| Title | Impacts of mulched cover crops on weed cover and composition at two California vineyards |
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| File Information | We studied the effects of several mulched cover crop systems to change and suppress weeds in the vine rows at two rainfed, northern California vineyards. Weed suppression under these mulched cover crop systems were comparable and sometimes better than those under a conventional tillage and herbicide system. Cover crop productivity and its associated suppressive potential matched weed productivity and seemed to be determined primarily by location and then by precipitation patterns within each of the vineyards. At the Buena Vista site in Sonoma County biomass from mulched cover crops averaged 936 g m-2 by the last year whereas at the Frei Brothers site in Napa County mulch biomass averaged 427 g m-2. Weed suppression was linked to light interception by the mulch cover for most weed species. Subclover (Trifolium subterranean) planted directly in the vine row had the most significant impact on weed suppression and species richness changes at the Frei Brothers location. The increased dominance of the perennial, Convolvulus arvensis, and reduction of certain annual species was indicative of species compositional changes in all treatments. |
| Date Added | Sep 9, 2020 |
| Description | Journal/extension publication |
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