Strip Tillage and Early-Season Broadleaf Weed Control in Seeded Onion (Allium cepa)

Abstract

Abstract:Field experiments were conducted in 2007 and 2008 near Oakes, North Dakota (ND), USA, to evaluate if strip tillage could be incorporated into a production system of seeded onion (Allium cepa) to eliminate the standard use of a barley (Hordeum vulgare) companion crop with conventional, full width tillage, yet support common early-season weed control programs. A split-factor design was used with tillage (conventional and strip tillage) as the main plot and herbicide treatments (bromoxynil, DCPA, oxyfluorfen, and pendimethalin) as sub-plots. Neither tillage nor herbicide treatments affected onion stand counts. Common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) densities were lower in strip tillage compared to conventional tillage up to three weeks after the post-emergence applied herbicides. In general, micro-rate post-emergence herbicide treatments provided greater early-season broadleaf weed control than pre-emergence herbicide treatments. Onion yield and grade did not differ among herbicide treatments because the mid-season herbicide application provided sufficient control/suppression of the early-season weed escapes that these initial weed escapes did not impact onion yield or bulb diameter. In 2007, onion in the strip tillage treatment were larger in diameter resulting in greater total and marketable yields compared to conventional tillage. Marketable onion yield was 82.1 Mg ha´1 in strip tillage and 64.9 Mg ha´1 in conventional tillage. Results indicate that strip tillage use in direct-seeded onion production was beneficial, especially when growing conditions were conducive to higher yields and that the use of strip tillage in onion may provide an alternative to using a companion crop as it did not interfere with either early-season weed management system.

Early Spring Broadleaved Weed Control during Seedling Dormancy in Regenerated Pedunculate Oak Forests

“…Although they were carried out on agricultural crops, many studies talk about the importance of early spring broadleaf weed control [34,35]. In addition to competition for moisture and nutrients, weeds also compete for sunlight.…”

Effects of Strip Tillage and Irrigation Rate on Sugar Beet Crop Yield and Incidence of Insect Pests, Weeds, and Plant Pathogens

“…The only significant tillage effect observed was for higher green foxtail counts within rows under strip tillage during 2011. In contrast, several studies across a variety of systems reported a reduction in weeds under strip tillage; however, these studies vary in location, weed species examined, and weed sampling methodology (Hendrix et al, 2004;Rapp et al, 2004;Wang and Ngouajio, 2008;Trevini et al, 2013;Gegner-Kazmierczak and Hatterman-Valenti, 2016). In general, weed management has long been considered a challenge under conservation tillage practices, including strip tillage (Morse, 1999;Morris et al, 2010).…”

The Irrigation Practice Influence on the Onion Yield Under Drop Watering

“…Such land grading provides express ridge warming in spring and, and, in addition, improves the microclimate, protecting it from the prevailing winds during the sprouts period and the initial phases of onion growth. To form a ridge grading, modern industry produces many models of bed-formers [9]. Today, rototilling bed-formers have obtained great popularity, providing better topsoil development and graded surface formation.…”