Integration of cover crops and fertilizer rates for weed management in celery

Field studies were carried out in Laingsburg, MI, from 2002 to 2004 on Houghton muck soil to assess the impacts of cover crops and soil fertility regimes on weed populations and celery yield. The cover crops were oilseed radish, cereal rye, hairy vetch, and a bare ground control. The fertility rates were full (180, 90, and 450 kg ha−1nitrogen [N], phosphorus pentoxide [P2O5], and potassium oxide [K2O], respectively), half (90, 45, and 225 kg ha−1N, P2O5, and K2O, respectively), and low (90 kg ha−1N). Each cover crop treatment was combined with the low or half rate of fertilizer. An additional treatment with bare ground plus the full rate of fertilizer was added as standard practice. Treatments were maintained in the same location for the duration of the study. Major weed species were common chickweed, prostrate pigweed, shepherd's-purse, common purslane, and yellow nutsedge. Each year, oilseed radish consistently produced the greatest biomass and provided over 98% early season weed biomass suppression. Hairy vetch and cereal rye provided about 70% weed suppression in early spring. Soil fertility level affected weed populations during the 2004 growing season. In 2004, weed biomass in treatments without cover crops or with vetch increased when greater amounts of fertilizer were applied. Within individual fertility levels, higher celery yields were recorded in the oilseed radish plots. For example, in the low fertility rate, celery yield was 34.8, 29.2, 23.9, and 24.4 ton ha−1in the oilseed radish, cereal rye, hairy vetch, and control plots, respectively in 2003. Overall, the results of this experiment indicate that when included in a system where hoeing and hand-weeding are the only weed control methods, cover crops can successfully improve weed management and celery yield on muck soils, allowing reduced fertilizer inputs.

Download Full-text

Cover crops and topography differentially influence weeds at a watershed scale

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2019.83 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 73-81 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Gurbir Singh ◽

Gurpreet Kaur ◽

Karl W. Williard ◽

Kelly A. Nelson ◽

Jon E. Schoonover

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Watershed Scale ◽

Hairy Vetch ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Topographic Positions ◽

Winter Fallow

AbstractCover crops (CCs) play an important role in integrated weed management. Data necessary to evaluate the role of CCs in weed management at the watershed scale with topographic positions are lacking. We evaluated the effects of cereal rye and hairy vetch CCs on weed suppression at different topographic positions (shoulder, backslope, and footslope) at a watershed scale. Watersheds with a CC treatment followed a crop rotation of corn–cereal rye–soybean–hairy vetch, whereas watersheds without a CC (no-CC) had a crop rotation of corn–winter fallow–soybean–winter fallow. A negative relationship was present between CCs and weed biomass at the shoulder, backslope, and footslope topographic landscape positions, with R2 values of 0.40, 0.48, and 0.50, respectively. In 2016, a cereal rye CC reduced weed biomass 46% to 50% at footslope and shoulder positions compared to no CC. In 2018, a cereal rye CC reduced weed biomass between 52% and 85% at all topographic positions in CC treatment watersheds compared to no-CC watersheds. Hairy vetch in 2017 reduced weed biomass 62% to 72% at footslope and shoulder topographic positions in CC watersheds compared to no-CC. The C:N ratio of weed biomass in CC treatment watersheds was generally higher compared to watersheds without CCs. In this study, several significant interactions were found between the topographic positions and CC treatments. Cover crop–induced weed suppression at different topographic positions can lead to developing better site-specific weed control strategies. Therefore, CC interactions with topography, weed germination potential, and the role of soil moisture at the watershed scale should be further evaluated.

