Grass–Legume Mixtures and Soil Fertility Affect Cover Crop Performance and Weed Seed Production

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel C. Brainard ◽  
Robin R. Bellinder ◽  
Virender Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Seed Production ◽  
Biomass Production ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Chicken Manure ◽  
Weed Seed ◽  
Sorghum Sudangrass

Summer leguminous cover crops can improve soil health and reduce the economic and environmental costs associated with N fertilizers. However, adoption is often constrained by poor weed suppression compared to nonlegume cover crops. In field experiments conducted in organic vegetable cropping systems in north-central New York, two primary hypotheses were tested: (1) mixtures of legume cover crops (cowpea and soybean) with grasses (sorghum–sudangrass and Japanese millet) reduce weed seed production and increase cover crop productivity relative to legume monocultures and (2) higher soil fertility shifts the competitive outcome in favor of weeds and nonlegume cover crops. Cover crops were grown either alone or in grass–legume combinations with or without composted chicken manure. Under hot, dry conditions in 2005, cowpea and soybean cover crops were severely suppressed by weeds in monoculture and by sorghum–sudangrass in mixtures, resulting in low legume biomass, poor nodulation, and high levels of Powell amaranth seed production (> 25,000 seeds m−2). Under more typical temperature and rainfall conditions in 2006, cowpea mixtures with Japanese millet stimulated cowpea biomass production and nodulation compared to monoculture, but soybeans were suppressed in mixtures with both grasses. Composted chicken manure shifted competition in favor of weeds at the expense of cowpea (2005), stimulated weed and grass biomass production (2006), and suppressed nodulation of soybean (2006). In a complementary on-farm trial, cowpea mixtures with sorghum–sudangrass suppressed weed biomass by 99%; however, both common purslane and hairy galinsoga produced sufficient seeds (600 seeds m−2) to replenish the existing weed seedbank. Results suggest that (1) mixtures of cowpeas with grasses can improve nodulation, lower seed costs, and reduce the risk of weed seed production; (2) soybean is not compatible with grasses in mixture; and (3) future costs of weed seed production must be considered when determining optimal cover crop choices.

Investigating tarps to facilitate organic no-till cabbage production with high-residue cover crops

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie P Lounsbury ◽  
Nicholas D Warren ◽  
Seamus D Wolfe ◽  
Richard G Smith
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activity ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Biomass Production ◽  
Nutrient Availability ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Winter Rye ◽  
No Till ◽  
Crop Biomass

AbstractHigh-residue cover crops can facilitate organic no-till vegetable production when cover crop biomass production is sufficient to suppress weeds (>8000 kg ha−1), and cash crop growth is not limited by soil temperature, nutrient availability, or cover crop regrowth. In cool climates, however, both cover crop biomass production and soil temperature can be limiting for organic no-till. In addition, successful termination of cover crops can be a challenge, particularly when cover crops are grown as mixtures. We tested whether reusable plastic tarps, an increasingly popular tool for small-scale vegetable farmers, could be used to augment organic no-till cover crop termination and weed suppression. We no-till transplanted cabbage into a winter rye (Secale cereale L.)-hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crop mulch that was terminated with either a roller-crimper alone or a roller-crimper plus black or clear tarps. Tarps were applied for durations of 2, 4 and 5 weeks. Across tarp durations, black tarps increased the mean cabbage head weight by 58% compared with the no tarp treatment. This was likely due to a combination of improved weed suppression and nutrient availability. Although soil nutrients and biological activity were not directly measured, remaining cover crop mulch in the black tarp treatments was reduced by more than 1100 kg ha−1 when tarps were removed compared with clear and no tarp treatments. We interpret this as an indirect measurement of biological activity perhaps accelerated by lower daily soil temperature fluctuations and more constant volumetric water content under black tarps. The edges of both tarp types were held down, rather than buried, but moisture losses from the clear tarps were greater and this may have affected the efficacy of clear tarps. Plastic tarps effectively killed the vetch cover crop, whereas it readily regrew in the crimped but uncovered plots. However, emergence of large and smooth crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) appeared to be enhanced in the clear tarp treatment. Although this experiment was limited to a single site-year in New Hampshire, it shows that use of black tarps can overcome some of the obstacles to implementing cover crop-based no-till vegetable productions in northern climates.

