Weed Growth in Response to Cover Crops During Fallow Period or Incorporated into The Soil at Different Times

Abstract

The presence of the cover crops especially as mixed during fallow period significantly reduced weed density and dry weight as compared to control (no cover crop). The suppressing effect of cover crops on weeds was enhanced in response to increasing their duration until April. One month after the second incorporation practice (i.e May) weeds showed lower density and dry weight in the plots in which cover crops had been incorporated into the soil. However, the reductions were more obvious in the April incorporated plots (on the average, the reductions in weed dry weight were 66.2 and 85.9% for March and April incorporation times, respectively compared to control). It can be concluded that the establishment of suitable cover crop species during fallow period may effectively reduce weed infestation in subsequent crop.