A 2-Year Small Grain Interval Reduces Need for Herbicides in No-Till Soybean

Abstract

This study measured weed interference in soybean and corn as affected by residue management tactics following a sequence of oat and winter wheat. Residue management tactics compared were conventional tillage, no-till, and no-till plus cover crops. Treatments were split into weed-free and weed-infested conditions; prominent weeds were green and yellow foxtail and common lambsquarters. Grain yield of soybean did not differ between weed-free and weed-infested conditions with no-till, whereas weeds reduced yield 25% in the tilled system. Corn responded inconsistently to treatments, with more than 40% yield loss due to weed interference in 1 yr with all treatments. Cover crops did not improve weed management compared with no-till in either crop. Seedling emergence of the weed community differed between tillage and no-till; density of weed seedlings was fivefold higher with tillage, whereas seedling emergence was delayed in no-till. The initial flush of seedlings occurred 2 to 3 wk later in no-till compared with the tilled system. Designing rotations to include cool-season crops in a no-till system may eliminate the need for herbicides in soybean to manage weeds.