Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T05:09:35.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of Incorporated Rye and Hairy Vetch Cover Crop Residue on the Persistence of Weed Seeds in the Soil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 February 2018

Charles L. Mohler ,
Alan G. Taylor ,
Antonio DiTommaso ,
Russell R. Hahn  and
Robin R. Bellinder
Charles L. Mohler*
Affiliation:
Senior Research Associate, Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Alan G. Taylor
Affiliation:
Professor, Section of Horticulture, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY, USA
Antonio DiTommaso
Affiliation:
Professor, Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Russell R. Hahn
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
Robin R. Bellinder
Affiliation:
Professor, Section of Horticulture, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Charles L. Mohler, Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant Science, 907 Bradfield Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. (Email: [email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Incorporation of cover crop residue into the soil has been suggested as a means for reducing weed seedbanks. To explore this hypothesis, we buried mesh bags of seeds mixed with sand at 15-cm depth in late fall in plots that had been planted with rye (Secale cereale L.) or hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) or left unplanted. Separate bags contained either velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik.), giant foxtail (Setaria faberi Herrm.), Powell amaranth (Amaranthus powellii S. Watson), or common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.). The experiment used a randomized complete block design with five replications, and enough bags were buried to allow a final recovery in each of the following three springs. Each spring, bags were exhumed, and seeds were either counted and tested for viability or mixed with chopped cover crop material or simply stirred for control bags, and the material was reburied. The experiment was completed twice with initial burials in fall of 2011 and 2013. Rye had no consistent effect on persistence of seeds of any of the species. For two observation intervals, rye increased persistence of a species; for another two intervals, it decreased persistence relative to the control; but mostly rye did not affect persistence. Hairy vetch decreased persistence of C. album and A. powellii in both runs of the experiment but had no effect on persistence of A. theophrasti and S. faberi. Germination of the first two species is promoted by nitrate, whereas A. theophrasti germination is not sensitive to nitrate, and S. faberi is only rarely nitrate sensitive. We suggest that nitrate released during decomposition of hairy vetch may have promoted fatal germination of C. album and A. powellii. Incorporation of legume cover crops like hairy vetch may provide a means for decreasing the seedbanks of the many weed species whose germination is promoted by nitrate. The lack of any reduction of A. theophrasti and S. faberi seed persistence in response to hairy vetch and the inconsistent and mostly negligible effect of rye indicate that a general increase in readily decomposable organic matter through incorporation of cover crops may be ineffective at reducing weed seedbanks.

Keywords

Adam Davis, USDA-ARSFatal germinationgreen manurenitrateseedbanksseed survival.
Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Information
Weed Science , Volume 66 , Issue 3 , May 2018 , pp. 379 - 385
Copyright
© Weed Science Society of America, 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

✠

Deceased.