Winter Annual Weed Suppression in Rye–Vetch Cover Crop Mixtures

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 818-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary D. Hayden ◽  
Daniel C. Brainard ◽  
Ben Henshaw ◽  
Mathieu Ngouajio
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Winter Annual ◽  
Winter Annual Weeds ◽  
Annual Weeds

Winter annual weeds can interfere directly with crops and serve as alternative hosts for important pests, particularly in reduced tillage systems. Field experiments were conducted on loamy sand soils at two sites in Holt, MI, between 2008 and 2011 to evaluate the relative effects of cereal rye, hairy vetch, and rye–vetch mixture cover crops on the biomass and density of winter annual weed communities. All cover crop treatments significantly reduced total weed biomass compared with a no-cover-crop control, with suppression ranging from 71 to 91% for vetch to 95 to 98% for rye. In all trials, the density of nonmustard family broadleaf weeds was either not suppressed or suppressed equally by all cover crop treatments. In contrast, the density of mustard family weed species was suppressed more by rye and rye–vetch mixtures than by vetch. Cover crops were more consistently suppressive of weed dry weight per plant than of weed density, with rye-containing cover crops generally more suppressive than vetch. Overall, rye was most effective at suppressing winter annual weeds; however, rye–vetch mixtures can match the level of control achieved by rye, in addition to providing a potential source of fixed nitrogen for subsequent cash crops.

Weed Suppression in Cover Crop Monocultures and Mixtures

Weed Science ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Baraibar ◽  
Mitchell C. Hunter ◽  
Meagan E. Schipanski ◽  
Abbe Hamilton ◽  
David A. Mortensen
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Biomass Accumulation ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Weed Seed ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Cereal Rye

Interest in planting mixtures of cover crop species has grown in recent years as farmers seek to increase the breadth of ecosystem services cover crops provide. As part of a multidisciplinary project, we quantified the degree to which monocultures and mixtures of cover crops suppress weeds during the fall-to-spring cover crop growing period. Weed-suppressive cover crop stands can limit weed seed rain from summer- and winter-annual species, reducing weed population growth and ultimately weed pressure in future cash crop stands. We established monocultures and mixtures of two legumes (medium red clover and Austrian winter pea), two grasses (cereal rye and oats), and two brassicas (forage radish and canola) in a long fall growing window following winter wheat harvest and in a shorter window following silage corn harvest. In fall of the long window, grass cover crops and mixtures were the most weed suppressive, whereas legume cover crops were the least weed suppressive. All mixtures also effectively suppressed weeds. This was likely primarily due to the presence of fast-growing grass species, which were effective even when they were seeded at only 20% of their monoculture rate. In spring, weed biomass was low in all treatments due to winter kill of summer-annual weeds and low germination of winter annuals. In the short window following silage corn, biomass accumulation by cover crops and weeds in the fall was more than an order of magnitude lower than in the longer window. However, there was substantial weed seed production in the spring in all treatments not containing cereal rye (monoculture or mixture). Our results suggest that cover crop mixtures require only low seeding rates of aggressive grass species to provide weed suppression. This creates an opportunity for other species to deliver additional ecosystem services, though careful species selection may be required to maintain mixture diversity and avoid dominance of winter-hardy cover crop grasses in the spring.

scholarly journals Weed suppression and soybean yield in a no-till cover-crop mulched system as influenced by six rye cultivars

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 429-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Scott Wells ◽  
Carrie M. Brinton ◽  
S. Chris Reberg-Horton
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Production ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Early Flowering ◽  
Planting Dates ◽  
Soybean Yield ◽  
Late Flowering ◽  
No Till ◽  
Termination Date

