Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Soil Dynamics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #412677
Research Project: Agronomic and Engineering Solutions for Conventional and Organic Conservation Agricultural Systems in the Southeastern U.S.

Location: Soil Dynamics Research

Title: Influence of a cereal rye cover crop on the critical period for weed control in soybean

Author
item KUMARI, ANNU - Auburn University
item Price, Andrew
item KORRES, NICHOLAS - University Of Ioannina
item GAMBLE, AUDREY - Auburn University
item LI, STEVE - Auburn University

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy Branch Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/13/2023
Publication Date: 10/29/2023
Citation: Kumari, A., Price, A.J., Korres, N., Gamble, A., Li, S. 2023. Influence of a cereal rye cover crop on the critical period for weed control in soybean [ABSTRACT]. American Society of Agronomy, St Louis, MO, Oct 29-Nov 1, 2023.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soybean is the world’s most widely grown leguminous crop and is an important source of oil and protein for food and feed in addition to other industrial uses. However, herbicide resistant and troublesome weed control challenges limit yield potential and threaten conservation tillage (CT) systems. Cover crops have been widely adopted as an integrated pest management component in CT systems to suppress weeds and maintain soybean yield potential. A three-year field experiment was conducted to estimate the influence of a cereal rye cover crop following conservation tillage on the critical period for weed control (CPWC) in soybean. The experiment was implemented in a split plot design in which main plots as conservation tillage following cover crop (CT + CC), conservation tillage following winter fallow (CT + WF) and conventional tillage (CVT), and sub plots were multiple durations of weed free and weed interference. Results showed that soybean yield loss did not reach a 5% threshold until 1 WAP for CT + WF and 3 WAP for CVT and CT + CC treatments. The presence of cover crop delayed the critical timing for weed removal (CTWR) approximately 2 wk. and caused an early beginning of the critical weed-free period (CWFP) approximately 3-4 wk. compared with CT + WF treatment, hence shortened the critical period for weed control (CPWC) in 2018 and 2019, while extended CWFP was observed in 2020 because of less cover crop biomass at the time of termination due to poor rye seed germination and seedling establishment. Less weed biomass was collected following CT + CC treatment compared with CVT and CT + WF systems during the crop growing seasons for all three years. In conclusion, CT + WF should be avoided to reduce weed competition and subsequent yield loss in soybean.