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Funded Project

Funding Program: Regional IPM Competitive Grants - Northeastern

Project Title: Developing a Decision Framework that Optimizes Cover Crop Integration for Weed Suppression in Northeast Cropping Systems

Project Directors (PDs): William Curran [1] David Mortensen [2] Steven Mirsky [3]

Lead State: PA Lead Organization: Pennsylvania State University

Cooperating State(s): Maryland

Extension Funding: $89,006

Research Funding: $77,894

Start Date: Sep-01-2007 End Date: Aug-31-2010

Pests Involved: weeds

Site/Commodity: field crops

Area of Emphasis: cover crops, tillage

Summary: Cover crops can contribute to weed management and help eliminate herbicide use. No-till is important for a number of reasons, but reduced herbicide use is not generally part of the program. Cover crops and no-till may allow both reduced herbicide inputs and effective weed suppression. This project will examine ways to incorporate cover crops most effectively into no-till systems that rely less on herbicides for weed control. We will examine options for increasing the impact that cover crops can have on weed suppression and its effect on crop yield. Objectives: 1. Test the effects of cover crop planting date and termination date on weed management and subsequent crop yield across varying initial weed population densities and emergence periodicities. 2. Quantify the effects of soil fertility and seeding rates on cereal rye growth, competitiveness, and subsequent weed suppression of summer annual weeds using roller/crimper technology in the Mid-Atlantic region. 3. Disseminate the results and educational message through grower meetings, on-farm research and a web-based decision support tool. Proposal USDA CRIS research data USDA CRIS extension data

Interim Report: Dec-15-2009

Outcomes This is a joint research/extension project that involves Penn State University, the University of Maryland, Virginia Tech, the USDA-ARS unit at Beltsville, MD, and the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, PA. This project will develop a decision framework that optimizes cover crop integration for weed suppression in Northeast cropping systems. Thus far, we are completing the second year of the field research. We have analyzed 2008 data from the different locations and given several presentations at professional meetings. The 2009 experiments are still in progress. As expected, the conventional soybean receiving the post herbicide had the best overall weed control, while efficacy of the high residue cultivation varied and was the least effective in controlling common ragweed. Preliminary results suggest that soybean yield decreased with the delay in planting likely due to decreased soybean population and lower yield potential for later planted soybean. In the conventional hairy vetch corn trial, hairy vetch biomass was 273 and 1305 kg/ha greater between termination dates at the Virginia and Pennsylvania sites, respectively. Vetch termination date also affected weed density, with later terminated vetch having fewer weeds in all but two measurements. Interestingly, final weed biomass was not affected by termination date in either location. Both weed biomass and weed densities were affected by initial weed seed bank density at the Pennsylvania location. Weed biomass at both locations was affected by post-emergence herbicide control regardless of vetch termination date. Finally, in the organic corn experiment in Maryland and Pennsylvania, the effect of termination date and high residue cultivation appear to be species and site-specific. For optimal corn performance, weed management tactic diversity must increase as the density of weed propagules increase. The adherence to this principle is magnified when corn production relies primarily on cover crop residues for weed suppression and tillage and herbicide use was reduced. In 2008, several field days were held that highlighted this project including: USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) Organic Field Day, June 30 (100 participants); Lower Eastern Shore Research and Extension Center (LESREC) field day on August 28 (35 participants); Eastern Shore organic no-till field crop production (Bill Mason farm Field day), Oct. 23, (35 participants); In 2009, Penn State Rock Springs Agronomy Farm Cover Crop and Weed Management Field Day, June 17 (50 participants); Rock Springs Agronomy Farm Weed Tour, July 10 (50 participants);. BARC FSP Systems Research Tour for Illinois Farm Bureau, August 11 (20 participants); Hawaiian Agriculture Leadership Class XII at BARC, September 22, (12participants). This project help lead to the submission and success of a ~$2.3 million USDA-OREI grant in 2009. The grant is titled "weed and insect management in organic rotational no-till" by M. Barbercheck, W. Curran, J. Harper, R. Hoover, S. Mirsky, D. Weber, M. VanGessel, C. Reberg-Horton, D. Voight, G. Hostetter, and A. Stone. Publications thus far: Curran, W.S., B.P. Jones, S.B. Mirsky, D.A. Mortensen, R.R. Ryan, and E. Nord. 2009. Optimizing cereal rye management for improved weed suppression in organic and conventional soybean. NEWSS 63: 50. Curran, W.S., R.T. Bates, S.B. Mirsky, R.S. Gallagher, D.A. Mortensen, and R.R. Ryan. 2009. In pursuit of effective mechanical/physical weed management in organic lo-till. EWRS 8th Physical and Cultural Weed Control Workshop, Zaragoza, Spain. Jones, B.P., W.S. Curran, D.A. Mortensen, and S.B. Mirsky. 2009. Managing a hairy vetch cover crop to maximize weed suppression in no-till corn. NEWSS 63: 51. Mirsky, S.B., W.S. Curran, J.R. Teasdale, D.A. Mortensen, R.W. Mangum, M.R. Ryan, and E. Nord. Thresholds for weed management from a hairy vetch cover crop and high residue cultivation in organic no-till field corn. NEWSS 63: 106.

