Dryland Sorghum Production and Weed Control with Minimum Tillage

Abstract

Herbicides applied shortly after wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) harvest combined with no tillage or with several minimum tillage treatments were compared with conventional tillage for weed control from wheat harvest 1 year through sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) production the next year. Three lb/A of 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (atrazine) with no tillage did not completely control weeds, but over 4 years of sorghum grain yields on the atrazine-no tillage plots and on conventional tillage plots were not significantly different. One tillage either immediately before or immediately after application of 3 lb/A atrazine controlled essentially all weeds from wheat harvest until fall, but in some years grass weeds emerged in the spring. One pre-planting tillage or one cultivation after sorghum emergence reduced weed competition so that no additional weed control measures were needed. Sorghum yields from those plots were substantially above yields resulting from conventional tillage.