AbstractCover crop mulches have been successful in reducing weed severity in organic soybeans. This study examined six rye cultivars (SRCs) used as cover crops to determine which were most adapted for use with a roller–crimper in the southeastern U.S. To be an effective mulch, a rye cultivar must produce high biomass and reach reproductive growth stage to facilitate mechanical termination via the roller–crimper prior to soybean planting. Rye cultivars were planted at three locations in North Carolina over the 2009 and 2010 growing seasons. Each rye cultivar was mechanically terminated via a roller–crimper implement. Rye cover crops were terminated on two dates and soybeans were immediately no-till planted into the mulch. In 2009, all rye cultivars produced greater than 9000 kg ha−1 rye biomass dry matter (DM) with the exception of Rymin at Plymouth (2009), but in 2010 only the early flowering cultivars produced in excess of 9000 kg ha−1 DM. There were no detectable soybean yield differences between the SRCs and the weed-free checks, and weed control was excellent across all SRCs at both Plymouth and Salisbury (2009). After an unseasonably cold and wet winter in 2010, the late flowering rye cultivars were not fully controlled by the early termination date due to delayed maturation (less than 65% control at 2 WAP) whereas the early flowering cultivars were fully controlled (100% control at 2 WAP). Rye biomass production was below 9000 kg ha−1 DM for the late flowering and dough development rye cultivars. The early-terminated rye plots had greater weed coverage across all SRCs than those from the late termination date (P < 0.01). However, weeds did not impact soybean yield for either of the termination dates. Soybean yield in 2010 was modeled with rye biomass and soybean population used as covariates, and for both termination dates, soybean yield was proportional to rye biomass production. Early flowering rye cultivars offer producers the widest range of termination opportunities that best coincide with their cash crop planting dates.

scholarly journals Weed suppression and early sugar beet development under different cover crop mulches

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 187-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunz Christoph ◽  
Sturm Dominic J ◽  
Sökefeld Markus ◽  
Gerhards Roland
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Raphanus Sativus ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Chenopodium Album ◽  
Sinapis Alba ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Vicia Sativa ◽  
Stellaria Media

Field experiments were conducted at two locations in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 to investigate the weed suppressive ability of cover crop mulches in sugar beets. Three cover crops and two cover crop mixtures were tested in all four experiments. Weed densities ranged from 2 up to 210 plants/m<sup>2</sup> in Chenopodium album L. and Stellaria media (L.) Vill. as predominant species. Sinapis alba grew significantly faster than Vicia sativa, Raphanus sativus var. niger, and both cover crop mixtures. Sinapis alba, Vicia sativa, Raphanus sativus var. niger reduced weed density by 57, 22, and 15% across all locations, respectively. A mixture of seven different cover crops reduced weed emergence by 64% compared to the control plot without cover crop mulch. Early sugar beet growth was enhanced by all mulch treatments in 2015 and decelerated in 2016.

scholarly journals Summer Cover Crops and Lettuce Planting Time Influence Weed Population, Soil Nitrogen Concentration, and Lettuce Yields

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Kruse ◽  
Ajay Nair
Keyword(s):  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Vegetable Crop ◽  
Lettuce Growth ◽  
Sorghum Sudangrass

Cover crops can be used as a sustainable weed management tool in crop production systems. Cover crops have the ability to suppress weeds, reduce soil erosion, increase soil organic matter, and improve soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. In the north-central region of the United States, including Iowa, much cover crop research has been conducted in row crop systems, mainly with corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) where cover crops are planted at the end of the growing season in September or October. There is little information available on the use of cover crops in vegetable cropping systems, particularly on the use of summer cover crops for fall vegetable production. The choice of the cover crop will significantly impact the entire fall vegetable production enterprise. Vegetable growers need information to identify the right cover crop for a particular slot in the cropping system and to understand how cover crops would affect weed suppression, soil properties, and successive vegetable crop yield. The time interval between cover crop termination and vegetable planting critically affects the growth and successive yield of the vegetable crop. This study investigated how short-duration summer cover crops impact weed suppression, soil properties, and ‘Adriana’ lettuce (Lactuca sativa) yield. The study also examined appropriate planting times of lettuce transplants after soil incorporation of cover crops. The experimental design was a randomized complete block split-plot design with four replications. Whole plots consisted of cover crop treatments: ‘Mancan’ buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), ‘Iron & Clay’ cowpea/southernpea (Vigna unguiculata), black oats (Avena strigosa), ‘Grazex II’ sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor ssp. drummondii), and a control (no-cover crop) where weeds were left to grow unchecked. The subplot treatment consisted of two lettuce transplanting times: planted immediately or 8 days after cover crop soil incorporation. Fall-planted butterhead lettuce was used. Data were collected on cover crop biomass, weed biomass, soil nutrient concentration, lettuce growth, and yield. All cover crops significantly reduced weed biomass during the fallow period as compared with the control treatment. Highest degree of weed suppression (90% as compared with the no-cover crop control treatment) was provided by buckwheat. Southernpea, a legume, increased soil nitrogen (N) concentration and contributed to higher lettuce yield and improved quality. Southernpea also enhanced lettuce growth and led to an earlier harvest than other treatments. Sorghum-sudangrass showed evidence of detrimental effects to the marketable lettuce crop. This was not due to N immobilization but presumably due to alleopathic properties. There is no clear pattern within any cover crop treatment that lettuce planting time following cover crop termination affects plant growth; however, planting early or soon after cover crop incorporation ensures more growing degree days and daylight, thus leading to timely harvest of a higher quality product. This study demonstrates that cover crops can successfully be integrated into vegetable cropping systems; however, cover crop selection is critical.

