COVER CROPS IN SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION

Cilj ovog rada bio je upoznati se sa ulogom pokrovnih usjeva i njihovim pozitivnim učincima u održivoj poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji. Osim što su korisni u poljoprivredi s aspekta plodoreda, dodatne organske tvari u tlu i suzbijanju korova, vrlo značajnu ulogu imaju s ekološkog aspekta jer pomažu pri očuvanju tla od erozije, smanjuju upotrebu mineralnih gnojiva i pesticida čime se sprječava onečišćenje samog okoliša, te podzemnih voda. Povoljno djeluju na održavanje i povećavanje bioraznolikosti jer privlače korisne kukce. U radu su opisani pozitivni učinci pokrovnih usjeva na agroekosustav, načini korištenja pokrovnih usjeva, kriteriji odabira sThe aim of this paper was to represent the role of cover crops and their possitive effects on sustainable agriculture production. Cover crops are useful in agriculture in terms of crop rotations, additional organic matter content in soil, weeds suppression, but also they have a very important role from an ecological point, whereas they preventing soil erosion, reducing use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides and thus prevent environment and grounwater contamination. Because of attracting beneficial insects they have positive effects on maintaining and increasing biodiversity. The paper describes the benefits of cover crops on agroecosystem, principal uses of cover crops, cover crops selections based on individual enterprise or production goals and the cover crops termination moment and method