Location: Crop Genetics and Breeding Research
Project Number: 6048-21220-016-002-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 30, 2015
End Date: Jul 29, 2020
Objective:
Establish on-farm grower demonstration trials in Alabama: promising results from replicated small-plot research trials do not always consistently transfer when scaled-up on growers’ fields. Glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth (pigweed) is a highly significant problem that has rapidly spread from a single field in Macon County, GA, in 2004 to its current distribution in 23 states. The mobility of the trait through seed and pollen is likely important in establishing local populations.
Approach:
In addition to suppression of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth, high-biomass rolled rye cover crops will likely have additional benefits that will be explored in research-farm and grower-farm trials. Utlizing high-biomass rye may facilitate the elimination of a late-season herbicide application of MSMA, an arsenical herbicide that has recently been targeted for elimination by EPA. Additionally, we will determine how presence of high-biomass rye affects root-knot nematode and thrips populations in the absence of aldicarb and neonicinitoid insecticides, respectively. Grower-farm trials will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of high-biomass rye in pest suppression and provide data for an economic analysis.
