Progress 08/01/09 to 07/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Two Master's students were funded, mentored, and graduated through this grant. The students conducted and analyzed field and greenhouse experiments in collard (Brassica oleracea L.), and squash (Cucurbita pepo) production testing the effects of mulches composed of various combinations of newspaper (shredded or in sheets) and plant residues (a cowpea-buckwheat mix or grass clippings) on weed populations and control, crop growth and yield, and pollinator activity of the squash bee, Peponapis pruinosis. An invention disclosure (Tech ID #2013-159), resulting from the research, was filed with the Ohio State University Office of Technology Commercialization & Knowledge Transfer. PARTICIPANTS: Caitlin Splawski (MS student) Nicholas Read (MS student) Ramarao Venkatesh (Research Associate) Robert Ford (Undergraduate Assistant) Jason Witkop (Undergraduate Assistant) TARGET AUDIENCES: Scientists, consultants, growers, educators, non-governmental organizations, and students. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Collard production. Newspaper end-roll (unprinted newspaper) sheets and black plastic were evaluated with or without an underlying mulch of killed cover crop residue. Mulch treatments were newspaper alone, black plastic alone, cover crop alone (no overlying sheet mulch), newspaper + cover crop, black plastic + cover crop, and a control (no cover crop or sheet mulch). The cover crop consisted of a 60:40 mix of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] (84 kg ha-1) and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) (107 kg ha-1) planted June 7, 2011 and May 18, 2012, and undercut and crimped at anthesis eight weeks after planting. Collards were transplanted into mulches August 5, 2011 and June 29, 2012. Soil temperatures were lower and soil moisture was greater under newspaper than black plastic mulches. Adding newspaper over cover crop residues reduced early-season weed biomass compared to cover crop residues alone. Newspaper + cover crop mulches reduced early-season weed biomass 92% to 95% compared to the no-mulch control. Black plastic provided 100% weed control in both years. Cover crop residue beneath the newspaper sheet created tears in the paper after rain events. In 2012, newspaper alone provided better weed control than newspaper + cover crop. Yields in plots with newspaper, with or without cover crop residues, were the same or greater than yields in plots with black plastic. In 2012, the addition of cover crop residues to newspaper reduced crop yield, probably due to compromised newspaper integrity and reduced weed control. Squash production. Black plastic, woodchips, shredded newspaper, shredded newspaper mixed with grass clippings (NP+grass), and bare soil treatments were evaluated in zucchini and pumpkin. Soil moisture was highest under newspaper and lowest under plastic. Plots with NP+grass accumulated the most soil growing degree days. The addition of grass clippings to newspaper increased zucchini leaf chlorophyll and yield compared to newspaper alone, suggesting that decomposition of grass clippings provided nutrients to the crop. Misshapen, unmarketable zucchinis occurred more frequently in black plastic than the other mulch treatments, possibly due to high soil temperatures. Newspaper reduced weed biomass 97% to 99% compared to the bare soil control, and NP+grass reduced weed biomass 74% in 2011 and 100% in 2012. Wet weather in 2011 led to rapid degradation of grass clippings in the NP+grass mulch, which compromised mulch integrity. Zucchini and pumpkin yielded as well in NP+grass as in black plastic, but yields were sometimes reduced in newspaper alone or woodchips. Squash bees nested in newspaper and NP+grass plots, indicating that these mulches did not impede bee nesting. Newspaper, shredded or in sheets; and applied alone, or in combination with plant residues, increased soil moisture, reduced soil temperatures, suppressed weeds, resulted in yields generally comparable to those in black plastic, and was compatible with pollinator bee nest construction. The type of plant residue added to newspaper affected overall mulch integrity, weed control, and crop yield.
Publications
- Read, N. 2013. Plant Residues and Newspaper Mulch Effects on Weed Emergence And Collard Performance (Master's Thesis). Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
- Splawski, C. 2012. Mulch Effects on Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) and Pollinator (Peponapis pruinosa Say.) Performance (Master's Thesis). Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
- Splawski, C., E. E. Regnier, S.K. Harrison, M.A. Bennett, and J. D. Metzger. 2011. Mulch effects on pumpkin and pollinator (Peponapis pruinosa) performance. Proc. North Cent. Weed Sci. Soc. 66:95.
- Read, N.A., E. E. Regnier, S. K. Harrison, J.D. Metzger, and M.A. Bennett. 2011. Plant residues and newspaper mulch effects on weed emergence and crop performance. Proc. North Cent. Weed Sci. Soc. 66:119.
