The influence of winter wheat cover crop management on first-year Poa pratensis L. and Festuca rubra L. seed crops.

Abstract

In field trials at 3 locations in the Netherlands in 1978-84, P. pratensis or F. rubra was sown simultaneously with a wheat cover crop in Sep.-Nov. or sown in Dec.-Apr. into an Oct. sown wheat crop. Wheat was sown at 110 or 160 kg/ha with between-row spacings of 12.5, 25.0, 37.5 or 50 cm, and given 140 kg N/ha as a single or split dressing. Light interception of several wheat cultivars was measured in concurrent government cultivar trials. Mean seed yield of P. pratensis was lowest with Feb.-Apr. sowing (0.80 t/ha) and highest with Sep. sowing (1.34 t). Mean F. rubra yield was lowest with Sep. sowing (1.26 t) and highest with Oct.-Nov. sowing (1.42 t/ha). Tillering of the grasses ceased if >85% of the solar radiation was intercepted by the cover crop. Grass production was enhanced by using a wheat cultivar with a late-closing canopy, decreased cover crop sowing rate and split application of N. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)