References

Altieri, MA, Doll, JD (1978) The potential of allelopathy as a tool for weed management in crop fields. Intl J Pest Manag 24:495–502 Google Scholar
[AOSA/SCST] Association of Official Seed Analysts/Society of Commercial Seed Technologists (2010) Tetrazolium Testing Handbook. 2010 ed. Ithaca, NY: AOSA/SCST Google Scholar
Auld, B, Hetherington, SD, Smith, HE (2003) Advances in bioherbicide formulation. Weed Biol Manag 3:61–67 Google Scholar
Brainard, DC, DiTommaso, A, Mohler, CL (2006) Intraspecific variation in germination response to ammonium nitrate of Powell amaranth (Amaranthus powellii) seeds originating from organic and conventional vegetable farms. Weed Sci 54:435–442 Google Scholar
Costea, M, Weaver, SE, Tardif, EJ (2004) The biology of Canadian weeds. 44. Amaranthus retroflexus L., A. powellii S. Watson and A. hybridus L. (updated). Can J Plant Sci 84:631–668 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chung, I-M, Miller, DA (1995) Natural herbicide potential of alfalfa residue on selected weed species. Agron J 87:920–925 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, AS (2007) Nitrogen fertilizer and crop residue effects on seed mortality and germination of eight annual weed species. Weed Sci 55:123–128 Google Scholar
Davis, AS, Anderson, KI, Hallett, SG, Renner, KA (2006) Weed seed mortality in soils with contrasting agricultural management histories. Weed Sci 54:291–297 Google Scholar
Davis, AS, Cardina, J, Forcella, F, Johnson, GA, Kegode, G, Lindquist, JL, Luschei, EC, Renner, KA, Sprague, CL, Williams, MM II (2005) Environmental factors affecting seed persistence of annual weeds across the U.S. corn belt. Weed Sci 53:860–868 Google Scholar
Dekker, J (2003) The foxtail (Setaria) species-group. Weed Sci 51:641–656 Google Scholar
Dyck, E, Liebman, M (1994) Soil fertility management as a factor in weed control: the effect of crimson clover residue, synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, and their interaction on emergence and early growth of lambsquarters and sweet corn. Plant Soil 167:227–237 Google Scholar
Edwards, CA (1983) Earthworm ecology in cultivated soil. Pages 123–137 in Satchell JE, ed. Earthworm Ecology. London: Chapman and Hall CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fausey, JC, Renner, KA (1997) Germination, emergence, and growth of giant foxtail (Setaria faberi) and fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorum). Weed Sci 45:423–425 Google Scholar
Fawcett, RS, Slife, EW (1978) Effect of field applications of nitrate on weed seed germination and dormancy. Weed Sci 26:594–596 Google Scholar
Fennimore, SA, Jackson, LE (2003) Organic amendment and tillage effects on vegetable field weed emergence and seedbanks. Weed Technol 17:42–50 Google Scholar
Gallandt, ER, Fuerst, EP, Kennedy, AC (2004) Effect of tillage, fungicide seed treatment, and fumigation on seed bank dynamics of wild oat (Avena fatua). Weed Sci 52:597–604 Google Scholar
Gallandt, ER, Liebman, M, Huggins, DR (1999) Improving soil quality: implications for weed management. J Crop Prod 2:95–121 Google Scholar
Gallandt, ER, Molloy, T, Lynch, RP, Drummond, FA (2005) Effect of cover-cropping systems on invertebrate seed predation. Weed Sci 53:69–76 Google Scholar
Ghosheh, HZ (2005) Constraints in implementing biological weed control: a review. Weed Biol Manag 5:83–92 Google Scholar
Henson, IE (1970) Effects of light, potassium nitrate and temperature on the germination of Chenopodium album L. Weed Res 10:27–39 Google Scholar
Hill, EC, Renner, KA, Sprague, CL, Davis, AS (2016) Cover crop impact on weed dynamics in an organic dry bean system. Weed Sci 64:261–275 Google Scholar
Hilton, JR (1984) The influence of light and potassium nitrate on the dormancy and germination of Avena fatua L. (wild oat) seed and its ecological significance. New Phytol 96:31–34 Google Scholar
Hilton, JR (1985) The influence of light and potassium nitrate on the dormancy and germination of Avena fatua L. (wild oat) seed stored buried under natural conditions. J Exp Bot 36:974–979 Google Scholar
Holm, RE (1972) Volatile metabolites controlling germination in buried weed seeds. Plant Physiol 50:293–297 Google Scholar
Horowitz, M, Taylorson, RB (1985) Behaviour of hard and permeable seeds of Abutilon theophrasti Medic. (velvetleaf). Weed Res 25:363–372 Google Scholar
Hurtt, W, Taylorson, RB (1986) Chemical manipulation of weed emergence. Weed Res 26:259–267 Google Scholar
Jordan, N, Mortensen, DA, Prenzlow, DM, Cox, KC (1995) Simulation analysis of crop rotation effects on weed seedbanks. Am J Bot 82:390–398 Google Scholar
Kremer, RJ (1993) Management of weed seed banks with microorganisms. Ecol Appl 3:42–52 Google Scholar
Liebman, L, Mohler, CL (2001) Weeds and the soil environment. Pages 210--268 in Liebman M, Mohler CL, Staver CP, eds. Ecological Management of Agricultural Weeds. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Little, NG, Mohler, CL, Ketterings, QM, DiTommaso, A (2014) Effects of organic nutrient amendments on weed and crop growth. Weed Sci 63:710–722 Google Scholar
Lueschen, WE, Andersen, RN, Hoverstad, TR, Kanne, BK (1993) Seventeen years of cropping systems and tillage affect velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) seed longevity. Weed Sci 41:82–86 Google Scholar
McRill, M, Sagar, GR (1973) Earthworms and seeds. Nature 243:482 Google Scholar
Mohler, CL, Dykeman, C, Nelson, ER, DiTommaso, A (2014) Reduction in weed seedling emergence by pathogens following the incorporation of green crop residue. Weed Res 52:467–477 Google Scholar
Reigosa, MJ, Souto, XC, Gonzalez, L (1999) Effect of phenolic compounds on the germination of six weed species. Plant Growth Regul 28:83–88 Google Scholar
Roberts, EH, Benjamin, SK (1979) The interaction of light, nitrate and alternating temperature on the germination of Chenopodium album, Capsella bursa-pastoris and Poa annua before and after chilling. Seed Sci Technol 7:379–392 Google Scholar
Roberts, HA, Feast, PM (1972) Fate of seeds of some annual weeds in different depths of cultivated and undisturbed soil. Weed Res 12:316–324 Google Scholar
Sarrantonio, M, Scott, TW (1988) Tillage effects on nitrogen availability to corn following a winter green manure crop. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52:1661–1668 Google Scholar
Sauer, J, Struik, G (1964) A possible ecological relation between soil disturbance, light-flash, and seed germination. Ecol 45:884–886 Google Scholar
Schimpf, DJ, Palmblad, IG (1980) Germination response of weed seeds to nitrate and ammonium with and without simulated overwintering. Weed Sci 28:190–193 Google Scholar
Schweizer, EE, Zimdahl, RL (1984) Weed seed decline in irrigated soil after six years of continuous corn (Zea mays) and herbicides. Weed Sci 32:76–83 Google Scholar
Shumway, DL, Koide, RT (1994) Seed preferences of Lumbricus terrestris L. Appl Soil Ecol 1:11–15 Google Scholar
Steinbauer, GP, Grigsby, B (1957) Interaction of temperature, light, and moistening agent in the germination of weed seeds. Weeds 5:175–182 Google Scholar
Sweeney, AE, Renner, KA, Laboski, C, Davis, A (2008) Effect of fertilizer nitrogen on weed emergence and growth. Weed Sci 56:714–721 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vincent, EM, Roberts, EH (1977) The interaction of light, nitrate and alternating temperature in promoting the germination of dormant seeds of common weed species. Seed Sci Technol 5:659–670 Google Scholar
Weaver, SE, Thomas, AG (1986) Germination responses to temperature and atrazine-resistant and susceptible biotypes of two pigweed (Amaranthus) species. Weed Sci 34:865–870 Google Scholar