Download Full-text

Cover Crop Effectiveness Varies in Cover Crop-Based Rotational Tillage Organic Soybean Systems Depending on Species and Environment

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy9060319 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 319 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laura Vincent-Caboud ◽

Léa Vereecke ◽

Erin Silva ◽

Joséphine Peigné

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Future Research ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Cereal Grain ◽

Crop Biomass

Organic farming relies heavily on tillage for weed management, however, intensive soil disturbance can have detrimental impacts on soil quality. Cover crop-based rotational tillage (CCBRT), a practice that reduces the need for tillage and cultivation through the creation of cover crop mulches, has emerged as an alternative weed management practice in organic cropping systems. In this study, CCBRT systems using cereal rye and triticale grain species are evaluated with organic soybean directly seeded into a rolled cover crop. Cover crop biomass, weed biomass, and soybean yields were evaluated to assess the effects of cereal rye and winter triticale cover crops on weed suppression and yields. From 2016 to 2018, trials were conducted at six locations in Wisconsin, USA, and Southern France. While cover crop biomass did not differ among the cereal grain species tested, the use of cereal rye as the cover crop resulted in higher soybean yields (2.7 t ha−1 vs. 2.2 t ha−1) and greater weed suppression, both at soybean emergence (231 vs. 577 kg ha−1 of weed biomass) and just prior to soybean harvest (1178 vs. 1545 kg ha−1). On four out of six sites, cover crop biomass was lower than the reported optimal (<8000 kg ha−1) needed to suppress weeds throughout soybean season. Environmental conditions, in tandem with agronomic decisions (e.g., seeding dates, cultivar, planters, etc.), influenced the ability of the cover crop to suppress weeds regardless of the species used. In a changing climate, future research should focus on establishing flexible decision support tools based on multi-tactic cover crop management to ensure more consistent results with respect to cover crop growth, weed suppression, and crop yields.

Download Full-text

Potential Synergistic Effects of Cereal Rye Biomass and Soybean Planting Density on Weed Suppression

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-d-10-00110.1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 59 (2) ◽

pp. 238-246 ◽

Cited By ~ 54

Author(s):

Matthew R. Ryan ◽

Steven B. Mirsky ◽

David A. Mortensen ◽

John R. Teasdale ◽

William S. Curran

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Management Practice ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Planting Density ◽

Hyperbolic Model ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Crop Density

Increasing crop density is a cultural weed management practice that can compliment the use of cover crops for weed suppression. In this research, we created a range of cover crop biomass and soybean densities to assess their weed-suppressive ability alone and in combination. The experiment was conducted in 2008 and 2009 in Maryland and Pennsylvania using five levels of cereal rye residue, representing 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 times the ambient level, and five soybean densities ranging from 0 to 74 seeds m−2. Weed biomass decreased with increasing rye residue and weeds were completely suppressed at levels above 1,500 g m−2. Weed biomass also decreased with increasing soybean density in 2 of 4 site–years. We evaluated weed suppression by fitting an exponential decay model of weed biomass as a function of rye biomass and a hyperbolic model of weed biomass as a function of soybean density at each of the five tactic levels. We multiplied these individual tactic models and included an interaction term to test for tactic interactions. In two of the four site-years, the combination of these tactics produced a synergistic interaction that resulted in greater weed suppression than would be predicted by the efficacy of each tactic alone. Our results indicate that increasing soybean planting rate can compensate for lower cereal rye biomass levels when these tactics are combined.

Download Full-text

Spring-planted cover crops for weed control in soybean

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170521000107 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Katja Koehler-Cole ◽

Christopher A. Proctor ◽

Roger W. Elmore ◽

David A. Wedin

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Block Design ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Crop Species ◽

Cold Temperatures ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Small Grains

Abstract Replacing tillage with cover crops (CC) for weed management in corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] systems with mechanical weed control has many soil health benefits but in the western Corn Belt, CC establishment after harvest is hampered by cold temperatures, limited labor and few compatible CC species. Spring-planted CC may be an alternative, but information is lacking on suitable CC species. Our objective was to evaluate four spring-planted CC with respect to biomass production and weed suppression, concurrent with CC growth and post-termination. Cover crop species tested were oat (Avena sativa L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), brown mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.] and yellow mustard (Brassica hirta Moench). They were compared to no-CC treatments that were either tilled pre- and post-planting of soybean (no-CC tilled) or not tilled at all (no-CC weedy). CC were planted in late March to early April, terminated 52–59 days later using an undercutter, and soybean was planted within a week. The experiment had a randomized complete block design with four replications and was repeated for 3 years. Mustards and small grains produced similar amounts of biomass (1.54 Mg ha−1) but mustard biomass production was more consistent (0.85–2.72 Mg ha−1) than that of the small grains (0.35–3.81 Mg ha−1). Relative to the no-CC weedy treatment, mustards suppressed concurrent weed biomass in two out of 3 years, by 31–97%, and small grains suppressed concurrent weed biomass in only 1 year, by 98%. Six weeks after soybean planting, small grains suppressed weed biomass in one out of 3 years, by 79% relative to the no-CC weedy treatment, but mustards did not provide significant weed suppression. The no-CC tilled treatment suppressed weeds each year relative to the no-CC weedy treatment, on average 87%. The ineffective weed control by CC reduced soybean biomass by about 50% six weeks after planting. While spring-planted CC have the potential for pre-plant weed control, they do not provide adequate early season weed suppression for soybean.

