Method, timing and duration of bare fallow for the control of Cirsium arvense and other creeping perennials

摘要: Abstract The control of perennial weeds is great concern in organic farming. Mouldboard ploughing and other soil tillage operations are the main methods for combating weeds, often combined with competition from a green manure cover crop. Inclusion period bare fallow may at times become necessary. Repeated however cause erosion loss nutrients, more so autumn than spring tillage. timing effectiveness therefore important. aim present work has been to evaluate if contributes increased weed reduction performed, how combine stubble cultivation, establishment cover-crop compare two optimum duration compared an established cover-crop. varied between species was related their biology. Overall, studied developed least total biomass mown, one-year crop or after complete underground cutting by shallow harvest deep spring. seemed be most successfully harrowing when undersown previous year. Autumn had little impact on treatments were performed Only high number harrowings competed well undersowing regulation individual species, except case Elymus repens . kept minimum followed cover-crop, such If fallowing we found no benefit increasing three four harrowings. Shallow tine reduced same extent as without subsequent ploughing, ploughing. We general increase cereal yield inclusion crop, preferably first experimental A prolonged negative effect optimization lower that required control. need find balance these factors.