Effect of No-till Systems on Weed Control and Yields of Continuous Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Abstract

Experiments were conducted from 1979 to 1982 to determine whether selected herbicide treatments applied before or after harvest would provide adequate weed control without the use of tillage between crops in continuous winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) production systems. of the herbicide treatments evaluated, only oryzalin (3,5-dinitro-N4,N4-dipropylsulfanilamide) at 2.2 kg ai/ha applied prior to wheat maturity adequately controlled summer annual weeds each year. Populations of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentusL. # CYPES) and/or clammy groundcherry (Physalis heterophyllaNees) increased from continued preharvest use of oryzalin in no-till treatments and were greater than those resulting from conventional tillage or various postharvest no-till treatments containing glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine]. After 4 yr, populations of winter annualCruciferaespp. at one location were lower in treatments that had poorer control of summer annual weeds or volunteer wheat. At a second location, winter annual broadleaf species were more numerous in conventionally tilled than in no-till treatments. Wheat yields obtained with no-till treatments were lower than yields obtained with conventional tillage in seasons favorable for high yields.