Some cover crops more efficient than others in deterring palmer amaranth, researchers find
By Kaitlynn Anderson
Staff Reporter
Farms.com
Fall-planted cover crops do not all provide the same level of protection against Amaranthus spp. weeds, such as palmer amaranth and waterhemp, according to researchers at Ohio State University (OSU).
Researchers conducted studies on the efficiency of cereal rye, spring oats, forage radish and annual ryegrass in controlling weeds, according to a Friday release.
Amaranthus spp. weed populations were much lower in fields with cereal rye, in scenarios both with and without herbicides, the scientists found.
However, researchers discovered that other cover crops, when used with herbicides as part of an integrated control program, did not differ in terms of their effectiveness as a weed control method.
"Cereal rye has the (greatest) potential to contribute to Amaranthus spp. control by reducing weed population density within the first month or so following soybean planting," Mark Loux, a researcher from OSU, said in the release.
"As a result, there is a better opportunity to reduce selection for weeds resistant to herbicides used in post-emergence treatments. Cereal rye is also a great choice when weed density is high or when environmental conditions reduce herbicide effectiveness."
Farms.com has reached out to faculty in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph to see how these results can be applied in Ontario.
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