WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME, A FARMER?

You’ve met the crops, now let’s talk practicalities. This page digs into how these underutilised species perform in the field: when and how to sow, what to expect at harvest, what they need (and don’t), and how they behave under pressure. You’ll also get the lowdown on intercropping combos tested across Europe, including what worked, what didn’t, and where it might be worth experimenting on your own farm.

Crop-by-Crop Overview

Each of the six CROPDIVA crop species comes with its own set of strengths and a few challenges to watch for. The overview below lays out the basics: how and when to sow, what kind of soil and inputs they need, expected yields, and key agronomic pros and cons.

Show crop-by-crop agronomy table ▾

Crop	Sowing time & conditions	Harvest	Expected yield	Soil type	Other advantages	Challenges & solutions
Oats	Early spring or autumn. Sow at a depth of 3–5 cm.	14–16% grain moisture.	3–5 tons/ha	Well-drained loam, pH 6.0–7.0	- Erosion control - Soil improvement - Fast growth - Suppresses weeds - Dual-purpose (feed/food) - Pest/disease break in rotation	- Winter kill: Sow mid–late Oct to avoid early flowering. Use hardy varieties. - Yield instability: Autumn sowing increases yield and grain quality. - Drought tolerance: Early maturity helps avoid summer heat. Drought-tolerant varieties perform better.
Buckwheat	When chance of frost has passed.	When most seeds are brown.	1–2.5 tons/ha	Well-drained sandy loam or loam, slightly acidic preferred. Does not require highly fertile soil.	- Short growing season (fits between spring & autumn crops) - Improves soil structure through dense roots - Suppresses weeds - Attracts pollinators - Gluten-free & organic market potential - Low-input crop - High protein & low glycaemic impact food	- Environmental sensitivity: Breeding underway for tolerance to extreme weather (e.g. high rainfall/heatwaves/storms). - Pests/disease pressure: Breeding underway for mildew/yellow rust resistance. - Lodging: New lines being developed with better mechanical harvesting ability.
Faba bean	Autumn (winter types) or early spring (spring types), 5–10 cm deep. Ensure good soil contact.	Harvest when pods are dry, blackened and seeds are firm.	3–5 tons/ha	Prefers well-drained loamy soil. Avoid acidic or saline soils. pH 6.0–7.5.	- Improves soil fertility through nitrogen fixation - Breaks pest cycles in rotations - High-protein crop for feed/food - Expanding plant-based protein market - Good for intercropping	- Environmental sensitivity: Sensitive to temperature and moisture extremes. Intercropping provides a buffering microclimate. - Weed pressure: Poor early competitiveness; intercropping with vigorous species helps. - Pest/disease pressure: Susceptible to rust, chocolate spot, aphids, weevils. Manage with resistant varieties and 4–6 year breaks in rotation.
Hull-less barley	Spring (Mar–Apr) in cold regions; autumn in milder climates. Sow 3–5 cm deep in a firm, fine seedbed.	When grain is mature & <20% moisture.	3–5 tons/ha	Well-drained loam preferred. Tolerates sandy soils. Avoid heavy, wet soils. pH 6.0–7.5.	- Hulls detach naturally during harvest, less processing & nutrient loss - Nutrient-rich (notably β-glucan) - Some varieties have a low gluten content (not suitable for coeliac diets) - Tolerant to diverse climates and soils - Lower fertiliser & pesticide needs - Improves soil structure - Versatile uses (food, flour, beverages)	- Weed control: Poor early competition; use pre-emergence herbicides or mechanical weeding. - Pest/disease pressure: Monitor mildew, blotch, aphids, BYDV. Use IPM & resistant types. - Lodging: Manage N, choose short-strawed varieties. Breeding potential for resistant varieties. - Environmental sensitivity: To address summer heat, use early-heading types.
Triticale	Winter types: sow in autumn. Spring types: sow as soon as soil can be worked. Drill into a well-prepared seedbed.	For grain: harvest at 14–15% moisture. For forage: cut at milk to soft dough stage for best digestibility & yield.	6–9 tons/ha	Well-drained, fertile loam preferred. Tolerates acidic soils (pH 5.5–7.5).	- High yield potential - Rich in protein, fibre, minerals - Dual human & animal use - Cover crop option - Tolerates various soils - Lower inputs versus wheat	- Susceptible to yellow rust and Fusarium head blight: some resistant lines identified. - Tough stems for forage: softer-stemmed breeding lines in development.
Narrow-leaved lupin	Sow late Feb–early Mar. Avoid late sowing. Use well-prepared soil.	When seeds mature and moisture is ~15–20%. Avoid harvesting during rain: pods may burst.	Up to 2.2 t/ha in ideal conditions; much lower if sown late or under stress.	Light to medium, well-drained soils. Avoid heavy, compacted soils. pH 5.0–6.8. No free calcium.	- Fixes nitrogen - Mobilises phosphorus - Improves soil structure - High-protein, gluten-free crop with premium potential	- Alkaloid content causes bitterness and reduces feed/food quality (maximum limits apply). Choose sweet (low-alkaloid) varieties. - Climate sensitivity: not all varieties perform well in every region. Choose locally adapted varieties.

