Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T06:02:44.613Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Use of a mechanical roller-crimper as an alternative kill method for cover crops

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

Dana L. Ashford  and
D. Wayne Reeves
Dana L. Ashford
Affiliation:
Agronomy and Soils Department, Auburn University, AL 36849 and is currently Soil Conservationist, USDA-NRCS Clinton, NC 28328
D. Wayne Reeves*
Affiliation:
USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, 411 South Donahue Drive, Auburn, AL 36832
*
D.W. Reeves (wreeves@ars.usda.gov)
Get access

Abstract

Cover crops have long been recognized as a beneficial component of many cropping systems; however, their use is still not commonplace. Usage may be increased by identifying more cost-effective and environment-friendly techniques for cover-crop management. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of using a mechanical roller-crimper as-an alternative method for killing cover crops. The study location was in east-central Alabama, using a split-split plot experimental design with four replications and 3 site-years during 1999–2000. Rye, wheat and black oat were evaluated in terms of ease of kill and optimum time of kill using a roller-crimper, two herbicides (paraquat and glyphosate) at their labeled rate, and two reduced chemical (half label rate) combinations of the same chemicals with the roller-crimper. Four Feekes' scale growth stages were used to determine optimum time of kill; 8.0 (flag leaf), 10.51 (anthesis), 10.54 (early milk) and 11.2 (soft dough). Plant growth stage was the main determining factor for effectiveness of the roller-crimper for killing the cover crops. At the flag leaf stage, the roller-crimper provided only 19% kill across all covers over the 3 site-years. After plants reached anthesis, the roller-crimper with half-rate herbicide combinations equaled the effectiveness of herbicides alone at their label rate, averaging 94% kill. By the soft dough growth stage, all kill methods were equally effective due to accelerating plant senescence (95% mean kill across kill methods). Use of the roller-crimper alone after anthesis can decrease costs by as much as $26.28 per ha, while providing a kill rate equivalent to that of herbicide treatment alone.