Download Full-text

Strategies to terminate summer cover crops for weed management in no-tillage vegetable production in southeast Brazil

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/wsc.2021.58 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-26

Author(s):

Roberto Botelho Ferraz Branco ◽

Fernando de Carvalho ◽

João Paulo de Oliveira ◽

Pedro Luis da Costa Alves

Keyword(s):

Pearl Millet ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

No Tillage ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Jack Bean ◽

Organic Mulch ◽

Sunn Hemp

Abstract Cover crop residue left on the soil surface as organic mulch in no-tillage crop production provides several environmental benefits, including weed suppression. Thus, many farmers who use cover crops attempt to reduce the use of agricultural inputs, especially herbicides. Therefore, our objectives were to study the potential of different cover crop species to suppress weeds and produce an in situ organic mulch, and evaluate the effect of the organic mulch with and without spraying glyphosate on weed suppression for vegetable (tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. and broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) growth and yield. Five cover crop treatments (sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), jack bean [Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC.], pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.], grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. bicolor] and a no-cover crop (control)) were used in the main plots; and spraying or no spraying glyphosate on the flattened cover crop in the sub plots of split-plot experimental design. Organic mulch from pearl millet, sorghum and sunn hemp resulted in lower weed biomass during the early season of both tomato and broccoli than jack bean and no-cover crop (control). Spraying glyphosate after roller crimping reduced weed biomass by 103 g m−2 and 20 g m−2 by 45 and 60 days after transplanting (DAT) of tomato, respectively and resulted in a better tomato yield compared to non spraying. Glyphosate reduced weed biomass by 110 g m−2 in the early season of broccoli (30 DAT), but did not affect yield. Terminating high biomass cover crops with a roller crimper is a promising technique for weed management in vegetable crops, which has the potential to reduce or even eliminate the need for herbicide.

Download Full-text

Timing of Cover-Crop Management Effects on Weed Suppression in No-Till Planted Soybean using a Roller-Crimper

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-d-10-00101.1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 59 (3) ◽

pp. 380-389 ◽

Cited By ~ 98

Author(s):

S. B. Mirsky ◽

W. S. Curran ◽

D. M. Mortenseny ◽

M. R. Ryany ◽

D. L. Shumway

Keyword(s):

Weed Management ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Crop Management ◽

Biomass Accumulation ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Hairy Vetch ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

No Till ◽

Termination Date ◽

Crop Biomass

Integrated weed management tactics are necessary to develop cropping systems that enhance soil quality using conservation tillage and reduced herbicide or organic weed management. In this study, we varied planting and termination date of two cereal rye cultivars (‘Aroostook’ and ‘Wheeler’) and a rye/hairy vetch mixture to evaluate cover-crop biomass production and subsequent weed suppression in no-till planted soybean. Cover crops were killed with a burn-down herbicide and roller-crimper and the weed-suppressive effects of the remaining mulch were studied. Cover-crop biomass increased approximately 2,000 kg ha−1from latest to earliest fall planting dates (August 25–October 15) and for each 10-d incremental delay in spring termination date (May 1–June 1). Biomass accumulation for cereal rye was best estimated using a thermal-based model that separated the effects of fall and spring heat units. Cultivars differed in their total biomass accumulation; however, once established, their growth rates were similar, suggesting the difference was mainly due to the earlier emergence of Aroostook rye. The earlier emergence of Aroostook rye may have explained its greater weed suppression than Wheeler, whereas the rye/hairy vetch mixture was intermediate between the two rye cultivars. Delaying cover-crop termination reduced weed density, especially for early- and late-emerging summer annual weeds in 2006. Yellow nutsedge was not influenced by cover-crop type or the timing of cover-crop management. We found that the degree of synchrony between weed species emergence and accumulated cover-crop biomass played an important role in defining the extent of weed suppression.

