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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #250683
Title: Pigweed Emergence and Seed Cotton Yield as Affected by Rye Cover and Tillage System

Author
item Price, Andrew
item Balkcom, Kipling
item MONKS, C - Auburn University
item PATTERSON, M - Auburn University

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/4/2010
Publication Date: 1/4/2010
Citation: Price, A.J., Balkcom, K.S., Monks, C.D., Patterson, M.G. 2010. Pigweed Emergence and Seed Cotton Yield as Affected by Rye Cover and Tillage System [abstract]. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Winter cover crop residue and tillage has previously been shown to influence weed establishment. An experiment was conducted at two locations in Alabama from 2007 through 2009 evaluating pigweed response to four levels of winter cover crop residue amounts compared to a conventional surface tillage system. Additionally, four levels of herbicide application intensity: 1) PRE broadcast ' POST ' LAYBY, 2) PRE banded ' POST ' LAYBY, 3) POST ' LAYBY and 4) LAYBY alone were evaluated for each of the five previously mentioned systems. Results revealed a dramatic decline in pigweed emergence and biomass in conservation systems containing cover crop residue regardless of herbicide intensity at the Tennessee Valley location. At E.V. Smith a similar relationship was observed except the broadcast preemergence application across surface tillage treatments provided equivalent emergence as in the conservation tillage treatments. In all years, the winter fallow conservation system contained the highest pigweed emergence at Tennessee Valley whereas the surface tillage system contained the highest pigweed emergence at E.V. Smith. At E. V. Smith in 2007 and 2008 and Tennessee Valley in 2007, seed cotton yield generally was highest in conservation treatments. At Tennessee Valley in 2008, the highest yield was attained in the surface tillage treatments. At both locations across all years, the inclusion of a PRE application did not increase seed cotton yield; LAYBY alone treatments resulted in the lowest seed cotton yield.