Effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize (Zea mays)

Pure stands of cover crops (CC) and species mixtures raise increasing consideration in agricultural production systems due to the manifold services they provide to farmers. Their contribution to weed control is one of the most obvious services. However, especially allelochemicals can affect both wee...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Schumacher, Matthias, Schappert, Alexandra, Gerhards, Roland
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Julius Kühn-Institut 2020-03-01
Series:Julius-Kühn-Archiv
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.openagrar.de/receive/openagrar_mods_00056767
_version_ 1797353562410319872
author Schumacher, Matthias
Schappert, Alexandra
Gerhards, Roland
author_facet Schumacher, Matthias
Schappert, Alexandra
Gerhards, Roland
author_sort Schumacher, Matthias
collection DOAJ
description Pure stands of cover crops (CC) and species mixtures raise increasing consideration in agricultural production systems due to the manifold services they provide to farmers. Their contribution to weed control is one of the most obvious services. However, especially allelochemicals can affect both weeds and crop plants. We examined the carry-over effects of CC stands, pure and in mixtures, on the subsequent maize crop in terms of crop establishment speed and weed pressure in 2018. Within a field trial, 10 different CC species, as well as particular mixtures of four species with either enhanced allelopathic potential, biomass production or emergence speed as well as a mixture with all 10 species were examined. The emergence pattern of the maize crop was more heterogeneous between the pure CC stands than across the mixtures. However, the time of emergence was slightly delayed in the latter in comparison to the pure CC stands. The single CC oat, mustard and flax were able to accelerate crop emergence significantly. Rye and vetch were the most effective treatments in the reduction of weed density and coverage in June 2018. However, total maize biomass did not differ considerably between the treatments. Although designed for different purposes the mixtures performed quite uniform in regard to weed control. Additional criteria besides weed control ability should therefore be considered to create appropriate multifunctional CC mixtures.
first_indexed 2024-03-08T13:32:52Z
format Article
id doaj.art-d7beaa451a0a49438d4894f375a97e7d
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1868-9892
2199-921X
language deu
last_indexed 2024-03-08T13:32:52Z
publishDate 2020-03-01
publisher Julius Kühn-Institut
record_format Article
series Julius-Kühn-Archiv
spelling doaj.art-d7beaa451a0a49438d4894f375a97e7d2024-01-17T05:34:17ZdeuJulius Kühn-InstitutJulius-Kühn-Archiv1868-98922199-921X2020-03-0146443243710.5073/jka.2020.464.065Effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize (Zea mays)Schumacher, Matthias0 Schappert, Alexandra1 Gerhards, Roland2Department of Weed Science, Institute of Phytomedicine (360), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Weed Science, Institute of Phytomedicine (360), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Weed Science, Institute of Phytomedicine (360), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, GermanyPure stands of cover crops (CC) and species mixtures raise increasing consideration in agricultural production systems due to the manifold services they provide to farmers. Their contribution to weed control is one of the most obvious services. However, especially allelochemicals can affect both weeds and crop plants. We examined the carry-over effects of CC stands, pure and in mixtures, on the subsequent maize crop in terms of crop establishment speed and weed pressure in 2018. Within a field trial, 10 different CC species, as well as particular mixtures of four species with either enhanced allelopathic potential, biomass production or emergence speed as well as a mixture with all 10 species were examined. The emergence pattern of the maize crop was more heterogeneous between the pure CC stands than across the mixtures. However, the time of emergence was slightly delayed in the latter in comparison to the pure CC stands. The single CC oat, mustard and flax were able to accelerate crop emergence significantly. Rye and vetch were the most effective treatments in the reduction of weed density and coverage in June 2018. However, total maize biomass did not differ considerably between the treatments. Although designed for different purposes the mixtures performed quite uniform in regard to weed control. Additional criteria besides weed control ability should therefore be considered to create appropriate multifunctional CC mixtures.https://www.openagrar.de/receive/openagrar_mods_00056767cover cropsdiversityintegrated weed controlmaize
spellingShingle Schumacher, Matthias
Schappert, Alexandra
Gerhards, Roland
Effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize (Zea mays)
Julius-Kühn-Archiv
cover crops
diversity
integrated weed control
maize
title Effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize (Zea mays)
title_full Effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize (Zea mays)
title_fullStr Effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize (Zea mays)
title_full_unstemmed Effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize (Zea mays)
title_short Effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize (Zea mays)
title_sort effects of cover crop in pure stands and in mixtures on weed control and performance of maize zea mays
topic cover crops
diversity
integrated weed control
maize
url https://www.openagrar.de/receive/openagrar_mods_00056767
work_keys_str_mv AT schumachermatthias effectsofcovercropinpurestandsandinmixturesonweedcontrolandperformanceofmaizezeamays
AT schappertalexandra effectsofcovercropinpurestandsandinmixturesonweedcontrolandperformanceofmaizezeamays
AT gerhardsroland effectsofcovercropinpurestandsandinmixturesonweedcontrolandperformanceofmaizezeamays