you incorporate a legume within the system, it's a positive outcome, she says during the field day. With the cover crops, Hamilton explains theyre looking to incorporate every broad species combinationgrasses, legumes, and a broadleaf. Theyre still working on deciding A cover cropping mixture at CMCDCs field site at Carberry, Man. on which crops to plant for the fall, but theyre looking at these threeAug. 9, 2022. SPUDSMART.COM Fall 202245"