©2010 Rodale Institute Impacts of Plastic and Cover Crop Mulches on Weeds, Soil Quality, Yields and Season Length for Tomatoes Christine Ziegler Ulsh Research Agroecologist and Science Editor
Dec 07, 2014
©2010 Rodale Institute
Impacts of Plastic and Cover Crop Mulches on Weeds, Soil Quality, Yields
and Season Length for Tomatoes
Christine Ziegler Ulsh Research Agroecologist and Science Editor
©2010 Rodale Institute
Vegetable Research at Rodale
1980’s – Research on amaranth, wild triga, and many other vegetable trials
1990’s-2000’s – Focus on larger scale grain production
2010’s – Renewed interest in vegetable production in balance with grain crops
©2010 Rodale Institute
Research Goals
• Maintain and improve yields• Reduce or eliminate external inputs• Manage weeds• Reduce/redirect labor• INCREASE SOIL HEALTH
Make farming more sustainable and profitable by developing and improving organic practices that:
How?• Cover crops• Compost• Rotation• Reduce tillage
©2010 Rodale Institute
What is Organic No-Till?
1. Grow a fall-planted winter annual cover crop, such as rye or hairy vetch
2. Let the cover crop grow in the spring until it reaches at least 50% flowering (mid-late May for rye, late-May or early-June for vetch)
3. Kill the cover crop by rolling it down with a front-mounted roller and planting with a rear-mounted no-till planter in one pass.
Three Basic Steps
©2010 Rodale Institute
The No-Till Roller in Action
Rolling Rye Rolling Hairy Vetch
©2010 Rodale Institute
A Brief History of Organic No-Till
1988 -1994 - First tried in the Low-Input Reduced Tillage (LIRT) Trial
Late 1990s - Attempts to stalk-chop cover crops not very successful
2002 - Roller designed and built by Jeff Moyer and John Brubaker with NE SARE funding
Fall 2004 – Received NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant for no-till received
Spring 2006 – Received SARE No-Till Grant
Fall 2008 – Received OREI IOP No-Till Grant, led by Iowa State University
Spring 2011 – Received SARE No-Till Vegetable Production Grant
©2010 Rodale Institute
Benefits and Challenges of Organic No-Till
• Reduces number of tractor passes over the field (saves time, fuel, and money)
• Keeps the soil covered to reduce erosion and weed growth at vulnerable times
• Retains moisture and cools soil in mid-summer• Eliminates herbicide use
• Can keep soil too cool in the spring• Can allow weed growth if the cover crop stand is
poor• May provide habitat for plant-damaging pests• Requires later planting, and well-timed rolling
Benefits
Challenges
©2010 Rodale Institute
The importance of timing in cover crop termination
Rye, rolled at the soft dough stage, lays down well and dies quickly.
Vetch, when rolled before it reaches at least 50% flowering, doesn’t die
and will continue to grow and compete with the crop plants.
©2010 Rodale Institute
Other cover crops that can be used…
Or any grain – wheat, barley, triticale, mature oats, etc.
Fall-Planted Spring Oats (die and lie down on their own at frost)
Austrian Winter Peas (flowers early)
Crimson Clover (flowers early)
©2010 Rodale Institute
Cast Iron Closing Wheels
Additional Weight130 lb per row
Equipment modifications to make it work
©2010 Rodale Institute
Ron Morse’s No-Till Vegetable Transplanter
©2010 Rodale Institute
No-till pumpkins
©2010 Rodale Institute
No-till peanuts
©2010 Rodale Institute
No-till eggplant
©2010 Rodale Institute
No-till tomatoes
©2010 Rodale Institute
Cover Crop Mulches for Small-Scale Production?
Yes!!!
Cover crops can be crimped by hand, scythed or mowed.
Timing is still key.
Kill is most successful when the cover crop is at bloom or anthesis, but mowing can provide greater flexibility.
