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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #408642
Research Project: Enhancing Sustainability of Mid-Atlantic Agricultural Systems Using Agroecological Principles and Practices

Location: Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory

Title: Breeding allelopathy in cereal rye for weed suppression

Author
item REBONG, DEMOCRITO - North Carolina State University
item INOA, SHANNON - North Carolina State University
item MOORE, VIRGINIA - Cornell University
item REBERG-HORTON, CHRIS - North Carolina State University
item Mirsky, Steven
item MURPHY, PAUL - North Carolina State University
item LEON, RAMON - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Weed Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/26/2023
Publication Date: 11/17/2023
Citation: Rebong, D., Inoa, S.H., Moore, V.M., Reberg-Horton, C.S., Mirsky, S.B., Murphy, P.J., Leon, R.G. 2023. Breeding allelopathy in cereal rye for weed suppression. Weed Science. 72(1):30-40. https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2023.64.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2023.64

Interpretive Summary: There is a need to develop cover crop breeding programs given the increased use of cover crops and their use for varied agroecosystem purposes. Rye is the most popular cover crop because it produces large amounts biomass and can suppress weeds both by smothering them and by chemically inhibiting them (i.e. allelopathy). In this paper, we provide an overview of rye history and breeding and describe a strategy to develop rye lines with increased allelopathic activity for better weed suppression. We focus on ways to deal with important challenges to achieve this goal including need for cross-pollination of rye for it to produce seed, the consequent high segregation levels, and the need to quantify allelopathic activity under field conditions. This review will be of value to farmers because it seeks to encourage weed scientists to collaborate with plant breeders and to promote the development of cover crop cultivars better suited to reducing weed populations.

Technical Abstract: Rapid increase in the area and agricultural systems that use cover cropping for soil conservation and improvement, soil moisture retention, and weed management has highlighted the need to develop formal breeding programs for cover crop species. Rye (Secale cereale) is preferred by many growers due to high biomass production and weed suppression potential, which is believed to be partially due to allelopathy. Here, we provide an overview of rye history and breeding and describe a strategy to develop rye lines with increased allelopathic activity. The discussion focuses on ways to deal with important challenges to achieve this goal including obligate cross pollination and its consequent high segregation levels, and the need to quantify allelopathic activity under field conditions. This review seeks to encourage weed scientists to collaborate with plant breeders and promote the development of cover crop cultivars better suited to reduce weed populations.