INTEGRATION OF CEREAL COVER CROPS IN RIDGE-TILLAGE CORN (ZEA-MAYS) PRODUCTION

Field experiments evaluating 11 cereal cover crops were established at two locations in Ontario over a two-year period. Cover crops were interseeded into a ridge-tillage com crop and evaluated in terms of biomass production and winter annual, biennial, and perennial weed species suppression. Seedling establishment and aboveground biomass production of cover crops were variable between locations and years. At both locations over two years, 'Danko' winter rye, 'OAC Halton' winter barley and 'Rodeo' spring barley were the most consistent cover crops in biomass production. However, cover crop residues had no significant effect on weed biomass or density due to a high degree of spatial variability present in the weed populations. Com grain yields were not reduced by the presence of inter-seeded cover crops when compared with the bare ground control treatment.