scholarly journals Using cover crops to establish white and black spruce on abandoned agricultural lands

2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lemieux ◽  
C. Delisle
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Winter Barley ◽  
Agricultural Lands ◽  
Basal Diameter ◽  
Vegetation Control

Vegetation control is a critical factor in reforestation. On abandoned agricultural lands, an alternative to herbicide application is the use of cover crops to compete with the weeds and to improve survival and growth rates of transplanted species. A factorial experiment was carried out on four sites to test this hypothesis. The experiment included three factors. The first factor consisted of lime versus no lime application. The second factor included four cover crop combinations and a control. Cover crop combinations were winter barley (Hordeum vulgare) underseeded with either birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), ladino clover (Trifolium repens), or a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass and ladino clover. The third factor consisted in planting either white (Piceaglauca) or black (Picea mariana) spruce seedlings. Winter barley did not establish as rapidly and vigorously as expected. Nevertheless, the cereal reduced weed populations in the establishment year. For broadleaf weeds, this reduction was not large enough to allow a carryover during subsequent years. In contrast, subsequent increase of the grassy weed populations was slowed down in the presence of cover crops. The establishment of the other cover crops was poor and highly variable from site to site. It is not clear whether this relative failure was due to growing conditions, poor establishment of the cereal cover crop, or to other factors. Liming and cover crops had little effect on spruce growth but black spruce seedlings grew taller than white spruce seedlings at two out of four sites, and basal diameter of white spruce reached larger values than did black spruce. For white spruce, this might constitute an advantage in old fields where seedlings are prone to lodging under weed pressure. Finally, it was noted that seedling survival was exceptionally high in all treatments.

scholarly journals Screening Cover Crops for Use in Conservation Tillage Systems for Vegetables Following Spring Plowing

HortScience ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 860-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy A. Nelson ◽  
Brian A. Kahn ◽  
B. Warren Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Lolium Multiflorum ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Festuca Rubra ◽  
Hairy Vetch ◽  
Vicia Villosa ◽  
Crimson Clover ◽  
Cover Density

Several prospective cover crops were sown into 1-m2 monoculture plots on 9 Mar. 1987 and 10 Mar. 1988 at Bixby, Okla., and on 14 Mar. 1988 at Lane, Okla., after sites were plowed and fitted. Densities and dry weights of cover crops and weeds were determined in late April or early May of both years. Plots also were evaluated for degree of kill by glyphosate in 1988. Fourteen cover crops were screened at Bixby in 1987. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and three fescues (Festuca rubra L., Festuca rubra L. var. commutata Gaud.-Beaup., and Festuca elatior L.) were eliminated from further consideration due to inadequate cover density and inability to suppress weeds. Screenings of the 10 remaining covers were conducted at both locations in 1988. Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) and three small grains [rye (Secale cereale L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)] were the most promising cover crops with respect to cover density, competitiveness against weeds, and degree of kill by glyphosate. Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) were the most promising legumes, but they generally were less satisfactory than the grassy covers in all tested aspects. A single application of glyphosate was ineffective in killing hairy vetch at both locations. Chemical name used: N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (glyphosate).

Establishment of white spruce and black spruce in Boreal Ontario: Effects of chemical site preparation and post-planting weed control

1993 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 554-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E Wood ◽  
F. W. von Althen
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Picea Glauca ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Site Preparation ◽  
Vegetation Control ◽  
Chemical Release ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
The Difference

Five-year results of a field experiment to evaluate the effects of vegetation control either before or after planting on the performance of planted white spruce (Piceaglauca [Moench] Voss) and black spruce (P. mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) transplants and black spruce containerized seedlings are reported. Annual vegetation control with and without chemical site preparation significantly (P < 0.05) improved height growth, ground-level stem diameter, and health of the planted seedlings. Survival and seedling growth were significantly (P < 0.05) higher with chemical site preparation than with chemical release in August of the year after planting. From the beginning of June to the first half of August, soil temperatures were higher in the plots with no competing vegetation than in the control plots. The difference in temperature reached a maximum of 5 °C at 5 cm of depth and 4 °C at 12 cm of depth. Key words: black spruce, chemical site preparation, glyphosate, growth response, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, release, tending, vegetation management, weed control, white spruce

ASSESSMENT OF TURFGRASSES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF Pratylenchus penetrans and Paratylenchus projectus IN ORCHARDS

1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. TOWNSHEND ◽  
R. A. CLINE ◽  
V. A. DIRKS ◽  
C. F. MARKS
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Pratylenchus Penetrans ◽  
Root Lesion Nematode ◽  
Red Fescue ◽  
Poa Trivialis ◽  
Lesion Nematode

The capacity of 18 turfgrasses to repress the multiplication of root-lesion nematode, Pratylenchus penetrans Cobb, was tested in a growth room. Populations varied from 230 nematodes per pot on Agrostis alba L. to 1800 per pot on Poa trivialis L. Selected grass species and cultivars were tested as cover crops in established peach, plum, and apple orchards at Vineland from 1975 to 1980. Average population levels of the root-lesion nematode and the pin nematode, Paratylenchus projectus Jenkins, did not build up substantially during this period. Tall fescue, F. arundinacea (Schreb.), had the lowest average nematode population levels as a grass cover. Tall fescue and creeping red fescue, F. rubra L., were more effective in suppressing nematodes than Kentucky bluegrass, Poa pratensis L., and orchardgrass, Dactylis glomerata L..Key words: Apple, plum, peach, root-lesion, pin-nematodes

Development of a competition index for young conifer plantations established on boreal mixedwood sites

1991 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Morris ◽  
G. B. MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
Black Spruce ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
White Spruce ◽  
Jack Pine ◽  
Accurate Estimate ◽  
Stem Volume ◽  
Competition Index ◽  
Vegetation Control ◽  
Hemispherical Photographs ◽  
Bare Root

