THE EFFECT OF NO-PLOUGHING TILLAGE USING COVER CROPS ON PRIMARY WEED INFESTATION OF CARROT

Abstract

In the era of sustainable agriculture, is looking for new unconventional methods to control weed infestation. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of cover crop biomass and the manner and time of mixing it with the soil on primary weed infestation of carrot compared with the conventional plough cultivation without the use of cover crops. The cover crop plants modified the state and reduced the degree of primary weed infestation of carrot compared to cultivation without cover crops. White mustard was the most effective in reducing primary weed infestation of carrot in all variants of tillage. Phacelia, buckwheat and oat cover crops also limited largely the number of weeds in carrot. The largest number of weeds was recorded in no-cover crop cultivation in no-tillage objects and those cultivated using subsoiler before winter, and cultivating in spring with aggregate. The largest reduction of primary weed infestation compared to conventional tillage was achieved in cultivation on ridges, with white mustard, phacelia or oats cover crops and weakest after vetch cover crop. In no-ploughing flat tillage system, lack of cover crop significantly increased the degree of weed infestation compared to conventional tillage, while the use of cover crops contributed to the reduction of primary weed infestation of carrot compared to cultivation without cover crops.

Keywords

• pre-winter
• pre-sowing tillage
• mulch
• catch crops
• allelopathy