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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #68010

Title: MICROBIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS IN NO-TILL SYSTEMS

Author
item Elliott, Lloyd

Submitted to: No Tillage National Congress in Argentina
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/29/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Adequate crop residue cover during critical periods is essential to prevent soil erosion by wind and water. Predictive methods have been developed to determine the amount of crop residue necessary to protect the soil during critical periods. The lack of suitable herbicides for weed control many crops has become a problem. Recent research has shown that biological control of certain weed species such as downy brome in Kentucky bluegrass is feasible using specific rhizobacteria.

Technical Abstract: Models have been developed that accurately predict surface-managed crop residue decomposition to aid crop residue management for maximum soil protection during critical soil erosion periods. RESMAN has been very useful for this purpose. Deleterious rhizobacteria have reduced crop yields of winter wheat no-till seeded into heavy crop residues. The use of fcrop rotations and keeping crop residues out f the seed row alleviate the problem. Success has been obtained using deleterious rhizobacteria to control the grassy weed downy brome in winter wheat and Kentucky bluegrass. This new approach appears to have promise for weed control. Low-input, on-farm composting has been developed as a means for utilizing heavy crop residues.