©2010 Rodale Institute
Rodale Institute’s Current Vegetable Work
• Identify four effective cover crops/combinations for weed suppression and N contribution in vegetable production;
• Measure efficiency of cover crop termination techniques, economic returns, and soil health impacts;
Project goals:
Project title:
Reducing Plastic Mulch Use by Expanding Adoption of Cover Crop-Based No-Till Systems for Vegetable Producers
©2010 Rodale Institute
Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4
111 35' Buffer 232 35' Buffer 321 35' Buffer 422
V 112 RV 231 R 322 R 421
113 233 323 423
133 221 313 432
RV 131 R 223 V 311 RV 433
132 222 312 431
121 213 331 412
R 123 V 212 RV 333 V 411
122 211 332 413
First Digit Second Digit Third Digit
1) 1st Replicate 1) Vetch 1) Black plastic
2) 2nd Replicate 2) Rye 2) Roll
3) 3rd Replicate 3) Rye + Vetch 3) Mow
4) 4th Replicate
Field 6 - 2012 SARE No Till Veggie Tomatoes
50' 10Cover
10'
30' 90'
The Basic Experimental Design…
3 cover crop mixturesX 3 cover crop kill methods
9 treatmentsX 4 replications
36 plots
©2010 Rodale Institute
RI’s 2010 trial
3 cover crop treatments:1. Vetch2. Rye3. Rye-vetch mix
3 termination methods:1. Black plastic2. Mowed3. Rolled
3 tomato varieties:1. Black Prince2. Bellstar3. Glacier
1 pole bean variety (KY Wonder)
©2010 Rodale Institute
Changes to the RI Field for 2011
• No beans
• Only one variety of tomato (Glacier)
• One row per plot for all treatments
• Separate weeds only into perennial and annual categories (not by species)
SIMPLIFY!1
11
11
2
11
3
40
' bu
ffe
r
13
1
13
3
13
2
40
' bu
ffe
r
12
2
12
1
12
3
40
' bu
ffe
r
22
2
22
3
22
1
40
' bu
ffe
r
23
3
23
2
23
1
40
' bu
ffe
r
21
2
21
3
21
1
40
' bu
ffe
r
33
1
33
3
33
2
40
' bu
ffe
r
32
3
32
2
32
1
40
' bu
ffe
r
31
2
31
1
31
3
40
' bu
ffe
r
43
2
43
3
43
1
40
' bu
ffe
r
42
2
42
1
42
3
40
' bu
ffe
r
41
2
41
3
41
1
Vetch R + VVetch R + V Rye VetchR + VRye
Field 9/10 2011 No Till Veggie SARE Tomatoes
Rye Vetch
Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4
R + V Rye
50' covercrop planting width
30'
170'
800'
©2010 Rodale Institute
The 2011 Tomato Field Throughout the Year
©2010 Rodale Institute
Cover Crop Biomass and N Content
2010 Cover Crop Biomass
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
VETCH RYE RYE/VETCH
lb/a
c
plastic rolled/mowed plastic rolled/mowed plastic rolled/mowed
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
black plastic roll mow black plastic roll mow black plastic roll mow
lb/a
cre
dry
mat
ter
May 13th
May 13th
May 13th
May 27th
June 10th June 10th
June 10th
June 10thJune 10th
VETCH ALONE RYE ALONE RYE/VETCH MIX
Nitrogen Content of Cover Crops at Termination
0
50
100
150
200
250
Black Plastic Roll Mow Black Plastic Roll Mow Black Plastic Roll Mow
Co
ver
Cro
p N
itro
gen
(lb
/ac)
VETCH ALONE RYE ALONE RYE/VETCH
2010 Cover Crop Nitrogen Content
0
50
100
150
200
250
VETCH RYE RYE/VETCH
lb/a
c
plastic rolled/mowed plastic rolled/mowed plastic rolled/mowed
2010 2011
Co
ver
cro
p b
iom
ass
Co
ver
cro
p N
co
nte
nt
14,00014,000
lb/a
c D
ry W
eigh
t
lb/a
c D
ry W
