Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) production in a white clover (Trifolium repens L.) living mulch : the establishment year

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  • Oregon sweet corn growers face high fertilizer, fuel and weed control costs; soil compaction, erosion, organic matter and nutrient depletion; and difficult equipment operations in muddy fields. An alternative production system might ease some of these problems. Testing was begun to evaluate a living-mulch cropping system for sweet corn (Zea mays L. 'Golden Jubliee') production in Western Oregon. Several establishment-year management options for growing sweet corn with white clover (Trifolium repens L. 'New Zealand') were tested at three Willamette Valley, Oregon locations. Production practices tested were: fall, spring, or summer clover seeding; weed control prior to clover planting with (a) EPTC (S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate), (b) vernolate (S-propyl dipropylthiocarbamate) or (c) no control; and clover suppression with (a) atrazine (2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)- s-triazine), (b) PP333 H2RS,3RS)-1-(4-chloropheny1)-4,4- dimethyl-2-1,2,4-triazol-l-y1-)pentan-3-01), (c) mowing, or (d) no suppression. Combinations of these practices were compared with conventional corn production. Fall clover planting resulted in the most ground cover and fewest weeds by summer. Plots where preplant herbicides were applied had fewer grasses but more broadleaf weeds compared to plots not receiving a preplant herbicide application. There was no identified change in corn yield resulting from the level of weed infestation. Where clover was most vigorous, suppression was necessary to avoid corn yield reductions. Atrazine proved most effective in reducing clover growth and allowing corn yields comparable to conventional practices. Yield reductions due to management system occurred at one location, and only where the clover received no suppression treatment. As the clover becomes better established, more severe suppression will probably be necessary to avoid corn yield reductions. Casual observations indicated increasing populations of rodents. Some form of control may be required. Overall results indicate that the system has potential to reduce erosion and suppress weeds and it may be an alternative to conventional sweet corn production in the area tested.
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