Effects of catch crops on the weed vegetation in maize - an introduction to the study

Abstract

In the East Friesian agriculture a long-term cultivation of silo maize on the same arable area is usual. Over the years this way of cultivation causes always a selection of weeds which are difficult to eradicate despite of intensive use of herbicides.
In various studies, it has already been shown that the way of crop cultivation can influence the weed vegetation in maize. The aim of this experiment is to test, if the selection of weed species which are difficult to control can be prevented and the weed pressure can be reduced by the repeated introduction of catch crops in combination with leaf-active herbicides.
In the years 2017, 2018 and 2019, tests with identical design will be applied to ten sites with long-term maize cultivation. The plots of the three treatments "Festuca-Untersaat (undersown Festuca)", "Lolium-Untersaat (undersown Lolium)" and "ohne Untersaat (without undersown crops)" are set-up in three repeated blocks. The herbicide application is a universal measure at all sites and is adapted to the variants. During maize cultivation, five weed assessments will be carried out, in which the influence of the variants on the weed vegetation is determined. Short- and long-term effects on the weed vegetation will be recorded.