scholarly journals Use of the Cover Crop Weed Index to Evaluate Weed Suppression by Cover Crops in Organic Citrus Orchards

HortScience ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Linares ◽  
Johannes Scholberg ◽  
Kenneth Boote ◽  
Carlene A. Chase ◽  
James J. Ferguson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Initial Growth ◽  
Arachis Glabrata

Citrus is one of the most important crops in Florida. During the past decade, increased international competition and urban development, diseases, and more stringent environmental regulations have greatly affected the citrus industry. Citrus growers transitioning to organic production may benefit from premium prices, but they also face many challenges, including development of effective weed management strategies. Cover crops (CC) may constitute an environmentally sound alternative for improved weed management in organic systems. Two field experiments were conducted at Citra in north central Florida from 2002 to 2005, to evaluate the effectiveness of annual and perennial CC to suppress weeds in organic citrus groves. To quantify and compare the effectiveness of CC to suppress weed growth, a new weed suppression assessment tool, the cover crop/weed index (CCWI), was developed using the ratio of biomass accumulation of CC and weeds. Annual summer CC accumulated more biomass in comparison with winter CC. Sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), hairy indigo (Indigofera hirsuta L.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.), and alyceclover (Alysicarpus vaginalis L.) all provided excellent weed suppression, which was superior to tillage fallow. Single-species winter CC did not always perform consistently well. Use of winter CC mixtures resulted in more consistent overall CC performance, greater dry matter production, and more effective weed suppression than single species of CC. Initial perennial peanut (PP) growth was slow, and summer planting of PP (Arachis glabrata Benth.) was determined to be the most effective date in terms of weed suppression, which was improved gradually over time, but all planting dates resulted in slow initial growth compared with annual CC. For both PP and annual CC, weed biomass typically was inversely related to CC dry weight accumulation resulting from competition for resources. The CCWI was a suitable tool to quantify CC performance in terms of weed suppression.

Weed Control by Spring Cover Crops and Imazethapyr in No-till Southern Pea (Vigna unguiculata)

1996 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 893-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilda R. Burgos ◽  
Ronald E. Talbert
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Palmer Amaranth ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
No Till ◽  
Sorghum Sudangrass ◽  
Reduced Rate ◽  
Large Crabgrass

Studies were conducted at the Vegetable Substation in Kibler, AR, in 1992 and 1993, in the same plots, to evaluate weed suppression by spring-seeded cover crops and to determine the effects of cover crop and imazethapyr on no-till southern pea. A plot without cover, conventionally tilled before planting southern pea, served as control. Weed control treatments, applied as subplots in each cover crop, included a weedy check, handweeded check, and half and full rates of imazethapyr (0.035 and 0.07 kg/ha) followed by sethoxydim (0.22 kg/ha). Biomass of Palmer amaranth 6 WAR without herbicides, was less in Italian ryegrass and sorghum-sudangrass residues than in oat residue and no cover crop. Over the years, Palmer amaranth density increased 333% without cover crops and 28% with cover crops. Rice flatsedge density increased four to five times in oat and sorghum-sudangrass residues but remained the same in Italian ryegrass residue. In general, Italian ryegrass residue suppressed the most weeds. Oat residue was least suppressive. Italian ryegrass and sorghum-sudangrass also reduced southern pea stand. Regardless of cover crop and year, half and full rates of imazethapyr followed by sethoxydim equally reduced density of Palmer amaranth, goosegrass, large crabgrass, southwestern cupgrass, and rice flatsedge compared with the untreated check. Residual control of Palmer amaranth by imazethapyr was higher at the full rate than the reduced rate, regardless of cover crop. Half rate of imazethapyr followed by sethoxydim controlled 94 to 100% of Palmer amaranth, rice flatsedge, large crabgrass, and southwestern cupgrass late in the season, regardless of cover crop in 1992 and 1993. Southern pea yield in untilled plots with cover crops was two to three times lower than yield in plots with preplant tillage and no cover crops mostly because of reduction in crop stand in the presence of cover crops.