eigh
t
lb/a
c
lb/a
c
250250
©2010 Rodale Institute
Weed Biomass at 4 and 8 Weeks
Weed Biomass at 8- 10 weeks
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
BlackPlastic
Rolled Mowed BlackPlastic
Rolled Mowed BlackPlastic
Rolled Mowed
Lb
s/a
cre
dry
we
igh
t
VETCH RYE RYE/VETCH
Weed Biomass at 4- 6 weeks
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
BlackPlastic
Rolled Mowed BlackPlastic
Rolled Mowed BlackPlastic
Rolled Mowed
Lb
s/a
cre
dry
we
igh
t
VETCH RYE RYE/VETCH
2010 8-Week Weed Biomass
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
VETCH RYE RYE/VETCH
lbs
/acr
e d
ry w
eig
ht
plastic roll mow plastic roll mow plastic roll mow
2010 4-Week Weed Biomass
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
VETCH RYE RYE/VETCH
lb/a
cre
dry
wei
gh
t
plastic roll mow plastic roll mow plastic roll mow
2010 2011
4-6
wee
ks a
fter
pla
nti
ng
8-10
wee
ks a
fter
pla
nti
ng
80008000
80008000
lb/a
c D
ry W
eigh
tlb
/ac
Dry
Wei
ght
lb/a
c D
ry W
eigh
tlb
/ac
Dry
Wei
ght
©2010 Rodale Institute
Soil Moisture and Temperature
2011 Soil Moisture Through The Season
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
June 14th July 18th Aug 17th Sept 14th
% m
ois
ture
black plastic
roll
mow
black plastic
roll
mow
black plastic
roll
mow
2010 Soil Moisture Through the Season
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
May 7th June 1st June 24th July 20th
% m
ois
ture
vetch plastic
vetch rolled
vetch mowed
rye plastic
rye rolled
rye mowed
rye/vetch plastic
rye/vetch rolled
rye/vetch mowed
2010 Average and Maximum Soil Temperature by Treatment
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
plastic roll mow plastic roll mow plastic roll mow
tem
pe
ratu
re (
C)
vetch rye rye/vetch
2011 Average and Maximum Soil Temperature By Treatment
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
plastic roll mow plastic roll mow plastic roll mow
tem
per
atu
re (
C)
vetch rye rye/vetch
2010 2011
So
il M
ois
ture
by
Dat
eA
vg a
nd
Max
Tem
per
atu
re
35
% m
oist
ure
% m
oist
ure
% m
oist
ure
% m
oist
ure
35
3535
May June July August June July August September
©2010 Rodale Institute
2011 Tomato Yields (total and marketable)
total yield = darker bar (left) marketable yield = lighter bar (right)
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
Black Plastic Rolled Mowed Black Plastic Rolled Mowed Black Plastic Rolled Mowed
lbs/
acre
fre
sh w
eig
ht
e
E
b
B
b
B
de
DE
ab
AB a
A
e
E
cd
CD
c
C
VETCH RYE RYE/VETCH
~ 6500 lbs of tomatoes harvested from late August to mid October
2010 Tomato Yields
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
VETCH RYE RYE/VETCH
lb/a
cre
plastic roll mow plastic roll mow plastic roll mow
~ 4000 lbs of tomatoes harvested from late July to early October
2010 2011120,000120,000
lbs/
ac fr
esh
wei
ght
lbs/
ac fr
esh
wei
ght
©2010 Rodale Institute
Comparison of Outcomes from 2010 to 2011
• Rolled Vetch was weediest (replanted=not enough biomass?).
• Mowed Rye/Vetch had the fewest weeds, compared to black plastic.
• Rye and Rye/Vetch kept weed biomass under 1500 kg/ha.
