• Authors:
    • Konopinski, M.
  • Source: Vegetable Crops Research Bulletin
  • Volume: 68
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Field experiments were conducted in Poland, on a grey-brown podzolic soil, to assess the yields of scorzonera ( Scorzonera hispanica cv. Einjahrige Riesen) roots in different soil and plant cultivation systems, i.e. ridge and flat cultivation, reduced soil tillage prior to sowing (shallow tillage) and the application of cover crops ( Sinapis alba, Vicia sativa, Phacelia tanacetifolia and Avena sativa) in conservation tillage and no-tillage systems. Reduced spring tillage did not have a negative effect on the yields of scorzonera roots. Cultivation of plants on ridges had a positive effect on the total and marketable yields of roots compared to flat soil cultivation. Mulching with cover crops had a significant influence on the increase in the marketable yield of roots. No-tillage cultivation did not have a negative effect on the total and marketable yields of roots. Reduction in spring tillage prior to sowing, soil mulching and no-tillage cultivation had no negative effects on the inulin content of scorzonera roots. Among the investigated cover crops, Sinapis alba was the most beneficial plant for increasing the inulin content of roots. Cultivation of plants on ridges and flat soil and reduction in spring pre-sowing tillage did not have a significant effect on the protein content of roots. Irrespective of the soil cultivation methods, a significantly higher protein content was found in the roots harvested from the plots mulched with Vicia sativa. The various plant cultivation conditions exerted a considerable influence on nutrient uptake. Roots of the plants cultivated on ridges contained higher amounts of P, K and Ca. Soil mulching created better conditions for nutrient absorption. A significant effect of Sinapis alba in increasing the P and K content of roots was also observed.
  • Authors:
    • Pimenov, K. I.
    • Kutuzov, G. P.
  • Source: Kormoproizvodstvo
  • Issue: 9
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: In a 3-year experiment carried out on a common chernozem in central Russia, woad ( Isatis costata) was grown as an intercrop in fodder crop rotations. The effect of early spring cover crops (barley or an oats + peas mixture) on woad cold resistance, the optimal sowing rate (1, 2 or 3 million seeds/ha), the effect of spring nitrogen fertilizer on yield, and the productivity and effectiveness of rotations were examined. Results showed that the cover crop - woad - Sudan grass rotations gave 3 harvests within 2 years. By including woad as an undersown intercrop (at 1 million seeds/ha), the yield of the rotation involving oats + peas as cover crop increased to 12.6 thousand fodder units/ha compared to 6.5 thousand/ha in a woad-Sudan grass control.
  • Authors:
    • Blecharczyk, A.
    • Maecka, I.
  • Source: Agronomy Research
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Yield, N uptake, weeds and diseases of spring barley were examined under five mulching practices (white mustard, phacelia, oat-pea mixture, straw mulch, and no mulch), three tillage systems (conventional, reduced and no-tillage) and three doses of nitrogen fertilization (0, 50 and 100 kg N ha -1). In general the grain yield of spring barley for cover crops was 10-31% higher compared with the no-mulch treatment. A mulch of straw provided a smaller barley grain yield than the no-mulch treatment. Compared to conventional tillage, grain yield under reduced tillage and no-tillage were 7 and 12% less, respectively. Spring barley sowing after a mixture of oat-pea led to decreased a negative response of reduced and no-tillage. Grain yield after treatment with legume cover crops and without N fertilization was similar compared as the rates 50 kg N ha -1 after white mustard or phacelia and as the rate 100 kg N ha -1 without mulches. There was no evidence of tillage * N fertilization interaction on grain yield, dry matter production and plant-N uptake. Cover crops and straw mulch significantly decreased total weed populations compared with the treatment without mulch. Total weed density increased from 108 plants per m 2 in the no-tillage to 322 plants per m 2 for reduced tillage, and to 416 plants per m 2 for the conventional tillage over mulch. Higher infestation of spring barley with stem base and root diseases was observed in reduced and no-tillage in comparison with the conventional soil tillage and after straw mulch and no-mulch than after cover crops.
  • Authors:
    • Konopinski, M.
    • Patkowska, E.