Data represent general averages and may vary by region, climate, and management practices. Local trials and expert advice are recommended.

Better Together? Intercropping in Practice

All six CROPDIVA crops can be grown on their own in a monoculture setup, but growing them together with other crops can bring out the best in them. Intercropping or mixed cropping can improve nitrogen use, help suppress weeds, boost yield stability, and make more efficient use of your land. Below are the key combinations tested across Europe, with seeding rates, performance highlights and practical tips.

Show intercropping combinations ▾

Crop	Strengths	Challenges	Companion plants	Sowing recommendations	General performance	Farmer recommendations
Buckwheat	- Efficient P use - Low N requirement - Weed suppression - Short-season crop - Suitable for low fertility soils - Rich in flavonoids	- Open canopy structure - Can outcompete legume companions - Sensitive to over-fertilisation - Early maturity	Faba bean	- Buckwheat: 125–250 plants/m² (40–80 kg/ha) - Faba bean: 20 plants/m² (132 kg/ha)	- Yields can match or exceed monocultures in good conditions. - Balanced N and timely sowing are key. - Excess N favours buckwheat dominance. - Wet soils and late sowing reduce faba bean success. - Supports pollinators and improves soil health.	- Use moderate nitrogen. - Mechanical weeding is effective until canopy closure. - In Western Europe, sow buckwheat after mid-May to match season length but expect higher weed pressure. - Watch compatibility with early-sown crops.
Lupin	- High protein content - N fixation - Weed suppression - Deep rooting system promotes soil structure - Biodiversity enhancement	- Sensitive to soil pH - Yield variability	Oats	- Lupin: 90–110 seeds/m² - Oats: 70–90 seeds/m² - 90/10 ratio (lupin/oats)	- Total yield can meet or exceed monocultures in favourable years. - Lupin yields improve in mixtures, especially under stress. - Oat yields may decline slightly in mixtures. - Improves overall protein content. - Good for soil health and weed suppression.	- Early sowing improves germination; avoid late planting. - Apply balanced nitrogen: a little supports oats, too much favours them over lupins. - In dry years, oats may outcompete lupins – monitor crop balance. - Lunabor is a reliable lupin variety for this mix. - Great for enhancing soil cover and N cycling.
Oats	- Good weed suppression - High β-glucans - Improved soil structure - Disease suppression	- Competitive - Reduced crop tolerance to herbicide	Lupin	See lupin row	See lupin row	See lupin row
			Pea	- 120 oat + 280 pea seeds/m² - 30% oat + 100% pea	- Mixed yield equals or surpasses monocultures - Oats suppress weeds, peas fix N - Too much oat reduces pea yield - Limited N needed - Protein content of oats improves in mixes	- Carefully balance N to avoid oats overtaking peas.
			Lentil	- Lentils: ~240 seeds/m² - Oats: ~100 seeds/m² - 75% lentils + 25% oats	- Mixed yield higher than either crop alone - Oats contributed more to overall yield than lentils - Autumn sowing outperformed spring (with some winter-kill risk) - Drought reduced yields significantly - Oats improved lentil standability and reduced lodging - Better performance on heavier clay soils than on light, carbon-rich soils	- Prefer autumn sowing if climate allows; monitor winter kill - Use oats to support lentils - Avoid very light or carbon-rich soils - Plan for drought resilience
			Camelina	- Camelina: ~800–1000 seeds/m² - Oats: ~70–140 seeds/m²	- Oat yield similar or slightly higher than monoculture under low N - Camelina yield much lower in mixtures, especially at high oat density - Best balance with low oat and high camelina seeding rate - Oat grain weight improved at lower oat densities - High weed pressure reduced performance in some cases	- Use low oat (70–140 seeds/m²) and high camelina (800–1000 seeds/m²) - Avoid high oat seeding rates to protect camelina yield - Intercrop under low N input - Monitor and manage weed pressure carefully
Faba bean	- High protein - N-fixing improves N efficiency - Reduces disease risk - Improves soil structure, fertility and water retention - Enhances biodiversity	- Outcompeted on poor soils - Variable yield in dry regions - Risk of overshading shorter crops	Buckwheat	See buckwheat row	See buckwheat row	See buckwheat row
			Triticale	- Triticale: 150–175 seeds/m² - Faba bean: 20 seeds/m²	- Pure triticale yielded more grain and biomass than the mixture - Protein content in triticale higher when intercropped with faba bean - Dry conditions limited faba bean performance - Strong weed suppression - Faba bean slightly taller in mixture - Triticale height increased with N	- Intercrop to boost triticale protein, even if total yield is lower - Use for weed suppression benefits - Apply moderate N; too much increases triticale height and dominance
Triticale	- Good in low-fertility soils - Stable yield - Improved plant height	- Yield reduction vs pure stand - Risk of over-competition	Faba bean	See faba bean row	See faba bean row	See faba bean row
Hull-less barley	- Threshes naturally - High β-glucans - Similar traits to regular barley - Reduces lodging in companion crop	- Variety selection impacts yield of companion crop	Pea	- Barley: 550 seeds/m² - Peas: 110 seeds/m² - 30% barley + 100% peas	- Barley yield decreased as pea proportion increased - Pea yield increased with higher pea proportion and moderate N - Too much N favoured barley and reduced intercropping benefit - Intercropping reduced weed cover ~50% compared to peas alone (barley alone had best weed suppression)	- Use moderate N; too much favours barley - Increase pea proportion for pea yield, barley proportion for weed control - Intercropping reduces weed pressure more than peas alone (but less than pure barley) - Monitor N inputs to maintain crop balance
			Lentil	- Lentils: ~200–225 seeds/m² - Barley: ~100 seeds/m² - 75% lentils + 25% barley	- Yield depends strongly on lentil variety (Anicia and Beluga performed well) - Lentil protein content: ~21–29% - Intercropping reduced weed pressure vs lentils alone - Loamy soil and cooler temperatures increased yield - Fertilisation gave no significant yield gain	- Choose well-performing lentil varieties (e.g. Anicia, Beluga) - Prefer loamy soils and cooler climates - Intercrop to reduce weed pressure vs pure lentil - Generally avoid fertilisation for this mix

