Band sowing with hoeing in organic grains: I. Comparisons with alternative weed management practices in spring barley. Issue 3 (28th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McCollough, Margaret R.; Gallandt, Eric R.; Darby, Heather M.; Molloy, Thomas
• Editors: Williams, Martin M.
• Is Part Of: Weed science. Volume 68:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 285
• Page End: 293
• Publication Date: 2020-05-28
• Subjects: Cereal, -- crop–weed competition, -- grain, -- interrow hoeing, -- narrow-row, -- physical weed control, -- small grain, -- wide-row; 632.505
• DOI: 10.1017/wsc.2019.64
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-1745

Abstract

Abstract: Weeds remain the foremost production challenge for organic small grain farmers in the northeastern United States. Instead of crops sown in narrow, single-line rows, band sowing offers a more uniform spatial arrangement of the crop, maximizing interspecific while reducing intraspecific competition. Weeds in the inter-band zone are controlled by cultivating with aggressive sweeps; tine harrowing can target weeds in both intra- and inter-band zones. Field experiments in Maine and Vermont in 2016 and 2017 evaluated band sowing for improved weed control, crop yield, and grain quality in organic spring barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. 'Newdale'). Specifically, we compared: (1) the standard practice of sowing 16.5-cm rows at a target crop density of 325 plants m −2, (2) narrow-row sowing with increased crop density, (3) wide-row sowing with interrow hoeing, and (4) band sowing both with and (5) without inter-band hoeing. Mustard ( Sinapis alba L. 'Ida Gold') was planted throughout the experiment as a surrogate weed. Compared with the standard practice, band sowing with hoeing reduced surrogate weed density on average by 45% across site-years. However, effects on weed biomass and yield were inconsistent, perhaps due to suboptimal timing of hoeing and adverse weather conditions. In 1 out of 4 site-years, band sowing with hoeing reduced surrogate weed biomass by 67% and increased crop yield compared with the standard treatment. Results also indicate that band sowing with hoeing may improve 1, 000-kernel weight and plump kernel grain-quality parameters.