Impacts Safeguarding human health and the environment: Some goals of this project are to advance cover crop adoption and no-till and reduce herbicide inputs. In the Northeast alone, there are several million acres of corn and soybean as well as other crops that could benefit from these practices. Adoption of no-till, cover crops, and reduced herbicide use will benefit society in a number of ways including improving water quality, reducing nontarget impacts from pesticides, and reducing energy consumption and increasing farm profitability. Some specific goals include: 1.) Through this coordinated research and outreach effort we have the potential of realizing at least a 10% increase in adoption of cover cropping practices in our region over the next five years. Greater cover crop adoption will reduce soil erosion and loss of nutrients and pesticides resulting in improved water quality; promote sequestration of excess soil nutrients and produce nitrogen with legume cover crops; and help build and improve soil quality potentially increasing crop yields. 2.) Increased weed suppression by cover crops will allow for lower herbicide rates, fewer herbicide applications, fewer problems with herbicide resistant weeds, and greater adoption of sustainable and organic agriculture. Economic benefits: Adoption of no-till, cover crops, and reduced herbicide use will benefit society in a number of ways including improving water quality and reducing nontarget impacts from pesticides, and reducing energy consumption and increasing farm profitability. These are impacts that will benefit individual farmers and society. Implementation of IPM: We are using a more integrated approach to manage weeds in high residue no-till systems. This is particularly important for the management of herbicide resistant weeds and reducing herbicide inputs more typical of conventional no-till. Thus far, we have conducted several outreach activities associated with this project and are developing educational materials for dissemination. At the conclusion of this project, we will have a better handle on how our results have improved or increased implementation of IPM strategies in the Northeast.

Report Appendices Progress Report 2009 [PDF]

Final Report:

