Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:48:57.525Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Integration of Cereal Cover Crops in Ridge-tillage Corn (Zea mays) Production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Allan G. Eadie
Affiliation:
Weed Biol., Ridgetown Coll. Agric. Technol.
Clarence J. Swanton
Affiliation:
Weed Biol., Ridgetown Coll. Agric. Technol.
James E. Shaw
Affiliation:
Weed Biol., Ridgetown Coll. Agric. Technol.
Glen W. Anderson
Affiliation:
Univ. Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1

Abstract

Field experiments evaluating 11 cereal cover crops were established at two locations in Ontario over a two-year period. Cover crops were interseeded into a ridge-tillage corn crop and evaluated in terms of biomass production and winter annual, biennial, and perennial weed species suppression. Seedling establishment and aboveground biomass production of cover crops were variable between locations and years. At both locations over two years, ‘Danko’ winter rye, ‘OAC Halton’ winter barley and ‘Rodeo’ spring barley were the most consistent cover crops in biomass production. However, cover crop residues had no significant effect on weed biomass or density due to a high degree of spatial variability present in the weed populations. Corn grain yields were not reduced by the presence of inter-seeded cover crops when compared with the bare ground control treatment.

Type
Research
Copyright
Copyright © 1990 by the Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Barnes, J. P. and Putnam, A. R. 1983. Rye residues contribute weed suppression in no-tillage cropping systems. J. Chem. Ecol. 9: 10451057.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Benoit, R. E., Willits, N. A., and Hanna, W. J. 1962. Effect of rye winter cover crop on soil structure. Agron. J. 54:419420.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Bilbro, J. D. 1989. Evaluation of sixteen fall-seeded cultivars for controlling wind erosion. J. Soil Water Conserv. 44:228231.Google Scholar
4. de Almeida, F. S. 1985. Effect of some winter crop mulches on the soil weed infestation. Br. Crop Prot. Conf. Weeds. 2:651659.Google Scholar
5. Field Crop Recommendations. 1988. Publ. 296. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. 99 p.Google Scholar
6. Froud-Williams, D. S., Drennan, H., and Chancellor, R. J. 1983. Influence of cultivation regime on weed floras or arable cropping systems. J. Appl. Ecol. 20:187197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Griffith, D. R., Mannering, J. V., and Box, J. E. 1986. Soil and moisture management with reduced tillage. p. 1958 in Sprague, M. A. and Triplett, G. B., eds. No-Tillage and Surface Tillage Agriculture. John Wiley and Sons, New York.Google Scholar
8. Hall, M. R., Swanton, C. J., and Anderson, G. W. 1991. The critical period of weed control in grain corn. Weed Sci. (submitted).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Kells, J. J., and Meggitt, W. F. 1985. Conservation tillage and weed control. p. 123129 in D'Itri, F. M., ed. A Systems Approach to Conservation Tillage. Lewis Publishers Inc. Google Scholar
10. Koskinen, W. C. and McWhorter, C. G. 1986. Weed control in conservation tillage. J. Soil Water Conserv. 41:365370.Google Scholar
11. Liebl, R. A. and Worsham, A. D. 1983. Inhibition of pitted morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.) and certain other weed species by phytotoxic components of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw. J. Chem. Ecol. 9:10271043.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Overland, L. 1966. The role of allelopathic substances in the “smother crop” barley. Am. J. Bot. 53:423432.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. Potter, K. N., Cruse, R. M., and Horton, R. 1985. Tillage effects on soil thermal properties. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 49:968973.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. Putnam, A. R., DeFrank, J., and Barnes, J. P. 1983. Exploitation of allelopathy for weed control in annual and perennial cropping systems. J. Chem. Ecol. 9:10011010.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Rathore, T. R., Ghildyal, B. P., and Sachan, R. S. 1983. Effect of surface crusting on emergence of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) seedlings: Influence of tillage treatment, planting methods and time of crust formation. Soil Tillage Res. 3:233243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16. Romkens, M.J.M., Nelson, D. W., and Mannering, J. V. 1973. Nitrogen and phosphorus composition of surface runoff as affected by tillage method. J. Environ. Qual. 2:292295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17. Samson, R., Foulds, C., and Patriquin, D. 1990. Choice and management of cover crop species and varieties for use in row crop dominant rotations. Resource Efficient Agricultural Production (REAP)—Canada. Ste. Anne—de-Bellevue, Quebec. Google Scholar
18. Scott, T. W., Pleasant, J. Mt., Burt, R. F., and Otis, D. J. 1987. Contributions of ground cover, dry matter, and nitrogen from intercrops and cover crops in a corn polyculture system. Agron. J. 79:792798.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19. Steinsiek, J. W., Oliver, L. R., and Collins, F. C. 1982. Allelopathic potential of wheat (Triticum aestivum) straw on selected weed species. Weed Sci. 30:495497.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20. Strebel, O., Duynisveld, W.H.M., and Bottcher, J. 1989. Nitrate pollution of groundwater in western Europe. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 26: 189214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21. Warnes, D. D. 1985. Allelopathic effect of winter rye on weed control and soybean yield. Proc. North Cent. Weed Control Conf. 40:73.Google Scholar
22. Weston, L. A. 1990. Cover crop and herbicide influence on row crop seedling establishment in no-tillage culture. Weed Sci. 38:166171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23. Wicks, G. A. 1986. Substitutes for tillage on the great plains. p. 183196 in Sprague, M. A. and Triplett, G. B., eds. No-Tillage and Surface Tillage Agriculture: The Tillage Revolution. John Wiley and Sons, New York.Google Scholar