  • Source: Folia Horticulturae
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: The purpose of the present study was to conduct pathogenicity tests for salsify seedlings in a soil environment colonised by selected fungi species, after the cultivation of cover crops such as oats, common vetch and tancy phacelia. A growth chamber experiment used the seeds of 'Mamut' salsify and soil overgrown with Altenaria alternata, Fusarium culmorum, F. oxysporum, Pythium irregulare, Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The pathogenicity of these microorganisms towards salsify seedlings was established on the basis of the grown plants, their health and a disease index calculated on the basis of a five-degree scale. The examined isolates considerably weakened the emergence and health of salsify. Based on pathogenicity tests, such species as R. solani, S. sclerotiorum and P. irregulare were considered as the major cause of seedling necrosis and root rot of the plants of the Tragopogon porrifolius var. sativus. Among the studied soil-borne plant pathogens, the most pathogenic ones towards salsify seedlings proved to be the isolates of R. solani, S. sclerotiorum and P. irregulare, whereas the least harmful included A. alternata and F. culmorum.
  • Authors:
    • Starkova, D. L.
    • Platunov, A. A.
  • Source: Kormoproizvodstvo
  • Issue: 8
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: The effect of soil moisture level on development of perennial leguminous grasses in conditions of the Kirov region, Russia, is considered. The results of previous field trials revealed that the soil moisture content was higher under winter rye compared with spring crops or the absence of crops. Growing of a vetch-oat mixture for green fodder resulted in the driest soil conditions compared with oat, barley and wheat. Advantages of growing birdsfoot trefoil under the cover of cereal crops are discussed as a way of weed control, also resulting in better soil water conditions. However, birdsfoot trefoil had more light and soil moisture content and showed more intensive above-ground growth in the absence of a crop cover. Field trials were conducted to study the complex relationship between the growth and yield of spring and winter crops, availability of water and light, and weed control and production of high yield of green fodder. Data are tabulated on development and green fodder yield of birdsfoot trefoil during the 1st and 2nd years of growth without plant cover compared with growth under the cover of winter rye, barley, wheat, oat and vetch + oat in 2005 and 2006. Overall results confirmed advantages of growing birdsfoot trefoil under spring crops, especially oat, a vetch-oat mixture and wheat for higher yield of green fodder.
  • Authors:
    • Pridham, J. C.
    • Entz, M. H.
  • Source: Agronomy Journal
  • Volume: 100
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: The success of organic wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) production can be severely inhibited by weed and disease pressures. This study sought to determine the effectiveness of wheat intercrop mixtures in suppressing weeds and diseases and increasing grain yield and net return. Field experiments were conducted on organically managed land in 2004 and 2005 and three representative intercrop systems were tested: wheat with other cereals [oats ( Avena sativa L.), barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), and spring rye ( Secale cereale L.)]; wheat and noncereal seed crops (flax [ Linum usitatissimum L.], field pea [ Pisum sativum L.], oriental mustard [ Brassica juncea L.]); and wheat and cover crops (red clover [ Trifolium pratense L.], hairy vetch [ Vicia villosa L.], annual ryegrass [ Lolium multiflorum Lam.]). The cereal intercrop systems provided no consistent yield benefit over wheat monocultures. Results from noncereal-wheat intercrops were variable. Wheat-flax reduced the wheat crop to unacceptable levels but was capable of reducing wheat flag leaf disease levels. Wheat-field pea resulted in the lowest disease levels, yet had inconsistent yields, and more weeds than wheat monoculture. Wheat-mustard did not reduce weeds or diseases, but it was capable of high grain yields and net returns, though usually hampered by flea beetle ( Phyllotreta cruciferae) attack. The effect of cover crops on wheat was affected by environment. Wheat-red clover and wheat-hairy vetch did demonstrate the ability to maintain high wheat grain yield in certain site-years. In conclusion, wheat intercrop mixtures provided little short-term benefit over monoculture wheat in this study.
  • Authors:
    • Tyrankiewicz-Czaplewska, M.
    • Jaskulski, D.
    • Rudnicki, F.
  • Source: Fragmenta Agronomica
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: The effect of some natural and economic and organizational factors on the share of fodder crops in the crop structure on the Kujawy and Pomorze Province, Poland. The research covered 127 municipalities and communes for which the analysis of spatial distribution of 4 species of fodder cereals (oat, triticale, cereal mixtures and maize grown for grain) and groups of fodder crops was made. It was observed that the share of fodder crops in the cropland structure in the communes of the Kujawy and Pomorze Province varied significantly. The greatest spatial variation was observed for the cultivation of maize and oat and lowest for triticale and fodder crops. The greatest share of oat in the cropland structure was recorded in the regions of low soil quality and, at the same time, low livestock density and relatively high farm acreage. Triticale and cereal mixtures in the cropland structure occurred especially on soils of lower agricultural quality, located in the regions of better-developed animal farming, mostly pigs. Fodder crops occur on arable land more abundantly wherever cattle farming was more developed and where, at the same time, the farms were relatively large. The soil quality, however, does not define the regions for this group of crops, similarly as the cultivation of maize for grain.