• Rolled and Mowed Rye and Rye/Vetch were comparable to Black Plastic treatment in yields.
• Most rolled and mowed cover crops were equally weedy at 10 weeks
• Rolled Rye/Vetch had the fewest weeds, compared to black plastic.
• All non-plastic treatments had weed biomass over 3000 lbs/ac (up to 6000 lb/ac).
• Black Plastic out-yielded all the other treatments.
• Rolled and Mowed Rye/Vetch out-yielded the Vetch and the Rye, and both termination techniques yielded equally.
2010 2011
This is why we do multi-year agricultural research projects!
©2010 Rodale Institute
Spring 2012 Cover Crop Biomass
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
plastic roll mow plastic roll mow plastic roll mow
Vetch Vetch Vetch Rye Rye Rye Rye/Vetch Rye/Vetch Rye/Vetch
kg
/ha
14,000
kg/h
a
©2010 Rodale Institute
We also performed research at four collaborating farms in 2011
The Farmer Team:Mike Baki – Genesis Farm CSA, Blairstown, NJJames Weaver – Meadow View Farm, Bowers, PAJohn & Aimee Good – Quiet Creek Farm CSA, Kutztown,
PAElizabeth & Douglas Randolph – Swallow Hill Farm,
Cochranville, PA
Doug Randolph planting his cover crops
©2010 Rodale Institute
Plot Lay-Out at Each Collaborating Farm
roll std. roll std roll std
* *11 12 21 22 31 32
* *
Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 ^Corner of field
3 ft 5 ft 5 ft 3 ft 5 ft 5 ft 3ft 5 ft 5 ft
roll: rolled cover crop, rye 70#/A and vetch 25#/A.std: standard practice - spaded cover crop with BioTelo biodegradable plastic mulch1st Digit: Block 2nd Digit: Practice (1= roll, 2=std practice)
39 Feet wide
Gra
ss B
uff
er
Ro
ad
Grass Buffer Road
10
0 f
t lo
ng
Block 3
3 Markers installed here at ~66 ft
3 Markers installed here at ~33 ft
Baki 2010 Tomatoes
Block 1 Block 2
std. roll roll std std. roll
12 11 21 22 32 31
Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6
roll: rolled cover crop, rye 70#/A and vetch 25#/A.std: standard practice
1st Digit: Block 2nd Digit: Practice (1= roll, 2=std practice)
Goods 2010 Tomatoes (or squash?)
Block 1 Block 2 Block 3
Baki
Good
Weaver
Randolph
Tomatoes, Melons, and Summer Squash
Tomatoes and Cabbage, using a raised bed roller
Acorn Squash Acorn Squash
10 ft. {R 1
roll
11
R 12
R 2
std Clover 12 Rye
R 11
R 3
roll21
R 10
R 4
std Clover 22 Rye
R 9
R 5
std Clover 32 Rye
R 8
R 6
roll31
R 7} 10 ft.
roll: rolled cover crop, rye 100#/A and clover 25#/A.std: standard practice - pre-emergence burn down
Orange flag
Yellow flag
Yellow flag
350 feet
55 feet
Orange flag
Orange flag
Road32 feet
Yellow flag
std. roll std. roll 9' std. roll std. roll
63'
G # G # G # G # G # G # G # G #
So
uth 100'
No
rth12 11 22 21 32 31 42 41
G # G # G # G # G # G # G # G #
Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 4 Row 5 Row 6 Row 7 Row 810' 10' 10' 10' 7' 10' 10' 10' 10'
33'
Yello
w flag
Yello
w flag
Weaver 2012 Cabbage Weaver 2012 Tomatoes
Yello
w flag
Yello
w flag
Block 1 Block 2 Block 4
po
we
r line
rowB
lue flag
Blu
e flag
Blu
e flag
Dri
ve l
ane
Blu
e flag
Block 3
©2010 Rodale Institute
The Raised Bed Roller
©2010 Rodale Institute
What we’ve learned from the farmers’ fields….