Data represent general averages and may vary by region, climate, and management practices. Local trials and expert advice are recommended.

Intercropping is not without its challenges. Mixed crops require extra know-how, especially for field management, harvesting and post-harvest separation. Successful adoption depends on region-specific knowledge, the right crop and variety combinations, and appropriate technical support.

Keep It Safe: Food Safety in Intercropping

Intercropping can boost soil health and yields, but it may also introduce food safety risks. For example, oats can carry lupin allergens from field to silo, or faba beans may contain natural alkaloids. That’s why CROPDIVA developed a Generic Food Safety Assessment (GFSA): a simple five-step checklist to help farmers spot and manage potential hazards when changing cropping systems.

The GFSA helps you assess risks such as toxins, allergens or contamination, and decide if extra steps – such as cleaning lines or improving separation – are needed.

Want to dive deeper into the method and its application?

The Bigger Picture

Beyond individual fields, CROPDIVA also explored how underutilised crops can enhance landscape-level benefits when used in intercropping or as part of multifunctional field margins. Trials in Great Britain, Switzerland and Serbia showed that these crops improve ground cover, support pollinators and help suppress weeds, especially in low-input systems.

In multifunctional mixes, they performed as well as or better than traditional flower strips, offering both biodiversity support and agronomic value. In some European countries, governments also provide direct payments for such practices, so it is worth checking what support is available locally.

With the right incentives, these crops can be a flexible addition to margins, strips or rotations, helping you build a more resilient, diverse and sustainable farm system.

Got questions? Chat with us

Need a second opinion on sowing dates, mixtures or crop choice? The CROPDIVA decision support chat helps you explore options for oats, hull-less barley, triticale, buckwheat, faba bean and lupin, using insights from trials across Europe.

Ask practical, field-level questions and get science-based guidance you can use straight away in your own context.

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