Effect of interseeding cover crops and fertilization on weed suppression under an organic and rotational cropping system: 1. Stability of weed suppression over years and main crops of potato, maize and soybean

Abstract

Interseeding cover crops is an alternative to laborious intertillages and hand weeding followed in organic farming. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fertilization and interseeding cover crops on the growth of main crops and weeds and the stability of weed suppression over years and main crop species under four-year rotational organic farming. Two cover crops, winter rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), were interseeded in furrows of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), soybean (Glycine max Merr.) and maize (Zea mays L.) at 3–5 weeks after planting the main crops. The number and dry weight of weeds were measured at the maximum plant height stage of main crops and main crop yields were recorded at their physiological maturity. The light competition between main crops, cover crops and weeds was analyzed by vertical community structure and vegetation cover ratio (VCR) of each crop. Since light competition of main crops with cover crops and weeds was not severe, main crop yields were not suppressed significantly by either cover crops or weeds. Weed growth was suppressed significantly by interseeding cover crops through increasing the VCR of main crops plus cover crops. This weed suppression by interseeding cover crops was stable to the main crop species in rotational cropping systems and to the various environmental conditions, because the cover crops compensated the low VCR of main crops alone at early growth stage especially when main crop growth was depressed by unfavorable environmental conditions. In addition, input of compost and fermented organic fertilizer had positive effects on the main crop yield and weed suppression. It is concluded, therefore, that weeds can be suppressed effectively and stably without yield reductions of main crops by interseeding cover crops with sufficient fertilization in organic farming systems.