Download Full-text

Cover Crop Management and Weed Suppression in No-tillage Sweet Corn Production

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.39.6.1262 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 39 (6) ◽

pp. 1262-1266 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Lidia M. Carrera ◽

Aref A. Abdul-Baki ◽

John R. Teasdale

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Sweet Corn ◽

Crop Management ◽

Bare Soil ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Corn Yield ◽

No Tillage ◽

Hairy Vetch ◽

Weed Biomass

Cover crops combined with conservation tillage practices can minimize chemical inputs and improve soil quality, soil water-holding capacity, weed suppression and crop yields. No-tillage production of sweet corn (Zea mays var. `Silver Queen') was studied for 2 years at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Md., to determine cover crop management practices that maximize yield and suppress weeds. Cover crop treatments were hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch mixture, and bare soil (no cover crop). There were three cover crop killing methods: mowing, rolling or contact herbicide paraquat. All plots were treated with or without atrazine and metolachlor after planting. There was a 23% reduction in sweet corn plant population in the rye-hairy vetch mixture compared to bare soil. Averaged over both years, sweet corn yield in hairy vetch treatments was 43% greater than in bare soil, whereas yield in the rye-hairy vetch mixture was 30% greater than in bare soil. There were no significant main effects of kill method or significant interactions between kill method and cover crop on yield. Sweet corn yields were not different for hairy vetch or rye-hairy vetch treatments with or without atrazine and metolachlor. However, yield in bare soil without the herbicides atrazine and metolachor were reduced by 63% compared to bare soil with these herbicides. When no atrazine and metolachlor were applied, weed biomass was reduced in cover crops compared to the bare soil. Regression analysis showed greater yield loss per unit of weed biomass for bare soil than for the vetch or rye-hairy vetch mixture. This analysis suggests that cover crops increased sweet corn yield in the absence of atrazine and metolachlor not only by reducing weed biomass, but also by increasing the competitiveness of corn to weeds at any given biomass.

Download Full-text

Potential of Rye (Secale cereale) for Weed Management in Transplant Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/s0043174500094406 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 596-602 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Reid J. Smeda ◽

Stephen C. Weller

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Production Systems ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Management Technique ◽

Bare Ground ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Tomato Yield ◽

Weed Growth

Weed control in tomato production systems is difficult because few are registered. The use of rye for weed control and its influence on transplant tomato yields was investigated during 1986 and 1987 at two locations in IN to determine if cover crops can provide an alternative weed management technique. ‘Wheeler’ rye was sown in the fall of 1985 and 1986, and mowed or desiccated with glyphosate at various times before planting ‘IND 812'tomatoes. At the time of glyphosate application, rye residues reduced the growth of overwintering weeds by 93% or more compared to bare ground (no cover crop) areas. The time of desiccating rye prior to planting tomatoes affected the extent of weed suppression by rye residues. In 1986, rye treated 4 wk before planting (WBP) tomatoes provided up to 89% suppression of weed growth at 2 wk after planting (WAP) tomatoes, but no measurable weed suppression 5 WAP tomatoes. Rye treated 2 WBP tomatoes provided up to 97% weed suppression up to 5 WAP tomatoes. In 1987, weed suppression varied between locations and differed from 1986. At Lafayette, rye treated 2 and 1 WBP tomatoes provided greater than 81% suppression of weed growth up to 8 WAP tomatoes. Rye mowed and the residues placed into a plot at a known density also reduced weed growth (60%) 8 WAP tomatoes. At Vincennes, however, rye treated 2 and 1 WBP in 1987 did not reduce weed growth later than 4 WAP tomatoes compared to the unweeded, bare ground treatment. The mowed rye residues at Vincennes suppressed weed growth (96%) up to 8 WAP tomatoes. Tomato yield was correlated to weed suppression. In 1986, tomato yield in the rye treated 2 WBP tomatoes was comparable to yield in the bare ground, weeded controls. However, tomato yield in rye plots treated 4 WBP tomatoes was similar to yield in the bare ground, unweeded control. In 1987, tomato yields in all rye plots (mowed, treated 2 and 1 WBP tomatoes) were similar to tomato yields in the bare ground, weeded control at Lafayette. At Vincennes, only the mowed rye treatment yielded comparably to the bare ground, weeded control. In general, rye plots that were weeded yielded similar to or up to 28% more than a bare ground, weeded control. Tomato yields were not reduced by rye residues. Tomato yields in rye residues that provided effective suppression of weed growth (greater than 80%) for a minimum of 4 to 5 WAP tomatoes were comparable to bare ground, weeded controls.

