Rapeseed (Brassica napus) Green Manure Crop Suppresses Weeds in Potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Abstract

Fall-planted rapeseed and sudangrass were evaluated for weed control in potato during a two-year study. Rapeseed incorporated in the spring in a loamy sand soil reduced weed density 85 and 73% in 1992 and 1993, respectively, and reduced weed biomass 96 and 50% in 1992 and 1993, respectively, in following potato crops compared to potato after fallow. Potato following rapeseed yielded 25% and 17% more total tuber weight than potato following sudangrass in 1992 and fallow in 1993, respectively. In greenhouse trials, rapeseed tissue added to a loamy sand soil at 20 g fresh weight per 400 g dry soil reduced biomass of hairy nightshade and longspine sandbur by 90 and 83%, respectively. Similarly, white mustard tissue added at 20 g fresh weight per 400 g dry soil reduced biomass of hairy nightshade and green foxtail by 83 and 70%, respectively.