Pascal Michelow is Product Manager for Cover Crops and Lawn at Semillas Generacin 2000 SA in Santiago, Chile, overseeing a line that moves over 150,000 tons annually as demand grows for soil health solutions. An Agricultural Engineer from Pontificia Universidad Catlica de Chile with a specialization in fruit growing and a diploma in Sustainable Soil and Water Management from Universidad de Chile, Pascal has over a decade of experience promoting cover crop adoption across Chilean agriculture, from large corporate R&D teams to small and medium farms.
Pascal's Nuffield research addresses a critical tension in Chile's rapidly expanding hazelnut industry--now the world's second-largest producer with over 49,000 hectares. Mechanized harvesting has traditionally required bare soils, causing compaction, erosion, biodiversity loss, and organic matter depletion while increasing thermal stress and degrading productivity. As hazelnut production shifts from clay to sandy soils, new challenges emerge: low water retention, extreme summer temperatures, and fruits remaining buried at harvest, affecting quality. Many growers now recognize cover crops as essential but remain hesitant about harvest interference. Through studying established hazelnut regions in Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, and California, Pascal will evaluate cover crop species, management strategies (rolling, cutting, incorporation), and timing to maintain soil health, reduce erosion, improve moisture retention, and minimize mechanical harvest disruption--creating practical guidance for Chile's growing nut industry.
