Natural Mulches Are Not Very Effective for Weed Control in Onions

摘要: ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Allium cepa, sustainable, Vidalia, short-day, nonstor- age, certifi ed organic SUMMARY. This study was undertaken to evaluate natural mulches for weed con- trol in onion (Allium cepa) production where current practices rely on hand-weeding or plastic mulch. Three experiments were conducted over 2 years, with two on-farm different years and one experiment on-station. Treatments consisted of wheat (Triticum aestivum) oat (Avena sativa) straw, bermudagrass hay (Cyn- odon dactylon), compost, needles slash pine (Pinus elliottii) longleaf (P. palustris). All the exception compost tended lodge tops due their close spacing. Wheat straw bermuda- grass reduced plant stand yield. Compost settled well around plants initially smothered weeds, but time treatment became very weedy. Pine needle mulch (referred as southeast- ern U.S.) showed most promise less loss yield reduction, did tend tops. None these acceptable compared hand-weeding.