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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #165971
Title: WEED SURVIVAL AND SEED PRODUCTION FOLLOWING ROTARY HOEING IN A MIXED COVER CROP.

Author
item Boyd, Nathan
item Brennan, Eric

Submitted to: Biological Control Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/2/2004
Publication Date: 8/15/2004
Citation: Boyd, N., Brennan, E.B. Weed survival and seed production following rotary hoeing in a mixed cover crop. Proceedings of the California Conference on Biological Control IV. Univ. California, Berkeley, CA. 2004. p. 116-119. No volume number for this type of publication.

Interpretive Summary: Legume-cereal cover crop mixes are commonly used on organic vegetable farms on the central coast of California. This experiment tested the effect of 0, 1, and 2 passes with a rotary hoe on weed control in a legume-rye cover crop. The rotary hoe treatments did not affect cover crop density or biomass production. One pass with the rotary hoe reduced weed biomass by 77 percent, but a second pass did not improve weed control. Rotary hoeing reduced seed production of chickweed and shepherd's purse by 81 and 93 percent, respectively. Rotary hoeing is an effective method to reduce weed populations in legume-cereal cover crop mixes.

Technical Abstract: Legume-cereal cover crop mixes are commonly used on organic vegetable farms on the central coast of California. These mixes are especially important in organic systems because of the legume's ability to fix nitrogen. This experiment tested the effect of 0, 1, and 2 passes with a rotary hoe on weed control in a legume-rye cover crop. The 1 pass treatment occurred 14 days after planting, and the 2 pass treatment occurred at 14 and 28 days after planting. The rotary hoe treatments did not affect cover crop density or biomass production. One pass with the rotary hoe reduced weed biomass by 77 percent, with no further decrease with the second pass. Rotary hoeing reduced seed production of chickweed and shepherd's purse by 81 and 93 percent, respectively. Rotary hoeing is an effective method to reduce weed populations in legume-cereal cover crop mixes.