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Progress 08/01/10 to 07/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Small-scale urban agriculture production has become increasingly prevalent in the developing world and more recently in the United States, due in part to an increased availability of abandoned property in urban areas and demand for locally grown products. The principle means of weed management on urban farms are hand weeding or mulching. A variety of mulches can be utilized, such as plastic, wood chips, repurposed plant material, and paper. End rolls of newspaper are readily available from newspaper printing facilities, are easy to install, and are biodegradable. Little research has been done on the effects of a combined use of paper and plant residues as mulches. Combining these treatments could increase weed suppression by filling gaps left by degraded leaves, and could also lower the C:N ratio by including higher N residues below the mulch barrier. A field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of mulches composed of newspaper with or without cover crop residues on weed emergence, soil properties, and collard green performance. Mulch treatments were newspaper, black plastic, cover crop residues, newspaper plus cover crop residue, black plastic plus cover crop residue, and a no-mulch control. The short-season cover crop treatment consisted of a mixture of cowpeas and buckwheat. Cowpeas were selected for their low plant tissue C:N ratio and symbiotic relationship with nitrogen fixing bacteria. Buckwheat, classified as a smother crop, was selected for its ability to scavenge and release phosphorus in a plant usable form. Cover crops were planted on June 7, 2011 and flattened and killed August 2, 2011 using an under-cutter with a roller attachment. Plastic and newspaper were individually rolled on top of the flattened cover crops and tacked into place using ground staples. Weed populations were highest in the no-mulch treatment and lowest in the plastic treatment. Newspaper end rolls degraded the most followed by newspaper plus cover crop residue. Marketable yields were lowest in the no mulch treatment, and highest in the newspaper plus cover crop treatment. Results indicate that the newspaper plus cover crop residue treatment was effective in suppressing weeds, and enhancing crop performance when compared to other treatments. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Scientists, consultants, growers, educators, non-governmental organizations, and students PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Sheets of polyethylene plastic mulch are commonly applied to the soil surface of horticultural crop production fields to reduce weed pressure and boost crop productivity. The findings from these studies revealed that renewable, organic mulches can potentially be a suitable replacement for non-renewable plastic mulches. Mulch treatments applied to the soil surface of bedded rows of collard included newspaper sheeting, black plastic, undercut cover crop residue of cowpea and buckwheat, newspaper plus cover crop residue, black plastic plus cover crop residue, and a no-mulch control. Weed populations were highest in the no-mulch treatment and lowest in the plastic treatment. Newspaper sheets degraded fastest, followed by newspaper plus cover crop residue. Marketable collard yields were lowest in the no mulch treatment, and highest in the newspaper plus cover crop residue treatment. Results indicate that the newspaper plus cover crop residue treatment was effective in suppressing weeds, and enhancing crop performance when compared to other treatments. These findings represent a change in our knowledge of crop response to mulches consisting of mixed strata of renewable, organic materials in comparison with the industry standard, non-renewable plastic mulch, and provide practical information to crop producers interested in organic, renewable methods of crop production.
Publications
- Splawski, C., E. E. Regnier, S.K. Harrison, M.A. Bennett, and J. D. Metzger. 2011. Mulch effects on pumpkin and pollinator (Peponapis pruinosa) performance. Proc. North Cent. Weed Sci. Soc. 66:95.
- Read, N.A., E. E. Regnier, S. K. Harrison, J.D. Metzger, and M.A. Bennett. 2011. Plant residues and newspaper mulch effects on weed emergence and crop performance. Proc. North Cent. Weed Sci. Soc. 66:119.
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Progress 08/01/09 to 07/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Our specific objectives are to determine the influence of mulch and weed propagule characteristics on the effectiveness of recycled newspaper and plant residues to control weeds, determine the influence of newspaper and plant residue mulches on crop productivity and soil characteristics, and determine the least-cost mulch systems. A preliminary greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to test the weed suppression potential of vetiver grass shoots, roots, shredded newspaper, and shredded newspaper combined with vetiver roots or shoots. Results indicated that vetiver roots, newspaper, and combinations of roots and newspaper suppressed emergence of ivyleaf morningglory from 40 to 82%, and redroot pigweed from 72 to 100% . Vetiver shoots alone did not affect morningglory emergence but reduced pigweed emergence 44%. The addition of shredded newspaper to vetiver shoots increased suppression of pigweed compared to vetiver shoots alone. Emergence of morningglory and pigweed through vetiver shoots and newspaper appeared to be negatively correlated with tortuosity and mulch area indices, but emergence of both species was significantly lower with vetiver root mulch, which had the lowest mulch area index and intermediate tortuosity. These results suggest that allelopathy, in addition to physical factors, may contribute to weed suppression by vetiver roots. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The experiments conducted thus far have been preliminary and conducted under controlled conditions. At this time, results have contributed primarily to an increase in knowledge about the response of selected weeds to the newspaper+vetiver grass mulch combinations. While too early to result in a change in actions or conditions, the next phase of field research could lead to the adoption of renewable, sustainable mulches for weed control in small-scale, organic cropping systems. Results will potentially be of practical benefit to farmers and will also contribute to our understanding of mulch design for effective weed control, crop health and productivity, and soil improvement. A successful mulch developed from this research could result in increased profitability, reduced environmental impact, and improved sustainability of agricultural production practices used in gardens and small farms.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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