Smith, R.G., K.L. Gross, and R.R. Harwood
Presented at the All Scientist Meeting (2002-10-04 )
We evaluated the effect of organic management and crop rotation on the soil seed bank and emergent weed communities in the Living Field Lab at the KBS LTER. Weed seed densities were significantly lower under organic than conventional management. There was also a significant rotation by management interaction. Crop rotation increased both weed seed density and weed seed species richness under conventional management only (fig. 1). The biomass of the emergent weed community was similar among treatments, though organic treatments were more variable. Like the seed bank, species richness of the emergent weed community increased with crop rotation in conventional treatments only (fig. 2). Corn yields were similar under organic and conventional management. Crop rotation tended to increase yield under both management types.
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