Abstract Cover crop residue on the surface of soils in no‐tillage systems can suppress weed emergence and growth. Although allelopathy often is invoked to explain suppression by residue, physical alterations seed environment could be important as well. This experiment was conducted determine light, temperature, moisture conditions under cover residue. Hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa Roth) rye Secale cereale L.) were desiccated with a contact herbicide rates ranging from one‐fourth four times...

Mulches on the soil surface are known to suppress weed emergence, but quantitative relationships between emergence and mulch properties have not been clearly defined. A theoretical framework for describing among mass, area index, height, cover, light extinction, is introduced. This theory applied data from experiments of four annual species through mulches selected materials at six rates. Mulch materials, in order lowest highest surface-area-to-mass ratio, were bark chips, Zea mays stalks,...

Cover crops have become a viable option for sustainable agriculture because of Contributions to soil fertility and improved crop performance. This paper focuses on weed control summarizes present knowledge the contribution cover managing weeds in agricultural systems. Residue from winter annual provides early-season suppression but not full-season control. Living mulches that are effective at controlling also will require management prevent excess competition with cash crop. Elimination...

Total weed density increased after 1 yr of no-tillage and 2 conventional tillage in a 4-yr experiment with repeated assignment the same treatment to plots. Large crabgrass, goosegrass, carpetweed densities were higher compared conventional-tillage at least whereas common lambsquarters was greater last year experiment. Within treatment, rye or hairy vetch residue reduced total an average 78% without cover crop when biomass exceeded 300 g m –2 covered more than 90% soil. Goosegrass,...

Cover crop–based organic rotational no-till soybean production has attracted attention from farmers, researchers, and other agricultural professionals because of the ability this new system to enhance soil conservation, reduce labor requirements, decrease diesel fuel use compared traditional production. This is based on cereal rye cover crops that are mechanically terminated with a roller-crimper create in situ mulch suppresses weeds promotes growth. In paper, we report experiments were...

Abstract Cover crops are important components of sustainable agricultural systems. They increase surface residue and aid in the reduction soil erosion. improve structure water-holding capacity thus effectiveness applied N fertilizer. Legume cover such as hairy vetch crimson clover fix nitrogen contribute to requirements subsequent crops. can also suppress weeds, provide suitable habitat for beneficial predator insects, act non-host nematodes other pests crop rotations. This paper reviews...

There have been few comparisons of the performance no‐tillage cropping systems vs. organic farming systems, particularly on erodible, droughty soils where reduced‐tillage are recommended. In particular, there is skepticism whether can improve as well conventional because requirement for tillage associated with many operations. A 9‐yr comparison selected minimum‐tillage strategies grain production corn ( Zea mays L.), soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.], and wheat Triticum aestivum L.) was...

Field experiments were conducted from 1989 to 1992 determine whether no-tillage corn grown in 38-cm rows and a 2× population could improve weed control relative 76-cm 1× under reduced-herbicide options. A standard treatment including 1.12 kg ai/ha of atrazine plus 2.24 metolachlor was compared with the same herbicides applied at 25% rates. Both treatments included 0.56 paraquat which controlled annual weeds established time application. Weed less 25%-herbicide than two four years when l×...

Despite increasing interest in organic grain crop production, there is inadequate information regarding the performance of organically‐produced crops United States, especially Coastal Plain soils mid‐Atlantic region. We report on corn ( Zea mays L.), soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.], and wheat Triticum aestivum L.) yields at USDA‐ARS Beltsville Farming Systems Project (FSP), a long‐term cropping systems trial established Maryland 1996 to evaluate sustainability conventional production. The...

One of the applications crop simulation models is to estimate yield during current growing season. Several studies have tried integrate with remotely sensed data through data‐assimilation methods. This approach has advantage allowing reinitialization model parameters observations improve performance. In this study, Cropping System Model‐CERES‐Maize was integrated Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) leaf area index (LAI) products for estimating corn in state Indiana, USA....

