Effect of Cover Crops, and the Management Thereof, on the Weed Spectrum in a Drip-irrigated Vineyard: 1. Weeds Growing During Winter and From Grapevine Bud Break to Grapevine Berry Set

  • J.C. Fourie ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch
  • E.C. Kunjeku Department of Plant Production, School of Agriculture, University of Venda
  • M. Booyse ARC Biometry, Stellenbosch
  • T.G. Kutama Department of Plant Production, School of Agriculture, University of Venda
  • L.W. Sassman ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch

Abstract

A five-year trial (2009 to 2013) was executed in a drip-irrigated full-bearing seven-year-old Shiraz/101-14 Mgt vineyard established on a sandy to sandy clay loam soil at Blaauwklippen Farm (33°58’S, 18°50’E) near Stellenbosch, South Africa. Fourteen treatments, consisting of two management practices applied to five cover crop species, as well as winter-growing weeds (no cover crop) and winter-growing weeds (no cover crop) with nematicide applied in the vine row, were applied. The effect of the five cover crop species, either controlled chemically (CC) or mechanically (MC) during grapevine bud break, on the weed spectrum was determined at the end of winter and during grapevine berry set. Total suppression of Lolium
species (ryegrass) was achieved with Avena sativa cv. Pallinup (oats) (CC) and Eruca sativa cv. Nemat (Nemat) (CC) after three years. A grass-specific herbicide applied at the end of May 2012 terminated the dominance of ryegrass and facilitated the dominance of Erodium moschatum (musk heron’s bill). Sowing the cover crops as late as 2013-05-23 prevented ryegrass from regaining its dominance. After five winters, ryegrass was totally eradicated from oats (CC), oats (MC), Sinapus alba cv. Braco (white mustard) (CC) and Nemat (CC). Musk heron’s bill was totally suppressed in all treatments during berry set within two seasons and ryegrass in all the CC treatments by 2011. This probably facilitated the dominance of Digitaria sanguinalis (crab fingergrass). 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

J.C. Fourie, ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch

Senior researcher

Soil & Water Science 

E.C. Kunjeku, Department of Plant Production, School of Agriculture, University of Venda

 Associate Professor,Department of Plant Production, School of Agriculture

M. Booyse, ARC Biometry, Stellenbosch


T.G. Kutama, Department of Plant Production, School of Agriculture, University of Venda
Student, Department of Plant Production, School of Agriculture
L.W. Sassman, ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch
Technician, Soil & Water Science

References

Buhler, D.D., Hartzler, R.G. & Forcella, F., 1997. Implications of weed seedbank dynamics to weed management. Weed Sci. 50, 329-336.

Cousens, R. & Mortimer, M., 1995 (1st ed). Dynamics of weed populations. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Dastgheib, F. & Frampton, C., 2000. Weed management practices in apple orchards and vineyards in the south island of New Zealand. New Zealand J. Crop & Hort. Sci. 28, 53-58.

De la Fuente, E.B., Suàrez, S.A., Ghersa, C.M. & Leòn, R.J.C., 1999. Soybean weed communities: relationship with cultural history and corn yield. Agron. J. 91, 234-241.

Facelli, J.M. & Pickett, S.T.A., 1991. Plant litter: its dynamics and effects on plant community structure. Bot. Review 57, 1-32.

Fourie, J.C., 2005. Cover crop management in the vineyards of the Lower Orange River region, South Africa: 1. Performance of grass and broadleaf species. S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 26, 140-146.

Fourie, J.C., 2010. Soil management in the Breede River Valley wine grape region, South Africa. 1. Cover crop performance and weed control. S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 31, 14-21.

Fourie, J.C., Kruger, D.H.M. & Malan, A.P., 2015. Effect of management practices applied to cover crops with bio-fumigation properties on cover crop performance and weed control in a vineyard. S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 36, 146-153.

Fourie, J.C., Louw, P.J.E. & Agenbag, G.A., 2001. Effect of seeding date on the performance of grasses and broadleaf species evaluated for cover crop management in two wine grape regions of South Africa. S. Afr. J. Plant Soil 18, 118-127.

Fourie, J.C., Louw, P.J.E. & Agenbag, G.A., 2005. Cover crop management in a Sauvignon blanc/Ramsey vineyard in the semi-arid Olifants River Valley, South Africa. 1. Effect of management practices on selected grass and broadleaf species. S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 26, 131-139.

Fourie, J.C., Louw, P.J.E. & Agenbag, G.A., 2006. Cover crop management in a Chardonnay/99 Richter vineyard in the Coastal wine grape region, South Africa. 1. Effect of two management practices on selected grasses and broadleaf species. S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 27, 167-177.

Légère, A. & Samson, D.N., 1999. Relative influence of crop rotation, tillage and weed management on weed associations in spring barley cropping systems. Weed Sci. 47, 112-122.

Pollard, F. & Cussans, G.W., 1981. The influence of tillage on the weed flora in a succession of winter cereal crops on a sandy loam soil. Weed Res. 21, 185-190.

Pollard, F., Moss, S.R., Cussans, G.W. & Froud-Williams, R.J., 1982. The influence of tillage on the weed flora in a succession of winter wheat crops on a clay loam soil and a silt loam soil. Weed Res. 22, 129-136.

Putnam, A.R., 1990. Vegetable weed control with minimal herbicide inputs. HortSci. 25, 155-159.

Ott, R.L. & Longnecker M. 2001. An Introduction to Statistical methods and data analysis. 5th Edition Belmont, California:Duxbury Press: p 440 (pp 1-1152).

Shapiro, S.S. & Wilk, M.B., 1965. An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika 52, 591-611.

Shrestha, A., Knezevic, S.Z., Roy, R.C. & Ball-Coelho, B.R., 2002. Effect of tillage, cover crop and crop rotation on the composition of weed flora in a sandy soil. Weed Res. 42, 76-87.

Smith, A.G., 1970. The influence of Mesolithic and Neolithic man on British vegetation: a discussion. In: D. Walker & R.G. West (eds). Studies in the vegetational history of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pp 81-96.

Swanton, C.J., Shrestha, A., Knezevic, S.Z., Roy, R.C. & Ball-Coelho, B.R., 1999. Effect of tillage system, N, and cover crop on the composition of weed flora. Weed Sci. 47, 454-461.

Teasdale, J.R., Beste, C.E. & Potts, W.E., 1991. Response of weeds to tillage and cover crop residue. Weed Sci. 39, 195-199.

Westra, P., Wilson, R.G., Miller, S.D., Stahlman, P.W., Wicks, G.W., Chapman, P.L., Withrow, J., Legg, D., Alford, C. & Gaines, T.A., 2008. Weed population dynamics after six years under glyphosate- and conventional herbicide-based weed control strategies. Crop Sci. 48, 1170-1177.

Wrucke, M.A. & Arnold, E., 1985. Weed species distribution as influenced by tillage and herbicides. Weed Sci. 33, 853-856.

Published
2017-10-10
Section
Articles