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Accepted manuscript

Effects of Cover Crops on Weed Suppression in the Inter-Row Spaces of Citrus Orchards

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2024

Miurel Brewer
Affiliation:
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Department, University of Florida, Citrus Research and Education Center, 700 Experiment Station Rd, Lake Alfred, FL 33850, USA
Sarah L. Strauss
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Department, University of Florida, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, 2685 State Road 29 North Immokalee, FL 34142, USA
Carlene Chase
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, PO Box 110690, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Brent Sellers
Affiliation:
Professor and Center Director, Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, 3401 Experiment Station, Ona, FL 33865, USA
Davie M. Kadyampakeni
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Department, University of Florida, Citrus Research and Education Center, 700 Experiment Station Rd, Lake Alfred, FL 33850, USA
Edzard van Santen
Affiliation:
Professor, Statistical Consulting Unit and Agronomy Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0500, USA
Ramdas Kanissery
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, 2685 State Road 29 North, Immokalee, FL 34142, USA
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Abstract

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A multi-year study was carried out at two citrus groves with mature trees in Southwest Florida in the United States to evaluate the effects of cover cropping on the citrus inter-row as a sustainable weed management strategy in the Florida citrus production system. Two cover crop (CC) mixes (legume + nonlegume species and only non-legume species) were compared with a no-CC grower standard management (GSM) that utilized the herbicide paraquat for weed suppression in the citrus tree inter-row spaces. We gathered data on the biomass and density of both cover crops and weeds, during the spring and summer/fall CC planting seasons throughout the study years. Both mixes of CCs effectively reduced weed density in the citrus inter-row by 58 to 99% (P<0.05), depending on the growing season and study locations, compared to GSM. Additionally, there were no significant differences observed between the different CC mixes. Similarly, both CC mixes reduced the weed biomass by 95 to 99% (P<0.05) in the citrus inter-row compared to the GSM. However, weed suppression by CCs varied between growing seasons, mainly due to differences in germination and establishment of the CCs in each season.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Weed Science Society of America 2024

Footnotes

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To whom reprint request should be addressed. Email address: rkanissery@ufl.edu