Outcomes For the first objective, an experiment focused on integrating multiple tactics for managing weeds in high residue no-till soybean. This study investigated the weed suppressiveness of a cereal rye cover crop mulch across varying weed seedbank density. The results showed that spring termination date more strongly affected cereal rye biomass than fall planting date; a termination delay of 5 to 15 days compensated for a fall planting delay of 30 days. Weed biomass generally declined with increasing cereal rye biomass, and this relationship was stronger at higher weed seedbank densities. Supplemental weed control reduced weed biomass compared to no supplemental control and post herbicide was more effective than cultivation. While increasing cereal rye biomass was associated with a decline in soybean yield in 2009, it did not consistently impact soybean stand. Instead soybean stand establishment appeared to be impacted by high cover crop biomass and changing edaphic conditions at planting. Additional data on weed community and composition are currently being analyzed and the results will be reported in a second paper that will focus on changes in weed density and community composition in high residue no-till soybean. We suggest that future research should focus on improved technology for direct seeding in high residue environments and developing longer term cropping systems less reliant on tillage and herbicides. In no-till corn, we investigated the opportunity for integrating a hairy vetch cover crop for improved weed management. The objective of our research was to examine how hairy vetch termination date coupled with cover crop biomass influenced weed suppression and no-till corn performance. The results showed that hairy vetch biomass increased with delay in termination ranging from 1100 to over 4000 kg ha-1. Weed biomass tended to be lower in the later planting date compared to the early planting date. In one of the three locations, weed biomass was significantly lower at the later planting date, which had approximately half of the weed biomass as the early planting date. Weed biomass in the hairy vetch alone treatments (no post herbicide) ranged from 1109 to 1718 kg ha-1, while the postemergence glyphosate treatment consistently reduced weed biomass to less than 100 kg ha-1. Corn yields were generally higher in the treatments receiving the post herbicide application. Over the two-year study, corn yields in treatments receiving the postemergence herbicide ranged from 7155 to 8152 kg ha-1, while treatments that did not receive the post glyphosate ranged from 6076 to 7317 kg ha-1. Although delaying corn planting and increasing amounts of hairy vetch biomass tended to improve weed control, the post glyphosate application increased corn yield suggesting that the cultural weed tactics were inadequate for maximizing yield. These results show that increasing cover crop biomass and delaying corn planting can improve weed suppression, but high weed seed bank density will require additional management efforts. A second corn study was conducted in both Pennsylvania and Maryland and the manuscript is currently under development. This paper will report on integrating multiple tactics for managing weeds in no-till organic corn. Our last experiment quantified how increasing cover crop seeding rate improves mulch-based weed suppression in rolled cereal rye. In this study, we investigated two approaches to increasing cereal rye biomass for improved weed suppression: (1) increasing soil fertility and (2) increasing cereal rye seeding rate. Results showed that rye biomass increased with poultry litter applications (675, 768, and 787 g m-2 in the 0, 80 and 160 kg N ha-1 treatments, respectively), but this increase in rye biomass did not result in a decrease in weed biomass. In contrast, increasing rye seeding rate did not increase rye biomass, but did result in a reduction in weed biomass (328, 279, 225 g m-2 in the 90, 150 and 210 kg seed ha-1, treatments respectively). Site and year interactions with rye and weed biomass indicate that the effects of these tactics can vary. The percentage of bare soil determined photographically one week after applying poultry litter in April was correlated to rye (r = -0.82) and weed biomass (r = 0.69) ten weeks after rye termination. Our results suggest that ground coverage in April may be an important determinant of rye biomass and could be a useful tool to help growers decide if no-till planting into their cover crops is feasible, or if it would be better to incorporate the cover crop residue and plant into a clean seedbed. Finally, we disseminated the results and the educational message through grower meetings and other educational activities. For outreach, 575 individuals attended one of 14 field days conducted across the region. In 2008, field days were held at USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) hosting 1.) the Environmental Protection Agency Staff Tour, Apr 30 (20 participants); 2.) Iowa Corn Growers, Jul 14 (30 participants); 3.) Organic Field Day, Jul 30 (120 participants); 4.) Pennsylvania County Agents, Sep 18 (15 participants); 5.) Northeastern IPM Center, Nov 5 (25 participants); 6.) Penn State Rock Springs Agronomy Weed Tour, Jul 10 (40 participants); 7.) Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore Research and Extension Center (LESREC) field day, Aug 28 (35 participants); 8.) Maryland's Eastern Shore organic no-till field crop production (Bill Mason farm Field day), Oct 23, (35 participants) and; 9.) the Rodale Institute, Jul 18 (93 participants). In 2009, at BARC, 10.) USDA Organic Working Group, Sep 30 (30 participants); 11.) FSP Systems Research Tour for Illinois Farm Bureau, Aug 11 (20 participants); 12.) Hawaiian Agriculture Leadership Class XII, Sep 22, (12 participants); at Penn State, 13.) Rock Springs Agronomy Farm Cover Crop and Weed Management Field Day, Jun 17 (50 participants); and 14.) Rock Springs Agronomy Farm Weed Tour, Jul 10 (50 participants). At least 600 people attended extension presentations made at ag professional conferences (e.g. the Mid-Atlantic Certified Crop Advisor School) across the region. At least 11 presentations of research results were made at weed science, horticulture, agronomy, and ecology scientific society meetings to at least 300 individuals. Cover Crop Rollers for Northeastern Grain Production and Suppressing Weeds Using Cover Crops in Pennsylvania were published and are being distributed. Finally, this project helped lead to a successful USDA-OREI grant by Barbercheck et al., titled Weed and Insect Management in Organic Rotational No-till ($2.3 million). Publications Curran, W.S., B.P. Jones, S.B. Mirsky, D.A. Mortensen, R.R. Ryan, and E. Nord. 2009. Optimizing cereal rye management for improved weed suppression in organic and conventional soybean. Proc. NEWSS 63:50. Curran, W.S., R.T. Bates, S.B. Mirsky, R.S. Gallagher, D.A. Mortensen, and M.R. Ryan. 2009. In pursuit of effective mechanical/physical weed management in organic lo-till. Abstracts 8th European Weed Research Society Workshop on Physical and Cultural Weed Control. pp. 36. Jones, B.P., W.S. Curran, D.A. Mortensen, and S.B. Mirsky. 2009. Managing a hairy vetch cover crop to maximize weed suppression in no-till corn. Proc. NEWSS 63: 51. Hunsberger, L. and M. Ryan. 2010. Impacts of rolled rye seeding rates and fertility effects on weed suppression and community composition. Proc. NEWSS 64:118. Mirsky, S.B., W.S. Curran, E. Nord, J.R. Teasdale, D.A. Mortensen, and M. Ryan. 2010. Reducing tillage in organic field corn through multi-tactical weed management. Abstr. WSSA 49:270. Mirsky, S.B., W.S. Curran, J.R. Teasdale, D.A. Mortensen, R.W. Mangum, M.R. Ryan, and E. Nord. 2009. Thresholds for weed management from a hairy vetch cover crop and high residue cultivation in organic no-till field corn. Proc. NEWSS 63:106. Nord, E., R. Smith, W. Curran, and M. Ryan. 2010. Suppressing weeds using cover crops in PA. Four page color bulletin as a part of the new series titled Agroecology in Practice, Penn State College of Agric. Sci., University Park, PA Nord, E. W. Curran, D. Mortensen. 2010 Determination of ground cover in cover crop systems using open source image analysis tools. Proc. NEWSS 64:83. Nord, E.A., W.S. Curran and D.A. Mortensen. 2010. How much is enough? Weed suppressiveness of cereal rye mulch in soybean depends on the weed seed bank. 95th ESA Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PS 62-150. Ryan, M.R., D.A. Mortensen, R.G. Smith, and W.S. Curran. 2010. Increasing agricultural sustainability by reducing weed-crop competition. Abstr. WSSA 49:78. Ryan, M.R., D.A. Mortensen, S.B. Mirsky, J.R. Teasdale, and W.S. Curran. 2009. Effects of cereal rye mulch and soybean density on weed suppression. Abstracts 8th European Weed Research Society Workshop on Physical and Cultural Weed Control. pp. 3. Ryan, M.R., D.A. Mortensen, S.B. Mirsky, W.S. Curran, and J.R. Teasdale. 2009. Influence of soybean seeding density and cereal rye biomass on weed suppression. Proc. NEWSS 63:30.