Evaluation of weed control provided by three winter cereals in conservation-tillage soybean

2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Price ◽  
D. Wayne Reeves ◽  
Michael G. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Input System ◽  
Chlorimuron Ethyl ◽  
Winter Fallow

Information is needed on the role of cover crops as a weed control alternative due to the high adoption of conservation tillage in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production. Field experiments were conducted from fall 1994 through fall 1997 in Alabama to evaluate three winter cereal cover crops in a high-residue conservation-tillage, soybean production system. Black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.), rye (Secale cereale L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were evaluated for their weed-suppressive characteristics compared to a winter fallow system. Three herbicide systems were utilized: no herbicide, a mixture of two pre-emergence (PRE) herbicides, or PRE plus post-emergence (POST) herbicides. The PRE system contained pendimethalin plus metribuzin. The PRE plus POST system contained pendimethalin plus a prepackage of metribuzin and chlorimuron ethyl applied PRE, followed by an additional chlorimuron ethyl POST application. No cover crop was effective in controlling weeds without a herbicide. However, when black oat or rye was utilized with only PRE herbicides, weed control was similar to the PRE plus POST input system. Thus, herbicide reductions may be attained by utilizing cover crops that provide weed suppression. Rye and black oat provided more effective weed control in the PRE only herbicide input system than wheat in conservation-tillage soybean. The winter fallow, PRE plus POST herbicide input system yielded significantly less soybean one out of three years when compared to systems that included a winter cover crop.

scholarly journals Combined effects of cover crops and herbicide rotation as proactive weed management in pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr) in Huimanguillo Tabasco, Mexico.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
RUBEN GARCIA DE LA CRUZ ◽  
Eustolia García- López
Keyword(s):  
Vigna Unguiculata ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Ananas Comosus ◽  
Mucuna Pruriens ◽  
Combined Effects ◽  
Reduced Rate

Objective: to evaluate the effect of two proactive strategies for weed management in pineapple, including (1) cover crop rotation and reduced rate of herbicide (RRH) and (2) cover crop association and RRH. Design/Methodology/Approach: We conducted pineapple field experiments in Huimanguillo, Tabasco Mexico, using a complete randomized block design for both rotation and association experiments. Weed occurrence were registered and classified. The weed management effect of cover crops such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea), stylo (Stylozanthes guanensis) and velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) were evaluated alone and combined with three herbicides. Data of soil ground cover and  weed suppression levels were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and the means were separated by Least Significant Differences (LSD) at P = 0.05. Results:          Synergistic interaction was detected for weed suppression in all cover crops and herbicide treatments.  Combined effects of metribuzin and pendimethalin herbicides with cover crops varied from 80%- 90 % of weed suppression until 90 days after treatment (DAT); however, when cover crops were combined with haloxifop plus diuron, 100 %   of weed control was achieved until 90 DAT.   Study limitations/implications. Irrigation, weather conditions may affect observations. Findings/Conclusions: Our results showed that all cover crops, specially Vigna unguiculata and Mucuna pruriens in a rotation system, along with reduced rate of herbicides is novel approach strategy for weed management in pineapple plantation. Cover crops such as cowpea might improve crop performance, productivity and feasibility for farmers. The reduced rates of preemergence herbicides and cover crops will be very helpful for the farmers and for protection of environment. Keywords:  Cover crops, Anananas comosus, herbicide, weed suppression, integrated weed management

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