Abstract
Abstract Herbicides are effective for use in establishing alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) without the use of a companion crop. The objective of the study was to assess the economic feasibility of the herbicide method as compared to the companion crop method and to determine some of its advantages and disadvantages. Productivity of ‘Vernal’ alfalfa established with or without a companion crop was determined at four locations in Minnesota. Oats ( Avena sativa L.), harvested for either hay or grain, was used as the companion crop. Four herbicide treatments (EPTC, EPTC + 2,4‐DB, trifluralin, and benefin) were used for weed control when the alfalfa was grown alone. The EPTC soil incorporated treatment plus a postemergence treatment of 2,4‐DB on the alfalfa at the 3 to 4 trifoliolate‐leaf stage was the most effective treatment for controlling weeds. With prices of $27.56/MT for alfalfa hay, $4.20/100 kg for oat grain, and $16.54/MT for oat straw, the net return (excluding costs common to all methods) favored alfalfa establishment with oats harvested for grain and straw. During the establishment year the oat hay companion crop yielded 5.17 metric tons (12% moisture)/ha, while alfalfa grown alone yielded 4.03 metric tons/ha. Oat grains averaged 2,205 kg/ha, and straw yields averaged 5.46 metric tons/ha. Stand counts of alfalfa in the fall of the seeding )year were generally higher for alfalfa grown without a companion crop, but this did not affect the following year's yield. With prices of $27.56/MT for alfalfa hay, $4.20/100 kg for oat grain, and $16.54/MT for oat straw, the net return (excluding costs common to all methods) favored alfalfa establishment with oats harvested for grain and straw.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
EPTC followed by 2,4‐DB was most effective for weed control.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativae0 - Organ / stage
- 3 to 4 trifoliolate‐leaf stagee0
- Treatment
- EPTC soil incorporated treatment plus a postemergence treatment of 2,4‐DBe0
- Interactor
- weedse0weed
- Outcome
- controlling weedse0
- Direction
- most effectivee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The EPTC soil incorporated treatment plus a postemergence treatment of 2,4‐DB on the alfalfa at the 3 to 4 trifoliolate‐leaf stage was the most effective treatment for controlling weeds.”
Claim · model-written summary
Establishing alfalfa with oats harvested for grain and straw gave the favored net return at stated prices.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- oats harvested for grain and strawe0
- Interactor
- oats
Avena sativae0other - Outcome
- net returne0
- Direction
- favorede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“With prices of $27.56/MT for alfalfa hay, $4.20/100 kg for oat grain, and $16.54/MT for oat straw, the net return (excluding costs common to all methods) favored alfalfa establishment with oats harvested for grain and straw. During the establishment year”
Claim · model-written summary
Oat hay companion crop yielded 5.17 metric tons per hectare in establishment year.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Interactor
- oatAvena sativae0other
- Outcome
- oat hay companion crop yieldede0
- Value
- 5.17 metric tons (12% moisture)/hae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“During the establishment year the oat hay companion crop yielded 5.17 metric tons (12% moisture)/ha, while alfalfa grown alone yielded 4.03 metric tons/ha.”
Claim · model-written summary
Alfalfa grown alone yielded 4.03 metric tons per hectare in establishment year.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- alfalfa grown alone yieldede0
- Value
- 4.03 metric tons/hae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“During the establishment year the oat hay companion crop yielded 5.17 metric tons (12% moisture)/ha, while alfalfa grown alone yielded 4.03 metric tons/ha.”
Claim · model-written summary
Oat grains averaged 2,205 kg/ha.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Interactor
- OatAvena sativae0other
- Outcome
- Oat grainse0
- Value
- 2,205 kg/hae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Oat grains averaged 2,205 kg/ha, and straw yields averaged 5.46 metric tons/ha.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Oat straw yield averaged 5.46 metric tons/ha.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Interactor
- OatAvena sativae0other
- Outcome
- straw yieldse0
- Value
- 5.46 metric tons/hae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Oat grains averaged 2,205 kg/ha, and straw yields averaged 5.46 metric tons/ha.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Alfalfa stand counts were generally higher without companion crop in fall of seeding year.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- without a companion crope0
- Outcome
- Stand counts of alfalfae0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Stand counts of alfalfa in the fall of the seeding )year were generally higher for alfalfa grown without a companion crop”
Claim · model-written summary
The stand count difference did not affect following year yield.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Material
- alfalfat0
- Outcome
- following year's yielde0
- Direction
- did not affecte0
- Qualifier
- following yeare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“but this did not affect the following year's yield.”
t0“Alfalfa”
The same questions in other papers
EPTC · weed · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Results agree
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- positive
- positive
- positive
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See all 6 papers →intercropping · organism · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Positive and negative results
2 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
- positive
- negative
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herbicide · weed · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Positive and negative results
20 papers in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction
- positive
- no effect
- negative
19 papers more in this group
See all 23 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.