Impacts In the soybean research, we identified that spring rye termination date more strongly affected cereal rye biomass than fall planting date and that weed biomass generally declined with increasing cereal rye biomass. This relationship was stronger at higher weed seed bank densities. Supplemental weed control whether it was herbicide or cultivation reduced weed biomass compared to no supplemental control and post herbicide was more effective than cultivation. Although increasing cereal rye biomass did not consistently impact soybean stand, achieving consistent soybean populations in heavy cereal rye residue continues to be a challenge and is more of a problem with a grain drill than a planter. In the corn research, hairy vetch biomass also increased with delay in termination from late May to mid June. Weed biomass tended to be lower in the later planting date compared to the early planting date the postemergence glyphosate treatment consistently reduced weed biomass to negligible levels. In organic corn, corn for grain did not mature early enough in the fall in central Pennsylvania to allow for subsequent cover crop establishment both years and corn maturity in 2009. Corn silage would be more suitable for a rolled hairy vetch system in organic managed corn. These results show that increasing cover crop biomass and delaying corn planting can improve weed suppression, but like the soybean work, high weed seed bank density will require additional management efforts. In the cover crop seeding study, increasing the seeding rate improved the mulch-based weed suppression. As expected, the rye biomass increased with poultry litter applications, but this increase in biomass did not result in a decrease in weed biomass. In contrast, increasing rye seeding rate did not increase rye biomass, but did result in a reduction in weed biomass. We also observed that ground coverage in April may be an important determinant of rye biomass and could be a useful tool to help growers decide if no-till planting into their cover crops is feasible. An evaluation was conducted at several of the field day events. As an example, in 2009 at a Penn State Rock Springs cover crop field day, all respondents thought that the event was a good use of their time with 66% saying it was considerable. Prior to the event, 57% had minimal or no knowledge about the benefits of cover crops in an agroecosystem. After the event, 93% stated they had moderate or considerable understanding about the benefits of cover crops. Topics included the impact of cover crops on weed control, high residue tillage, managing cover crops with rolling and mowing, and ecosystem services from cover crops and native and nonnative landscape plants. As a result of the event, 73% stated they were likely to make a change in their farming operation over the next two years.

Report Appendices Final Report 2010 [PDF]

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