Abstract Organic producers in the mid-Atlantic region of USA are interested reducing tillage, labor and time requirements for grain production. Cover crop-based, organic rotational no-till production is one approach to accomplish these goals. This becoming more viable with advancements a system planting crops into cover crop residue flattened by roller–crimper. However, inability consistently control weeds, particularly perennial major constraint. biomass can be increased manipulating...

Hairy vetch was grown as a winter annual cover crop and evaluated for weed suppression when desiccated by paraquat or left alive until natural senescence in 3-yr field experiment. Total density biomass were variable the hairy treatment relative to bare soil but consistently lower live treatments. An average of 87% sites under compared 8% transmitted less than 1% unobstructed sunlight. The red (660 nm) far-red (730 ratio light reduced 70% 17% vetch. Daily maximum temperature diurnal amplitude...

Weed management is a primary concern of organic farmers. Crop rotation an important potential approach for regulating weed seed populations in the soil farming systems. This research was conducted to determine effect three crop rotations on seedbank during first 6 yr long‐term cropping systems experiment at Beltsville, MD. The consisted (i) 2‐yr corn ( Zea mays L.)–soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation, (ii) 3‐yr corn–soybean–wheat Triticum aestivum L.) and (iii) 4‐yr...

Hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa Roth) is a winter annual legume that has become an important cover crop for sustainable production systems. New cultivars of hairy vetch, developed in the southern United States, need to be tested as crops northeastern states. Research was conducted at three locations (Salisbury, MD; Beltsville, and Freeville, NY) represent range from relatively mild coastal climate colder interior climate. Four (common Auburn University, AU Early Cover, Advanced Population 8, 26)...

Summary Experiments comparing conventional and organic systems often report similar yields despite substantially higher weed abundance in the systems. A potential explanation for this observation is that weed–crop competition relationships differ between two types of We analysed crop yield data from Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial (FST), which provides a unique 27‐year dataset (CNV) [manure (MNR) legume (LEG)] soyabean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.) maize Zea mays L.) cropping Average were...

Increasing crop density is a cultural weed management practice that can compliment the use of cover crops for suppression. In this research, we created range biomass and soybean densities to assess their weed-suppressive ability alone in combination. The experiment was conducted 2008 2009 Maryland Pennsylvania using five levels cereal rye residue, representing 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 times ambient level, ranging from 0 74 seeds m −2 . Weed decreased with increasing residue weeds were...

Forage radish ( Raphanus sativus L. var. longipinnatus ) is a new winter cover crop in the Mid‐Atlantic region. The objective of this project was to characterize repeatability, amount, and duration weed suppression during after fall‐planted forage quantify subsequent effect on no‐till seeded corn Zea mays L.). crops were grown 10 site‐years coastal plain Maryland followed by seven site‐years. compared rye Secale cereale L.) no treatments. Early typical planting dates along with contrasting...

Abstract Organic grain cropping systems can enhance a number of ecosystem services compared with conventional tilled (CT) systems. Recent results from limited long-term agricultural research (LTAR) studies suggest that organic also increase several relative to no-till (NT) systems: soil C sequestration and N fertility (N mineralization potential) be greater while global warming potential (GWP) lower in use animal manures cover crops NT However, erosion nitrous oxide 2 O, greenhouse gas)...

We tested whether the efficacy of chemical weed control might change as atmospheric CO 2 concentration [CO ] increases by determining if tolerance to a widely used, phloem mobile, postemergence herbicide, glyphosate, was altered doubling ]. Tolerance determined following growth Amaranthus retroflexus L. (redroot pigweed), C 4 species, and Chenopodium album (common lambsquarters), 3 grown at near ambient (360 μmol mol −1 ) twice (720 for 14 d glyphosate application rates 0.00 (control), 0.112...

A low-input sustainable agricultural system for the production of staked, fresh-market field tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is described. The uses winter annual cover crops to fix N, recycle leftover nutrients, produce biomass, and prevent soil erosion throughout spring. Yields tomato plants grown in hairy vetch Vicia villosa Roth), crimson clover Trifolium incarnatum L.), rye Secale cereale L.) plus mulches were higher than those conventional black polyethylene (BP) mulch 2 3...