A competition index was developed, and then used to examine the relationships between perennial competition and plantation performance. Species included were white spruce, black spruce, and jack pine for both over-wintered containers and bare root stock. A total of fifteen four-year-old plantations were used in this study representing a range of soil textures located on boreal mixedwood sites in northern Ontario.Effective canopy cover, derived from vertical hemispherical photographs taken at the base of seedling leaders, provided an accurate estimate of the perennial woody competition affecting seedling diameter growth. Initial seedling size, defined by the stem volume at time of planting, proved to be an important covariate in the analysis.Using the relationship between effective canopy cover and seedling root collar diameter, the following questions regarding vegetation control decision-making were addressed: 1) jack pine was more sensitive to increased levels of competition, 2) over-wintered container stock were more sensitive than their larger bare root counterparts, 3) minimal differences occurred in the pattern of growth response to competition across the range of soil textures studied, and 4) early tending treatments should be concentrated on jack pine plantations or on spruce plantations with an effective canopy cover in excess of 60. Key Words: competition index, hemispherical photographs, boreal plantations, white spruce, black spruce, jack pine, tending guidelines.

scholarly journals Cover Crop Contributions to Improve the Soil Nitrogen and Carbon Sequestration in Almond Orchards (SW Spain)

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 387
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Repullo-Ruibérriz de Torres ◽  
Manuel Moreno-García ◽  
Rafaela Ordóñez-Fernández ◽  
Antonio Rodríguez-Lizana ◽  
Belén Cárceles Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Sw Spain ◽  
Sequestration Potential ◽  
Almond Orchards ◽  
Shallow Soils

Almond (Prunus dulcis Mill. [D.A. Webb]) is the third most widely spread crop in Spain and has traditionally been cultivated in marginal areas and shallow soils under rainfed conditions. However, it recently has been progressively introduced in flat irrigated areas. The implementation of cover crops in the inter-rows of woody crops has been proven as a suitable strategy to reduce the runoff and soil erosion but they also can boost soil quality and health. A field experiment was conducted during two-monitoring seasons to examine the soil nitrogen and carbon sequestration potential of three seeded cover crops [barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and a mixture of 65% barley and 35% vetch] and a control of spontaneous flora in irrigated almond orchards (SW Spain). Here, we show that barley provided the highest biomass amount, followed by mixture covers, vetch, and the control treatment. Also, vetch covered the soil faster in the growing stage, but its residues were decomposed easier than barley and mixture treatments during the decomposition period after mowing, providing less soil protection when the risk of water erosion with autumn rainfall is high. On the other hand, vetch improved soil nitrate content by over 35% with respect to barley and mixture treatments at 0–20 cm soil depth throughout the studied period. In addition, a greater carbon input to the soil was determined in the barley plot. That is, the mixture and barley cover crops had higher potential for carbon sequestration, augmenting the soil organic carbon by more than 1.0 Mg ha−1 during the study period. Thus, taking into consideration the findings of the present experiment, the establishment of a seeded cover crop would be more advisable than spontaneous flora to mitigate soil erosion, enhancing soil fertility and carbon sequestration in irrigated almond plantations in Mediterranean semi-arid regions.

scholarly journals Quantifying Root-Soil Interactions in Cover Crop Systems: A Review

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Cameron M. Ogilvie ◽  
Waqar Ashiq ◽  
Hiteshkumar B. Vasava ◽  
Asim Biswas
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Soil Ecosystems

Plant roots are an integral part of soil ecosystems and contribute to various services, including carbon and nutrient cycling, weathering, and soil formation. They also modify soil physical properties (e.g., soil water content, pore size distribution, and bulk density) and impact subsequent crops’ growth. Cover crops have been reported to improve soil and environmental quality by reducing nutrient losses, improving soil water content, and increasing soil organic matter. Understanding the complex interactions between cover crop roots and soil (RS) is of utmost importance. However, cover crop RS interactions have not been critically reviewed. In this article, we investigated the nature of cover crop physical RS interactions and explored the emerging technologies for their study. We also assessed technologies that may be readily applied to the study of physical RS interactions in cover crop systems and discussed ways to improve related research in the future.

scholarly journals Organic Farming and Cover-Crop Management Reduce Pest Predation in Austrian Vineyards

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 220
Author(s):  
Jo Marie Reiff ◽  
Sebastian Kolb ◽  
Martin H. Entling ◽  
Thomas Herndl ◽  
Stefan Möth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Lobesia Botrana ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Natural Pest Control ◽  
Predation Rates

Habitat simplification and intensive use of pesticides are main drivers of global arthropod declines and are, thus, decreasing natural pest control. Organic farming, complex landscapes, and local vineyard management practices such as implementation of flower-rich cover-crop mixtures may be a promising approach to enhance predator abundance and, therefore, natural pest control. We examined the effect of organic versus integrated management, cover-crop diversity in the vineyard inter-rows, and landscape composition on the natural pest control of Lobesia botrana eggs and pupae. Predation of L. botrana pupae was reduced by organic farming and species-poor cover-crops by about 10%. Predation rates of L. botrana eggs did not differ significantly in any of the studied management options. Dominant predators were earwigs (Forficulidae), bush crickets (Tettigoniidae), and ants (Formicidae). Negative effects of organic viticulture are most likely related to the negative nontarget effects on arthropods related to the frequent sulfur and copper applications in combination with the avoidance of strongly damaging insecticides by integrated winegrowers. While a 10% difference in predation rates on a single pest stage is unlikely to have strong practical implications, our results show that the assumed effectiveness of environmentally friendly agriculture needs to be evaluated for specific crops and regions.

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