Keywords

Avena strigosa Schreb.C:N ratioconservation tillagegrowth stageglyphosateparaquatSecale cereale L.Triticum aestivum L.
Type
Research Article
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , March 2003 , pp. 37 - 45
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, W.P. 1996. Weed Science: Principles and Applications. West Publishing Company. St. Paul, MN. p. 67–73, 97–107.Google Scholar
Bauer, P.J., and Reeves, D.W.. 1999. A comparison of winter cereal species and planting dates as residue cover for cotton grown with conservation tillage. Crop Sci. 39:1824–1830.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blevins, R.L., Cook, D., Phillips, S.H., and Phillips, R.E.. 1971. Influence of no-tillage on soil moisture. Agron. J. 63:593–596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clements, D.R., Weise, S.F., Brown, R., Stonehouse, D.P., Hume, D.J., and Swanton, C.J.. 1995. Energy analysis of tillage and herbicide inputs in alternative weed management systems. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 52:119–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Creamer, N.G., Plassman, B., Bennett, M.A., Wood, R.K., Stinner, B.R., and Cardina, J.. 1995. A method for mechanically killing cover crops to optimize weed suppression. Amer. J. Alternative Agric. 10(4): 157–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dabney, S.M., Buehring, N.W., and Reginelli, D.B.. 1991. Mechanical control of legume cover crops. In Hargrove, W. L. (ed.). Cover Crops for Clean Water. Proceedings of an International Conference, 9–11 04 1991, Jackson, TN. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, IA. p. 146–147.Google Scholar
Derpsch, R. 1990. Do crop rotation and green manuring have a place in the wheat farming systems of the wanner areas? In Saunders, D.A. (ed.). Wheat for the Nontraditional Warm Areas. Proceedings of an International Conference, 29 June–3 08 1990, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico, D.F. p. 284–299.Google Scholar
Derpsch, R., Roth, C.H., Sidiras, N., and Köpke, U. (com a colaboraçāo de R. Krause e J. Blanken). 1991. Controle da erosão no Paraná, Brasil: Sistemas de cobertura do solo, plantio directo e preparo conservacionista do solo. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, Eschborn, SP 245, Germany.Google Scholar
Dinnes, D.L., Karlen, D.L., Jaynes, D.B., Kaspar, T.C., Hatfield, J.L., Colvin, T.S., and Cambardella, C.A.. 2002. Nitrogen management strategies to reduce nitrate leaching in tile-drained midwestern soils. Agron. J. 94:153–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doran, J.W., and Smith, M.S.. 1991. Role of cover crops in nitrogen cycling. In Hargrove, W.L. (ed.). Cover Crops for Clean Water. Proceedings of an International Conference, 9–11 04 1991, Jackson, TN. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, IA. p. 85–90.Google Scholar
Ess, D.R., Vaughan, D.H., Luna, J.M., and Sullivan, P.C.. 1994. Energy and economic savings from the use of legume cover crops in Virginia com production. Amer. J. Alternative Agric. 9:178–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gardner, W.H. 1986. Water content. In Klute, A. (ed.). Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 1. Physical and Mineralogical Methods. 2nd ed. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI. p. 493–505.Google Scholar
Hoffman, M.L., Regnier, E.E., and Cardina, J.. 1993. Weed and com (Zea mays) responses to a hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) cover crop. Weed Technol. 7:594–599.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holt, J.S., Powles, S.B., and Holtum, J.A.M.. 1993. Mechanisms and agronomic aspects of herbicide resistance. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 44:203–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hunt, D. 1977. Farm Power and Machinery Management – Laboratory Manual and Workbook. (7th ed., 2nd printing 1979). Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA. p. 46–47.Google Scholar
Kaspar, T.C., Radke, J.K., and Laflen, J.M.. 2001. Small grain cover crops and wheel traffic effects on infiltration, runoff, and erosion. J. Soil Water Conserv. 56:160–164.Google Scholar
Kelly, T.C., Lu, Y., and Teasdale, J.. 1996. Economic-environmental tradeoffs among alternative crop rotations. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 60:17–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kookana, R.S., and Aylmore, L.A.G.. 1994. Estimating pollution potential of pesticides to groundwater. Aust. J. Soil Res. 32:1141–1155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kookana, R.S., Di, H.J., and Aylmore, L.A.G.. 1995. A field study of leaching and degradation of nine pesticides in a sandy soil. Aust. J. Soil Res. 33:1019–1030.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Large, E.C. 1954. Growth stages in cereals. Illustrations of the Feekes Scale. Plant Pathol. 3:128–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLaughlin, N.B., Hiba, A., Wall, G.J., and King, D.J.. 2000. Comparison of energy inputs for inorganic fertilizer and manure based com production. Can. Agric. Eng. 42:2. 1–2.14.Google Scholar
Miller, R.W., and Donahue, R.L.. 1990. Soils: An Introduction to Soils and Plant Growth. 6th ed.Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. p. 122–123.Google Scholar
Morse, R. 1998. Keys to successful production of transplanted crops in high-residue, no-till farming systems. In Keisling, T.C. (ed.). Proceedings 21st Annual Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture, North Little Rock, Arkansas, 15–17 07 1998. Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Fayetteville, AR. p. 79–82.Google Scholar
Munawar, A., Blevins, R.L., Frye, W.W., and Saul, M.R.. 1990. Tillage and cover crop management for soil water conservation. Agron. J. 82:773–777.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nagabhushana, G.G., Worsham, A.D., and Yenish, J.P.. 2001. Allelopathic cover crops to reduce herbicide use in sustainable agricultural systems. Allelopathy J. 8:133–146.Google Scholar
Patterson, M.G., Reeves, D.W., and Gamble, B.E.. 1996. Weed management with black oat (Avena strigosa) in no-till cotton. In Proceedings of Beltwide Cotton Conference, 9–12 01 1996, Nashville, TN. National Cotton Council, Memphis, TN. p. 1557–1558.Google Scholar
Powles, S.B., Preston, C., Bryan, I.E., and Jutsum, A.R.. 1997. Herbicide resistance: impact and management. Adv. Agron. 58:57–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prevatt, J.W., Runge, M., and Miller, K.. 2001. 2001/2002 Budgets for fall/winter forage crops and wheat in Alabama. AEC BUD 1–3, 09 2001. Dept of Agric. Econ. and Rural Sociology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL.Google Scholar
Ranells, N.N., and Wagger, M.G.. 1996. Nitrogen release from grass and legume cover crop monocultures and bicultures. Agron. J. 88:777–782.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reeves, D.W. 1994. Cover crops and rotations. In Hatfield, J.L., and Stewart, B.A. (eds.). Advances in Soil Science: Crops Residue Management. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida. p. 125–172.Google Scholar
Reeves, D.W., Patterson, M.G., and Gamble, B.E.. 1997. Cover crops for weed control in conservation-tilled soybean. In Proceedings 20th Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida, 24–26 06 1997. SS-AGR-60, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. p. 140–142.Google Scholar
Ritter, W.F. 1990. Pesticide contamination of groundwater in the United States—a review. J. Environ. Sci. Health B 25:1–29.Google ScholarPubMed
SAS Instilute. 1988. SAS/STAT user's guide. Version 6.03 ed. SAS Inst., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Somda, Z.C., Ford, P.B., and Hargove, W.L.. 1991. Decomposition and nitrogen recycling of cover crops and crop residues. In Hargrove, W.L. (ed.). Cover Crops for Clean Water. Proceedings of an International Conference, 9–11 04 1991, Jackson, TN. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, IA. p. 103–105.Google Scholar
Sustainable Agriculture Network. 1998. Managing Cover Crops Profitably. 2nd ed. Sustainable Agriculture Network Handbook Series, Book 3. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, US Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Wagger, M.G. 1989. Time of desiccation effects on plant composition and subsequent nitrogen release from several winter annual cover crops. Agron. J. 81:236–241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wagger, M.G., and Mengel, D.B.. 1988. The role of nonlegumi-nous cover crops in the efficient use of water and nitrogen. In Hargrove, W.L. (ed.). Cropping Strategies for Efficient use of Water and Nitrogen. Special Publication No. 15. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI. p. 115–127.Google Scholar
Weston, L.A. 1990. Cover crop and herbicide influence on row crop seedling establishment in no-tillage culture. Weed Technol. 10:247–252.Google Scholar
Wilkins, E.D., and Bellinder, R.R.. 1996. Mow-kill regulation of winter cereals for spring no-till crop production. Weed Technol. 10:247–252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, M.M. II, Mortensen, D.A., and Doran, J.W.. 2000. No-tillage soybean performance in cover crop for weed management in the western Corn Belt. J. Soil Water Conserv. 55:79–84.Google Scholar