Location: Crop Genetics and Breeding Research
Project Number: 6048-21220-016-001-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2015
End Date: Aug 31, 2020
Objective:
1) Establish research-farm trials: a multi-disciplinary team will collaborate to establish long-term research plots at the USDA-ARS Belflower Research Farm and the Jones Research Farm, both near Tifton, GA; 2) On-farm grower demonstration trials in Georgia and 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. Utilizing 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.