Download Full-text

Effects of Management Type and Timing on Weed Suppression in Soybean No-Till Planted into Rolled-Crimped Cereal Rye

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-d-12-00024.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 624-633 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Eric A. Nord ◽

Matthew R. Ryan ◽

William S. Curran ◽

David A. Mortensen ◽

Steven B. Mirsky

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Community Composition ◽

Weed Management ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Planting Dates ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

No Till ◽

Weed Emergence

Knowledge of weed emergence periodicity can inform the timing and choice of weed management tactics. We tested the effects of weed management system (conventional [CNV] and herbicide-free [HF]), timing of rye sowing (two dates), timing of soybean planting (5 planting dates, 3 in each system), and supplemental control (with and without) on weed suppression and weed community composition in soybean no-till planted into a cereal rye cover crop. Cereal rye was terminated with a roller-crimper and herbicide (CNV) or with a roller-crimper alone (HF), and supplemental weed control was achieved with a postemergence glyphosate application (CNV) or with interrow high-residue cultivation (HF). Supplemental control with glyphosate in CNV was more effective than high-residue cultivation in HF. When soybean was planted on the same date, CNV resulted in less weed biomass and a more even community composition, whereas HF resulted in greater weed biomass, dominated by common ragweed. When we controlled for cereal rye biomass and compared the effects of cereal rye sowing and termination timing within each system, earlier management reduced weed biomass in HF, but tended to increase weed biomass in CNV. Our results suggest the ability to control emerged weeds prior to soybean planting is an important factor that influences the optimal cereal rye cover crop management timing for weed suppression.

Download Full-text

The Effects of Cover Crop and Fertilizer Rate on Celery (Apium Graveolens L.) Growth and Development

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.39.4.865f ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 865F-866

Author(s):

Kevin Charles* ◽

Mathieu Ngouajio ◽

Darryl Warncke

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Apium Graveolens ◽

Shoot Biomass ◽

Hairy Vetch ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Oilseed Radish

Cover crops are commonly used to improve soil fertility and enhance crop performance. Field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of different cover crops and fertilizer rates on celery growth and development. The experiment was a two-way factorial with a split plot arrangement. The main plot factor was cover crop and included cereal rye (Secale cereale), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), oilseed radish [Raphanus sativus (L.) var. oleiferus Metzg (Stokes)], and no cover crop. The sub-plot factor was fertilizer rate with three levels: full (160, 80, 400), half (80, 40, 200), and low (80, 0, 0) kg/ha of N, P2 O5, K2 O, respectively. The cover crops were grown during Fall 2002 and incorporated prior to celery transplanting in May 2003. During celery growing season, stalk length, above and below ground biomass were assessed at 23, 43, 64, and 84 days after planting (DAP). The biomass produced by oilseed radish (719 g/m2) exceeded that of cereal rye (284 g/m2) and hairy vetch (181 g/m2). At 23 and 43 DAP, celery fresh root (4.8 and 11.4 g/root) and shoot (6.1 and 53.6 g/shoot) biomass of oilseed radish exceeded the values of all other cover crops. At 84 DAP however, celery shoot fresh weight was similar in all cover crop treatments. Celery plants were tallest in the cereal oilseed radish and rye treatments early in the season; however final plant height at harvest was not affected by type of cover crop. The amount of fertilizer applied had a significant effect on celery growth starting at 64 DAP and continued until harvest. These results suggest that the large biomass produced by oilseed radish played an important role in early season celery growth.

Download Full-text