Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Daniel B. Reynolds

Committee Member

Jason A. Bond

Committee Member

Connor J. Ferguson

Committee Member

William E. Maples

Date of Degree

5-13-2022

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Weed Science

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Abstract

To combat herbicide resistance among weeds, non-herbicide methods of control, such as cover crops, are becoming widely adapted. Experiments were conducted to determine how to effectively establish and manage cover crops in order to suppress tall waterhemp and Italian ryegrass and to assess their overall impact on soybean growth and yield. Various cover crop establishment methods were evaluated, and it was determined that interseeding at the R7 growth stage of soybean was the least effective method for proper cover crop establishment. Biomass data demonstrated that interseeding created the least amountof cover crop biomass, with no differences found among the other establishment methods that included drilling and sowing broadcast. At soybean planting timing, treatments with tillage had greater control of tall waterhemp than those without tillage. Wheat was shown to have the greatest weed suppressive capabilities, largely due to its ability to create high levels of residual biomass. Daikon radish produced the least biomass residue and had the poorest tall waterhemp control. The termination experiment of Elbon rye determined that treatments with rolling could impact soybean emergence and plant height largely due to dense biomass that lay flat onto the soil surface

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