Barley is by no means a silver bullet for the improvement of soil health, but a tool that growers can use within their crop rotations to enhance their farming systems. It does so in the following five ways:
1. Barley helps to enhance soil structure and stability. Manfred Venter, head of agriculture at AB InBev South Africa, explains that barley has an extensive and fibrous root system that enhances soil aggregation, which reduces compaction and increases soil porosity. Root exudates of barley also contain polysaccharides and organic acids that help bind soil particles, forming stable aggregates. In turn, these properties help to improve water infiltration and retention, making soils more resistant to erosion and compaction over time.
2. Barley increases soil organic matter and carbon sequestration. Venter says that barley…
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Farmer's Weekly (Digital) - 1 Issue, 28 March 2025