©2010 Rodale Institute
Spring Cover Crop Biomass
Spring Cover Crop Biomass
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
Plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andHerbicide
Rolled Black Plastic Rolled
bio
ma
ss
(lb
/ac
)
May 6tb
June 2nd
May 10tb
May 26tb
May 23tbMay 23tb
May 25tb
June 1tb
Baki WeaverRandolphGood
rye/clover
Nothing here
©2010 Rodale Institute
Nitrogen Inputs from the Cover CropsNitrogen Inputs from Cover Crops
0
50
100
150
200
250
Black plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andherbicided
Rolled Black plastic Rolled
lbs
/ac
May 6th
June 2nd
May 10th
May 26th
May 23rd
May 23rd
May 25th
June 1st
Baki Good Randolph Weaver
nothingSpring Cover Crop Biomass
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
Plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andHerbicide
Rolled Black Plastic Rolled
bio
ma
ss
(lb
/ac
)
May 6tb
June 2nd
May 10tb
May 26tb
May 23tbMay 23tb
May 25tb
June 1tb
Baki WeaverRandolphGood
rye/clover
©2010 Rodale Institute
Carbon Inputs from the Cover Crops
Cover Crop Carbon Inputs
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
Black plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andherbicided
Rolled Black plastic Rolled
lbs
/ac
Baki Good Randolph Weaver
May 6th
June 2nd
May 10th
May 26th May 23rd
May 23rd
May 25th
June 1st
nothingSpring Cover Crop Biomass
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
Plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andHerbicide
Rolled Black Plastic Rolled
bio
ma
ss
(lb
/ac)
May 6tb
June 2nd
May 10tb
May 26tb
May 23tbMay 23tb
May 25tb
June 1tb
Baki WeaverRandolphGood
rye/clover
©2010 Rodale Institute
Weed Biomass at 4 and 8 WeeksSARE Veggie collaborating farmers 4- 6 week weed biomass
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andHerbicide
Rolled Black Plastic Rolled
bio
mas
s (k
g/h
a)
Baki
July 20th
July 19th
July 28th
July 28th
WeaverRandolphGood
On-Farm 8- 10 Week Weed Biomass
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andHerbicide
Rolled Black Plastic Rolled
bio
mas
s (k
g/h
a)
Baki
Aug 17th
Aug 16th
Aug 29th
Aug 29th (tom) Sept
14th (cab)
WeaverRandolphGood
Weeds at 4-6 Weeks
Weeds at 8-10 Weeks
Spring Cover Crop Biomass
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
Plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andHerbicide
Rolled Black Plastic Rolled
bio
ma
ss
(lb
/ac
)
May 6tb
June 2nd
May 10tb
May 26tb
May 23tbMay 23tb
May 25tb
June 1tb
Baki WeaverRandolphGood
rye/clover
©2010 Rodale Institute
Yields
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
Plastic Rolled Plowed Rolled Rolled andHerbicide
Rolled Black Plastic Rolled
yie
ld lb
/ac
RandolphGoodBaki Weaver
tomatoes
squash squash
tomatoes
©2010 Rodale Institute
How do we explain these results?
• Wet spring led to low vetch biomass and N input?
• Gaps in cover rolled with the raised bed roller?
• Thistle in one rolled plot at the Randolph’s?
• NO WEEDING?
Stay tuned for answers in the 2012 growing season!
©2010 Rodale Institute
Changes for 2012
LET THEM WEED!!!
• Collaborating farmers will be allowed to weed after the 4-6 week weed biomass cut
• The farmers will track the equipment and amount of time spent weeding, to include in the economic analysis
• RI-site plots will also be weeded after the 4-week biomass cut, tracking labor
©2010 Rodale Institute
Stay tuned for project updates…
Christine [email protected]
(610) 683-1415www.rodaleinstitute.org
Thank you!