  • Authors:
    • Gallandt, E.
    • Reberg-Horton, S.
    • Shearin, A.
  • Source: Weed Science
  • Volume: 56
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Cover crop systems were investigated in 2004 and 2005 for their effects on the activity-density (a function of movement and density) of a promising group of weed biological control organisms, the ground beetles collectively known as carabids, with particular emphasis on a beneficial carabid species Harpalus rufipes. Marked H. rufipes released into pea/oat-rye/vetch cover crop plots were more than twice as likely to be recaptured within the same plots as beetles released in nonvegetated fallow plots (18 and 8%, respectively). Marked beetles released into fallow plots were more than twice as likely to leave their plots and be recaptured in pea/oat-rye/vetch plots as vice versa (13 vs. 5%), indicating a clear preference for habitat with vegetative cover. Overall recapture rates were not different between treatments. Unmarked H. rufipes activity-density was also higher in pea/oat-rye/vetch compared to fallow plots. Additionally, five cover crop systems, including the fallow and pea/oat-rye/vetch treatments, and two residue management methods (conventional and zone tillage) were investigated from June to August in 2005 for their effects on H. rufipes activity-density. Maize was planted in 2005 into residues of the five cover crop systems grown in 2004. H. rufipes activity-density was higher in zone and conventionally tilled maize planted in pea/oat-rye/vetch residues and conventionally tilled maize planted in red clover/oat residues than in any other cover crop and residue management combination. Pea/oat-rye/vetch cover crop systems are apparently beneficial for H. rufipes during the cover crop year as well as in subsequent crops planted into this cover crop's residues. This system was not the least disturbed system but, based on the number of tillage events, represented a medium level of disturbance among the various systems. Thus, some level of disturbance might be beneficial for H. rufipes, but how and when that soil disturbance occurs requires further research to determine the best means of conserving this species.
  • Authors:
    • Singer, J.
  • Source: Agronomy Journal
  • Volume: 100
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: Surveying end-users about their use of technologies and preferences provides information for researchers and educators to develop relevant research and educational programs. A mail survey was sent to Corn Belt farmers during 2006 to quantify cover crop management and preferences. Results indicated that the dominant cereal cover crops in Indiana and Illinois are winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.), cereal rye and oat ( Avena sativa L.) in Iowa, and oat in Minnesota. Legumes were used more frequently in Indiana and Illinois, and red clover ( Trifolium pratense L.) was the dominant choice across the region. Farmers relied solely on herbicides 54% of the time to kill cover crops. Ninety-three percent of respondents indicated that they received no cost sharing for using cover crops and 14% indicated that they would plant cover crops on rented land. Corn Belt farmers prefer cover crops that overwinter (68%) and fix N (64%). The information provided in this survey supplements existing knowledge that can be used to develop relevant research and educational programs to address agronomic production systems that include cover crops.
  • Authors:
    • Mihalik, D.
    • Gregova, E.
    • Sudyova, V.
    • Slikova, S.
  • Source: Cereal Research Communications
  • Volume: 36
  • Issue: Suppl. 6
  • Year: 2008
  • Summary: The aim was to compare the cumulation of deoxynivalenol mycotoxin in kernels of naked oats and covered oats with hull and without hull after artificial infection with Fusarium culmorum, which is characterised by a high production of deoxynivalenol. In total, thirteen oat cultivars registered in Slovakia were tested. The lowest average DON cumulation was found in kernels of covered oats after hulling. DON cumulation in kernels of naked oats ranged from 9.5 mg.kg -1 to 14.3 mg.kg -1, in covered oat kernels after hulling from 2.3 mg.kg -1 to 9.2 mg.kg -1 and in covered oat kernels with hull from 17.4 mg.kg -1 to 83.9 mg.kg -1. Between the covered oat cultivars the differences in DON cumulation in kernels were revealed. Cumulation of DON in kernels of covered oats after hulling was lower than the average contamination of naked oat kernels. Lower DON accumulation in kernels of covered oat cultivars, after hulling, shows loss of toxin during the cleaning of the kernels. This is important information for processors.