Optimal planting time of silage corn for white clover living mulch system
2004
Uozumi, S. (National Agricultural Research Center for Tohoku Region, Morioka (Japan)) | Deguchi, S. | Fushimi, A.
Abstract : It is necessary to control the growth of clover sod without herbicide application in order to utilize a white clover "living mulch" system for non-chemical weed suppression in silage corn production. This study was conducted to determine the optimal planting time of corn to make possible the control of sod growth by only mowing immediately before planting. Clover sods established in autumn or spring were mowed on 4 different dates, after which the corn cultivar 'LG2290' was planted by the no-till method. Weeds were suppressed regardless of planting time when the clover sod was established in the autumn. However, the earliest planting (May 2) caused corn growth depression due to interference with the regrown clover. Consequently, the density of corn at harvest decreased by 60 % of the initial value, resulting in a much lower yield than those from the other 3 planting times. Though the interference by clover was found in the other 3 planting treatments, the degree of corn growth depression was decreased with delayed planting. The latest planting (May 31) produced the high yield of 16 t DM ha sup(-1) in spite of its low nitrogen application (50kg ha sup(-1) ). When the clover sod was established in the spring, weed depression was found only in the May 31 planting. Moreover, the corn appeared N-deficient regardless of planting time and the yields were much lower than those from autumn-established clover.
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