Effect of cover crops mixtures on weed suppression

Abstract

Cover crops can be defined as a very reliable tool that is maintaining the sustainability in the environment. Moreover, cover crops provide numerous benefits on the soil fertility, increase the OM, prevent the soil erosion and increase the weed suppression in the crops. This Study constitutes a research on the effect of different cover crop species and treatments on weed management. The experimental research conducted in Perrotis College and the experimental procedures located in the area of AFS. The experiment includes four different group of treatments and sixteen combinations of these treatments. This is due to the four blocks that the study area is divided in order to be examined. The groups are composed of a Control treatment (C), Triticale (T), Multi-Species 2 (MS2) and Multi-Species 7 (MS7). For the development of the group of treatments were used the follow species: Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), Faba bean (Vicia faba minor), Forage pea (Pisum sativum ssp. arvense), Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), Triticale, Oats (Avena sativa). In addition, the experiment results conclude that the treatments provided a well to great weed control throughout the experimental period with small variations on weed presence between them.