Citation Information

  • Title : Cover crop residue and organic mulches provide weed control during limited-input no-till collard production.
  • Source : Journal of Sustainable Agriculture
  • Publisher : Taylor & Francis
  • Volume : 35
  • Issue : 3
  • Pages : 312-328
  • Year : 2011
  • DOI : 10.1080/10440046
  • ISBN : 10.1080/10440046.2011.554315
  • Document Type : Journal Article
  • Language : English
  • Authors:
    • Wood,C. W.
    • Price,A. J.
    • Mulvaney,M. J.
  • Climates: Temperate (C). Humid subtropical (Cwa, Cfa).
  • Cropping Systems: Conservation cropping systems. Soybean. Vegetables.
  • Countries: USA.

Summary

Limited input producers may adopt no-till production if sufficient weed suppression can be achieved. High-biomass producing cover crops used in conjunction with organic mulches may provide sufficient weed control in no-till vegetable production. Our objective was to quantify weed suppression from a forage soybean summer cover crop and three types of organic mulches applied after collard ( Brassica oleracea L.) planting. Forage soybean residue did not suppress weeds, but mulches were generally effective. Broadleaf and sedge weeds decreased in population size over the three-year period, but grass weed management remained problematic until three years after conversion to no-till. Grass suppression was greater when mulches were applied after the first year. Collard yield, averaging 17,863 kg ha -1, was not affected by any cover crop or mulch treatment.

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