Use of a mechanical roller-crimper as an alternative kill method for cover crops

Ashford, D.L.; Reeves, D. W.

doi:10.1079/ajaa2003037

Cited by 186 publications

(232 citation statements)

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“…As residue fragmentation helps decomposition by microorganisms, using a roller-crimper may produce more persistent mulch. The roller-crimper also decreases production costs as it requires less energy than a running a mower or pulling a plow, and avoids the use of herbicides (Ashford and Reeves, 2003).…”

Section: Service Crop Strategy Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management of service crops for the provision of ecosystem services in vineyards: A review

Garcia

Celette

Gary

et al. 2018

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

179

116

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Service crops are crops grown with the aim of providing non-marketed ecosystem services, i.e. differing from food, fiber and fuel production. Vineyard soils face various agronomic issues such as poor organic carbon levels, erosion, fertility losses, and numerous studies have highlighted the ability of service crops to address these issues. In addition to their ability to increase soil organic matter and fertility, and reduce runoff and erosion processes, service crops provide a large variety of ecosystem services in vineyards such as weed control, pest and disease regulation, water supply, water purification, improvement of field trafficability and maintenance of soil biodiversity. However, associating service crops with grapevines may also generate disservices and impair grape production: competition for soil resources with the grapevine is often highlighted to reject such association. Consequently, vinegrowers have to find a balance between services and disservices, depending on local soil and climate conditions, on their objectives of grape production and on the nature and temporality of the ecosystem services they expect during the grapevine cycle. This study proposes a review of the services and disservices provided by service crops in vineyards, and a framework for their management. Vinegrowers' production objectives and pedoclimatic constraints form the preliminary stage to consider before defining a strategy of service crop management. This strategy assembles management options such as the choice of species, its spatial distribution within the vineyard, the timing of its installation, maintenance and destruction. These management options, defined for both annual and long-term time scales, form action levers which may impact cropping system functioning. Finally, we underline the importance of implementing an adaptive strategy at the seasonal time scale. Such tactical management allows adapting the cropping system to observed climate and state of the biophysical system during the grapevine cycle, in order to provide targeted services and achieve satisfactory production objectives.

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Section: Service Crop Strategy Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management of service crops for the provision of ecosystem services in vineyards: A review

Garcia

Celette

Gary

et al. 2018

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

179

116

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Creamer et al [28] reported better results when cover crops were killed using a roller compared with a flail mower, but a blade plow was attached to the roller and shallow soil disturbance occurred. Ashford and Reeves [29] were perhaps the first North American researchers to consider terminating cover crops mechanically but without tillage using a roller-crimper, borrowing an idea first developed and used in South America following the introduction of conventional ZT. A roller-crimper essentially is a rolling drum with blades of various designs attached to it.…”

Section: Organic Zero Tillagementioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Organic Zero Tillage Systems on Crops, Weeds, and Soil Quality

2013

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Abstract:Organic farming has been identified as promoting soil quality even though tillage is used for weed suppression. Adopting zero tillage and other conservation tillage practices can enhance soil quality in cropping systems where synthetic agri-chemicals are relied on for crop nutrition and weed control. Attempts have been made to eliminate tillage completely when growing several field crops organically. Vegetative mulch produced by killed cover crops in organic zero tillage systems can suppress annual weeds, but large amounts are needed for adequate early season weed control. Established perennial weeds are not controlled by cover crop mulch. Integrated weed management strategies that include other cultural as well as biological and mechanical controls have potential and need to be incorporated into organic zero tillage research efforts. Market crop performance in organic zero tillage systems has been mixed because of weed, nutrient cycling, and other problems that still must be solved. Soil quality benefits have been demonstrated in comparisons between organic conservation tillage and inversion tillage systems, but studies that include zero tillage treatments are lacking. Research is needed which identifies agronomic strategies for optimum market crop performance, acceptable levels of weed suppression, and soil quality benefits following adoption of organic zero tillage. OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2013, 5 3173

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“…Similar trends were observed at Salisbury (2009), where four of the SRCs (Wrens 96, Wrens Abruzzi, Maton II and Aroostook) had matured to the soft-dough growth stage by the early rye termination date (May 21), thus resulting in 100% (Table 3). Ashford and Reeves (2003) demonstrated effective termination of rye cover crops via a roller-crimper when the rye had entered late reproductive growth. During the early rye termination date in Salisbury, neither Rymin nor Wheeler, both late flowering types, were sufficiently mature for effective control with the roller-crimper as reflected by the observed lower control ratings of 25 and 65%, respectively (Table 3).…”

Section: Results and Discussion 2009 Seasonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Early flowering rye cultivars offer producers the widest range of termination opportunities that best coincide with their cash crop planting dates. Even in years with cold and wet winters followed by dry springs, as experienced in Kinston (2010), there are advantages to going with an early flowering rye cultivar such as delaying termination and planting until conditions are more favorable (Ashford and Reeves, 2003;Wells et al, 2014). In either case, producers should pick a rye cultivar with flowering and subsequent dough development dates that facilitate mechanical termination via the roller-crimper, and synchronize closely to the soybean planting date.…”

Section: Analysis Of Covariance (Ancova)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Weed suppression and soybean yield in a no-till cover-crop mulched system as influenced by six rye cultivars

Wells

Brinton

Reberg‐Horton

2015

Renew. Agric. Food Syst.

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Cover crop mulches have been successful in reducing weed severity in organic soybeans. This study examined six rye cultivars (SRCs) used as cover crops to determine which were most adapted for use with a roller-crimper in the southeastern U.S. To be an effective mulch, a rye cultivar must produce high biomass and reach reproductive growth stage to facilitate mechanical termination via the roller-crimper prior to soybean planting. Rye cultivars were planted at three locations in North Carolina over the 2009 and 2010 growing seasons. Each rye cultivar was mechanically terminated via a roller-crimper implement. Rye cover crops were terminated on two dates and soybeans were immediately no-till planted into the mulch. In 2009, all rye cultivars produced greater than 9000 kg ha −1 rye biomass dry matter (DM) with the exception of Rymin at Plymouth (2009), but in 2010 only the early flowering cultivars produced in excess of 9000 kg ha −1 DM. There were no detectable soybean yield differences between the SRCs and the weed-free checks, and weed control was excellent across all SRCs at both Plymouth and Salisbury (2009). After an unseasonably cold and wet winter in 2010, the late flowering rye cultivars were not fully controlled by the early termination date due to delayed maturation (less than 65% control at 2 WAP) whereas the early flowering cultivars were fully controlled (100% control at 2 WAP). Rye biomass production was below 9000 kg ha −1 DM for the late flowering and dough development rye cultivars. The early-terminated rye plots had greater weed coverage across all SRCs than those from the late termination date (P < 0.01). However, weeds did not impact soybean yield for either of the termination dates. Soybean yield in 2010 was modeled with rye biomass and soybean population used as covariates, and for both termination dates, soybean yield was proportional to rye biomass production. Early flowering rye cultivars offer producers the widest range of termination opportunities that best coincide with their cash crop planting dates.

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Use of a mechanical roller-crimper as an alternative kill method for cover crops

Cited by 186 publications

References 0 publications

Management of service crops for the provision of ecosystem services in vineyards: A review

Management of service crops for the provision of ecosystem services in vineyards: A review

Impacts of Organic Zero Tillage Systems on Crops, Weeds, and Soil Quality

Weed suppression and soybean yield in a no-till cover-crop mulched system as influenced by six rye cultivars

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