Weed Suppression, Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation in Mixed-Species and Single-Species Cover Crops in a Tropical Sugarcane Fallow
While mixed-species cover crops are gaining worldwide popularity, their utility in the ‘plough-out’ period in tropical sugar cane systems has not been investigated. Field trials investigating weed suppression (one season only), biomass production and nitrogen accumulation of single-species and mixed...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/7/640 |
| _version_ | 1797527805927358464 |
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| author | Lawrence Di Bella Megan Zahmel Lukas van Zwieten Terry J. Rose |
| author_facet | Lawrence Di Bella Megan Zahmel Lukas van Zwieten Terry J. Rose |
| author_sort | Lawrence Di Bella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While mixed-species cover crops are gaining worldwide popularity, their utility in the ‘plough-out’ period in tropical sugar cane systems has not been investigated. Field trials investigating weed suppression (one season only), biomass production and nitrogen accumulation of single-species and mixed-species cover crops were conducted over two seasons on a commercial sugarcane farm in the Australian tropics. Mixed-species cover crops showed strong weed suppression, and were among the top treatments for biomass production each year, but did not yield the highest biomass in either season. Sunn hemp (<i>Crotalaria juncea</i> cv. Global sunn) produced the most biomass in the drier-than-average 2016–2017 season (>10 t dry matter ha<sup>−1</sup>), while soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> cv. Leichardt) produced the most biomass (5.3 t dry matter ha<sup>−1</sup>) in the wetter-than-average 2018–2019 season, highlighting the influence of seasonal conditions on species’ biomass production. The inclusion of multiple species in a short-term cover crop in the tropics where extreme weather events can occur can thus be seen as a risk mitigation strategy given the risk of failure of any given species in a given season. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:49:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8aac56607ae14f3fb889aa0b18adecd5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:49:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-8aac56607ae14f3fb889aa0b18adecd52023-11-22T02:56:51ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722021-07-0111764010.3390/agriculture11070640Weed Suppression, Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation in Mixed-Species and Single-Species Cover Crops in a Tropical Sugarcane FallowLawrence Di Bella0Megan Zahmel1Lukas van Zwieten2Terry J. Rose3Herbert Cane Productivity Services, 181 Fairford Rd, Ingham, QLD 4850, AustraliaHerbert Cane Productivity Services, 181 Fairford Rd, Ingham, QLD 4850, AustraliaNSW Department of Industry and Investment, 1243 Bruxner HWY, Wollongbar, NSW 2477, AustraliaFaculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, 1 Military Rd, Lismore, NSW 2480, AustraliaWhile mixed-species cover crops are gaining worldwide popularity, their utility in the ‘plough-out’ period in tropical sugar cane systems has not been investigated. Field trials investigating weed suppression (one season only), biomass production and nitrogen accumulation of single-species and mixed-species cover crops were conducted over two seasons on a commercial sugarcane farm in the Australian tropics. Mixed-species cover crops showed strong weed suppression, and were among the top treatments for biomass production each year, but did not yield the highest biomass in either season. Sunn hemp (<i>Crotalaria juncea</i> cv. Global sunn) produced the most biomass in the drier-than-average 2016–2017 season (>10 t dry matter ha<sup>−1</sup>), while soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> cv. Leichardt) produced the most biomass (5.3 t dry matter ha<sup>−1</sup>) in the wetter-than-average 2018–2019 season, highlighting the influence of seasonal conditions on species’ biomass production. The inclusion of multiple species in a short-term cover crop in the tropics where extreme weather events can occur can thus be seen as a risk mitigation strategy given the risk of failure of any given species in a given season.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/7/640tropical legumesnitrogen fixationsunn hempsoybeantillage radish |
| spellingShingle | Lawrence Di Bella Megan Zahmel Lukas van Zwieten Terry J. Rose Weed Suppression, Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation in Mixed-Species and Single-Species Cover Crops in a Tropical Sugarcane Fallow Agriculture tropical legumes nitrogen fixation sunn hemp soybean tillage radish |
| title | Weed Suppression, Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation in Mixed-Species and Single-Species Cover Crops in a Tropical Sugarcane Fallow |
| title_full | Weed Suppression, Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation in Mixed-Species and Single-Species Cover Crops in a Tropical Sugarcane Fallow |
| title_fullStr | Weed Suppression, Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation in Mixed-Species and Single-Species Cover Crops in a Tropical Sugarcane Fallow |
| title_full_unstemmed | Weed Suppression, Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation in Mixed-Species and Single-Species Cover Crops in a Tropical Sugarcane Fallow |
| title_short | Weed Suppression, Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation in Mixed-Species and Single-Species Cover Crops in a Tropical Sugarcane Fallow |
| title_sort | weed suppression biomass and nitrogen accumulation in mixed species and single species cover crops in a tropical sugarcane fallow |
| topic | tropical legumes nitrogen fixation sunn hemp soybean tillage radish |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/7/640 |
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