Make Your Money Grow — More Seeds Means Fewer Weeds
Posted on | January 29, 2010 | 1 Comment
U.S. Department Of Agriculture
By Ann Perry
Farmers cultivating organic produce often use winter cover crops to add soil organic matter, improve nutrient cycling and suppress weeds. Now these producers can optimize cover crop use by refining seeding strategies, thanks to work by an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist.
In moderate climates, suppressing weeds in winter cover crops is important because weeds that grow throughout the year produce seed that can increase weeding costs in subsequent vegetable crops. ARS horticulturist Eric Brennan, at the U.S. Agricultural Research Station in Salinas, Calif., conducted studies comparing winter cover crop planting protocols in organic systems along California’s central coast.
Brennan looked at how seeding rates and planting patterns affected cover crop performance. He planted rye using three seeding rates: 80 pounds per acre, 160 pounds per acre and 240 pounds per acre. The seeds were either planted in a grid pattern that required driving a grain drill across fields twice, or in traditional rows. All seeding was carried out in October.
Brennan found that planting rye at higher seeding rates consistently improved early-to midseason rye biomass production and weed suppression. But he saw no consistent crop improvement from grid planting.
Brennan also studied seeding rates and planting patterns using a cover crop of legumes and oats. The seeds were planted at densities of 100, 200, and 300 pounds per acre and planted both in grids and traditional rows.
Results were similar to the rye cover crop results. As seeding rates increased, weed biomass production decreased from around 267 pounds per acre to less than 89 pounds per acre. In addition, planting patterns had no effect on cover crop yield or weed suppression.
Brennan’s findings suggest that increased seeding rates could provide organic producers with a cost-effective weed control strategy. However, planting in a grid pattern would probably not consistently boost the benefits of cover crops—and since it would require two passes through the field, grid planting would likely double dust production, fuel use, planting time and labor.
The research was published in the Agronomy Journal.
ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Tags: agriculture > economics > farmers > organic > planting > produce > seeds > weeds
Comments
One Response to “Make Your Money Grow — More Seeds Means Fewer Weeds”
Tags
Climate Change News
- U.S. Departments of Commerce and the Interior to Cooperate on Climate-Related ActivitiesU.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar formalized an agreement between the two departments to coordinate and cooperate on climate related activities involving science, services, mitigation, adaptation, education and communication. […]
- NOAA: Past Decade Warmest on Record According to Scientists in 48 CountriesThe 2009 State of the Climate report released Wednesday draws on data for 10 key climate indicators that all point to the same finding: the scientific evidence that our world is warming is unmistakable. […]
Earth FAQ
- Where is the detailed report concerning the Bakken Formation?All currently available USGS material on the Bakken Assessment can be found on our website at http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/oilgas/noga/ (choose Bakken/Williston Basin on the map to see available documents), including a summary of the geology, geologic model, and methodology in poster format on our website at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1353/. The more detail […]
- Did you feel an earthquake?To view a map or report a felt earthquake, select your region from this Community Earthquake Intensity Map. The website has a ('Did you feel it?') questionnaire for recording your earthquake experiences. An intensity map is made and updated based on your answers and those of others who fill out the questionnaire. Would you like to sign up for the E […]
- What are seismograms? How do you read them?Seismograms are the records (paper copy) produced by seismographs used to calculate the location and magnitude of an earthquake. They show how the ground moves with the passage of time. On a seismogram, the HORIZONTAL axis = time (measured in seconds) and the VERTICAL axis= ground displacement (usually measured in millimeters). When there is NO EQ reading th […]
U.S. Geological Survey
- Climate Change Implicated in Decline of Horseshoe CrabsLEETOWN, W. Va. — A distinct decline in horseshoe crab numbers has occurred that parallels climate change associated with the end of the last Ice Age, according to a study that used genomics to assess historical trends in population sizes. The new research also indicates that horseshoe crabs numbers may continue to decline in the future because of predi […]
- An island's rebirth: Life emerges after a catastrophic volcanic eruptionAnchorage, Alaska — A secluded island in the Aleutian chain is revealing secrets of how land and marine ecosystems react to and recover from a catastrophic volcanic eruption that appeared at first glance to destroy all life on the island. Yet little by little – a wingless beetle here, a tuft of grass there, Kasatochi, an island in the Alaska Maritime Nat […]
- Glaciers Retreating in AsiaMany of Asia’s glaciers are retreating as a result of climate change. This retreat impacts water supplies to millions of people, increases the likelihood of outburst floods that threaten life and property in nearby areas, and contributes to sea-level rise. The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with 39 international scientists, published a report on […]
January 31st, 2010 @ 5:21 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by World Citizen, Money RT. Money RT said: RT @WorldCitizenNet: Environmental Post: Make Your Money Grow — More Seeds Means Fewer Weeds http://bit.ly/9SUATw [...]