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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #209572
Title: Vertical Simulated Weed Seed Movement Following Various Tillage Practices and Overhead Irrigation Intensities

Author
item Price, Andrew
item Raper, Randy
item Bergtold, Jason

Submitted to: Southern Conservation Tillage Systems Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/25/2007
Publication Date: 6/25/2007
Citation: Price, A.J., Raper, R.L., Bergtold, J.S. 2007. Vertical Simulated Weed Seed Movement Following Various Tillage Practices and Overhead Irrigation Intensities. Proceedings of 29th Southern Conservation Agriculture Systems Conference. CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Vertical weed seed movement has been shown to be influenced by tillage system. The objective of this study was to evaluate vertical movement of simulated weed seed in conservation-tillage practices in a Coastal Plain field at the E.V. Smith Research and Extension Center near Shorter, AL. Five thousand two hundred and fifty 1 mm ceramic beads (one-half ' specific gravity of water, one-half ' specific gravity of water) were scattered evenly in nine equally divided square cells within a one square meter area in each plot, centered on the crop row, prior to tillage and irrigation treatments. Tillage treatments included: 1) none, 2) a KMC™ straight leg subsoiler, and 3) a bent leg Paratill™. Cotton was then planted using a row-cleaner equipped John Deere® MaxEmerge™ planter. Plots were then overhead irrigated with 0, 2.5, or 5 cm of water. The ceramic beads were then vacuumed from the nine cells separately. Additionally, visible beads outside the square meter were vacuumed into one sample. Following vacuuming, a 30.5 inch diameter soil core was taken to a maximum depth of 35.5 inches and divided vertically into 5 cm increments. Soil samples were then sieved. Beads from each sub-sample were removed and counted.