Abstract
Cover crop-based reduced tillage (CCBRT) systems can provide multiple benefits in cucurbit cropping systems, including potential to reduce spread of soil-borne pathogens, minimize erosion, and decrease weed pressure. Despite benefits and farmer interest, adoption has been limited, in part due to inconsistent weed suppression and potential for reduced yields. Prior studies have suggested that N competition, allelopathy, and lower temperature may be factors in reducing vegetable yield in CCBRT systems. A strip tillage approach has been suggested as one strategy that could mitigate those issues, but cucurbit yields using these systems have shown mixed results in prior studies, some of which did not include other important considerations for growers such as the impact on weed and pest pressure. In 2018 and 2019, CCBRT strip till practices for organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed in Wisconsin on certified organic land. Combinations of different between-row (aisle) and in-row mulches were compared to attempt to identify reduced tillage combinations that effectively manage weeds while resulting in yields comparable to full tillage production, testing our hypothesis that no differences between production systems would be observed due to strip tillage and plastic mulch warming soil and minimizing competition while promoting cash crop growth. Aisle treatments included roller-crimped cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.) mulch, straw mulch and cultivated bare ground, and in-row treatments included plastic mulch, ground straw mulch, and cultivated ground. Weed and pest counts, weed management time, and yields were compared between treatments. Plots managed with rye and straw in the aisles had significantly less weed pressure as compared to cultivated aisle treatments, although rye required more weed management time than ground straw mulch. In addition, rye resulted in lower marketable yield due to higher proportion unmarketable fruit in 2018, likely related to a 25 cm rain event 2 weeks prior to harvest. A significant row mulch × aisle mulch interaction was observed for marketable fruit m −1 , showing that yield was not significantly affected by the type of in-row mulch in plots with crimped rye mulch in the aisle. Pressure from squash bugs ( Anasa tristis ) was also higher in treatments with organic or synthetic mulches (straw in aisles or rows, rye in aisles, and plastic in rows). Our results support previous evidence that crimped rye can be an effective mulching strategy to reduce weed pressure, with more efficient management than traditional straw mulch. However, crimped rye systems may have negative implications for yield and pest pressure regardless of the use of a strip-tillage approach, indicating that more research is needed to refine the production system.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Rye aisle mulch reduced weed pressure relative to cultivated aisles.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)
Cucurbita pepot0 - Treatment
- ryee0
- Outcome
- weed pressuree0
- Direction
- lesse0
- Comparator
- cultivated aisle treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Plots managed with rye and straw in the aisles had significantly less weed pressure as compared to cultivated aisle treatments”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
Straw aisle mulch reduced weed pressure relative to cultivated aisles.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- strawe0
- Outcome
- weed pressuree0
- Direction
- lesse0
- Comparator
- cultivated aisle treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Plots managed with rye and straw in the aisles had significantly less weed pressure as compared to cultivated aisle treatments”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
Rye took more weed management time than ground straw.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- ryee0
- Outcome
- weed management timee0
- Direction
- moree0
- Comparator
- ground straw mulche0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“rye required more weed management time than ground straw mulch”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
Rye reduced marketable yield in 2018.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- ryee0
- Outcome
- marketable yielde0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Qualifier
- in 2018e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“rye resulted in lower marketable yield due to higher proportion unmarketable fruit in 2018”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
Rye increased the unmarketable fruit proportion in 2018.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- ryee0
- Outcome
- proportion unmarketable fruite0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- in 2018e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“rye resulted in lower marketable yield due to higher proportion unmarketable fruit in 2018”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
A row by aisle mulch interaction affected marketable fruit per metre.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- row mulch × aisle mulche0
- Outcome
- marketable fruit m −1e0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A significant row mulch × aisle mulch interaction was observed for marketable fruit m −1”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
Within rye aisles, in-row mulch type did not significantly affect yield.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- type of in-row mulche0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- not significantly affectede0
- Qualifier
- crimped rye mulch in the aislee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“yield was not significantly affected by the type of in-row mulch in plots with crimped rye mulch in the aisle”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
Organic mulches increased squash bug pressure.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- organice0
- Interactor
- Anasa tristis
Anasa tristise0pest - Outcome
- Pressure from squash bugse0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Pressure from squash bugs ( Anasa tristis ) was also higher in treatments with organic or synthetic mulches (straw in aisles or rows, rye in aisles, and plastic in rows).”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
Synthetic mulch increased squash bug pressure.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- synthetic mulchese0
- Interactor
- Anasa tristisAnasa tristise0pest
- Outcome
- Pressure from squash bugse0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Pressure from squash bugs ( Anasa tristis ) was also higher in treatments with organic or synthetic mulches (straw in aisles or rows, rye in aisles, and plastic in rows).”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude crimped rye can reduce weed pressure.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- crimped ryee0
- Outcome
- reduce weed pressuree0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“crimped rye can be an effective mulching strategy to reduce weed pressure”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude rye may worsen squash yield and pest pressure.
- Taxon
- organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)Cucurbita pepot0
- Treatment
- crimped rye systemse0
- Outcome
- yield and pest pressuree0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“crimped rye systems may have negative implications for yield and pest pressure regardless of the use of a strip-tillage approach”
t0“organic acorn winter squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) production were assessed”
The same questions in other papers
mulching · yield · Cucurbita pepoResults differ
3 papers in the same direction as this paper · 11 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
- positive
11 papers more in this group
See all 15 papers →mulching · Anasa tristis · Cucurbita pepoResults agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- no effect
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.