Management Effect on the Weed Control Efficiency in Double Cropping Systems
There are often negative side-effects associated with the traditional (silage) maize cropping system related to the unprotected soil surface. Reducing soil disturbance could enhance system sustainability. Yet, increased weed pressure and decreased nitrogen availability, particularly in organic agric...
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/2/467 |
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| author | Fruzsina Schmidt Herwart Böhm Rüdiger Graß Michael Wachendorf Hans-Peter Piepho |
| author_facet | Fruzsina Schmidt Herwart Böhm Rüdiger Graß Michael Wachendorf Hans-Peter Piepho |
| author_sort | Fruzsina Schmidt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There are often negative side-effects associated with the traditional (silage) maize cropping system related to the unprotected soil surface. Reducing soil disturbance could enhance system sustainability. Yet, increased weed pressure and decreased nitrogen availability, particularly in organic agriculture, may limit the implementation of alternative management methods. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at two distinct locations to evaluate the weed control efficiency of 18 organically managed silage maize cropping systems. Examined parameters were relative weed groundcover (GC<sub>weed</sub>) and its correlation with maize dry matter yield (DMY), relative proportion of dominant weed species (DWS) and their groups by life form (DWS<sub>group</sub>). Treatment factors comprised <i>first crop</i> (<i>FC</i>—winter pea, hairy vetch, and their mixtures with rye, control (sole silage maize cropping system—SCS)), <i>management</i>—incorporating <i>FC use</i> and <i>tillage</i> (double cropping system no-till (DCS NT), double cropping system reduced till (DCS RT), double cropped, mulched system (DCMS Roll) and SCS control), <i>fertilization</i>, <i>mechanical weed control</i> and <i>row width</i> (75 cm and 50 cm). The variation among environments was high, but similar patterns occurred across locations: Generally low GC<sub>weed</sub> occurred (below 28%) and, therefore, typically no correlation to maize DMY was observed. The number of crops (<i>system</i>), <i>system</i>:<i>management</i> and occasionally <i>management</i>:<i>FC (group)</i> influenced GC<sub>weed</sub> and DWS<sub>(group)</sub>. <i>Row width</i> had inconsistent and/or marginal effects. Results suggest differences related to the successful inclusion of DCS and DCMS into the rotation, and to the altered soil conditions, additional physical destruction by shallow tillage operations, especially in the early season, which possibly acts through soil thermal and chemical properties, as well as light conditions. DCS RT could successfully reduce GC<sub>weed</sub> below 5%, whereas DCS NT and particularly DCMS (Mix) suffered from inadequate FC management. Improvements in DCMS may comprise the use of earlier maturing legumes, especially hairy vetch varieties, further reduction/omission of the cereal companion in the mixture and/or more destructive termination of the FC. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:17:13Z |
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| id | doaj.art-acbdef9063e943e1bcdd208537a27b71 |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:17:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-acbdef9063e943e1bcdd208537a27b712023-11-16T18:35:02ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-02-0113246710.3390/agronomy13020467Management Effect on the Weed Control Efficiency in Double Cropping SystemsFruzsina Schmidt0Herwart Böhm1Rüdiger Graß2Michael Wachendorf3Hans-Peter Piepho4Grassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Science, Universität Kassel, Steinstraße 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, GermanyInstitute of Organic Farming, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Trenthorst 32, 23847 Westerau, GermanyGrassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Science, Universität Kassel, Steinstraße 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, GermanyGrassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Science, Universität Kassel, Steinstraße 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, GermanyBiostatistics Unit, Institute of Crop Science, Universität Hohenheim, Fruwirthstraße 23, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyThere are often negative side-effects associated with the traditional (silage) maize cropping system related to the unprotected soil surface. Reducing soil disturbance could enhance system sustainability. Yet, increased weed pressure and decreased nitrogen availability, particularly in organic agriculture, may limit the implementation of alternative management methods. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at two distinct locations to evaluate the weed control efficiency of 18 organically managed silage maize cropping systems. Examined parameters were relative weed groundcover (GC<sub>weed</sub>) and its correlation with maize dry matter yield (DMY), relative proportion of dominant weed species (DWS) and their groups by life form (DWS<sub>group</sub>). Treatment factors comprised <i>first crop</i> (<i>FC</i>—winter pea, hairy vetch, and their mixtures with rye, control (sole silage maize cropping system—SCS)), <i>management</i>—incorporating <i>FC use</i> and <i>tillage</i> (double cropping system no-till (DCS NT), double cropping system reduced till (DCS RT), double cropped, mulched system (DCMS Roll) and SCS control), <i>fertilization</i>, <i>mechanical weed control</i> and <i>row width</i> (75 cm and 50 cm). The variation among environments was high, but similar patterns occurred across locations: Generally low GC<sub>weed</sub> occurred (below 28%) and, therefore, typically no correlation to maize DMY was observed. The number of crops (<i>system</i>), <i>system</i>:<i>management</i> and occasionally <i>management</i>:<i>FC (group)</i> influenced GC<sub>weed</sub> and DWS<sub>(group)</sub>. <i>Row width</i> had inconsistent and/or marginal effects. Results suggest differences related to the successful inclusion of DCS and DCMS into the rotation, and to the altered soil conditions, additional physical destruction by shallow tillage operations, especially in the early season, which possibly acts through soil thermal and chemical properties, as well as light conditions. DCS RT could successfully reduce GC<sub>weed</sub> below 5%, whereas DCS NT and particularly DCMS (Mix) suffered from inadequate FC management. Improvements in DCMS may comprise the use of earlier maturing legumes, especially hairy vetch varieties, further reduction/omission of the cereal companion in the mixture and/or more destructive termination of the FC.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/2/467organic agriculturewinter cover cropsilage maizeroller-crimpertillagerow width |
| spellingShingle | Fruzsina Schmidt Herwart Böhm Rüdiger Graß Michael Wachendorf Hans-Peter Piepho Management Effect on the Weed Control Efficiency in Double Cropping Systems Agronomy organic agriculture winter cover crop silage maize roller-crimper tillage row width |
| title | Management Effect on the Weed Control Efficiency in Double Cropping Systems |
| title_full | Management Effect on the Weed Control Efficiency in Double Cropping Systems |
| title_fullStr | Management Effect on the Weed Control Efficiency in Double Cropping Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Management Effect on the Weed Control Efficiency in Double Cropping Systems |
| title_short | Management Effect on the Weed Control Efficiency in Double Cropping Systems |
| title_sort | management effect on the weed control efficiency in double cropping systems |
| topic | organic agriculture winter cover crop silage maize roller-crimper tillage row width |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/2/467 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fruzsinaschmidt managementeffectontheweedcontrolefficiencyindoublecroppingsystems AT herwartbohm managementeffectontheweedcontrolefficiencyindoublecroppingsystems AT rudigergraß managementeffectontheweedcontrolefficiencyindoublecroppingsystems AT michaelwachendorf managementeffectontheweedcontrolefficiencyindoublecroppingsystems AT hanspeterpiepho managementeffectontheweedcontrolefficiencyindoublecroppingsystems |