Integrating herbicides in a high-residue cover crop conservation agriculture setting

Authors: Price, Andrew; KELTON, J - Auburn University

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/14/2013
Publication Date: 5/29/2013
Citation: Price, A.J., Kelton, J.A. 2013. Integrating herbicides in a high-residue cover crop conservation agriculture setting. In: Price, A.J., editor. Herbicides-Current Research and Case Studies in Use. Intech Press, Rijeka, Croatia. ISBN 978-953-51-1112-2. 652 p.

Interpretive Summary: Conservation agriculture systems provide a means to ensure long-term agricultural productivity, protect environmental quality, and reduce inputs into farming systems. Weed control in these systems rely on multiple tactics to achieve effective weed management while limiting chemical inputs. Practices such reduced tillage can offer many environmental and cost benefits; however, weed control can be reduced when adopting these systems. To alleviate the dependence on herbicide applications for weed control in reduced tillage, cover crops, particularly high-residue crops, have been utilized to provide a measure of weed control. While cover crops can be effective weed suppression tools, herbicides are still necessary to provide season-long weed control. The objectives of this chapter are to provide an overview of conservation tillage and cover crop use for weed control and to identify herbicide options for best use when implementing cover crops into six of the major agricultural crops grown globally.

Technical Abstract: Conservation agriculture systems provide a means to ensure long-term agricultural productivity, protect environmental quality, and reduce inputs into farming systems. Weed control in these systems rely on multiple tactics to achieve effective weed management while limiting chemical inputs. Practices such reduced tillage can offer many environmental and cost benefits; however, weed control can be reduced when adopting these systems. To alleviate the dependence on herbicide applications for weed control in reduced tillage, cover crops, particularly high-residue crops, have been utilized to provide a measure of weed control. While cover crops can be effective weed suppression tools, herbicides are still necessary to provide season-long weed control. The objectives of this chapter are to provide an overview of conservation tillage and cover crop use for weed control and to identify herbicide options for best use when implementing cover crops into six of the major agricultural crops grown globally.