Evaluation of Tillage, Cover Crop & Herbicide Effects on Weed Control in Peanut Production Systems

To ensure sustainability, multiple integrated weed management strategies must be developed in order to provide growers the most cost effective means for production, while achieving adequate management and long-term viability. With peanut being a staple economic crop in the southeastern U.S. and with the increased pressure of herbicide resistant weeds, development of integrated weed management practices is crucial to producers in this area. Presently, herbicides are used on approximately 97% of all crop acres in the U.S., which can contribute to increased selectivity for resistance. The peanut crop is known to have a relatively poor competitive ability with problematic weeds because of its low canopy and prostrate growth. The objective of this project was to evaluate the system effect on peanut production by integrating conservation tillage, a rye cover crop, and three herbicide input intensities to determine effective integrated weed management systems that might promote sustainable weed control practices. 
A split-plot experiment was implemented at the UGA Ponder Farm under a half pivot to address herbicide efficacy in various tillage management and cover crop effects. Main plot effects included tillage/cover crop treatments, including conventional deep tum tillage (no cover crop in winter), a winter fallow (no cover crop) followed by strip-till, and strip-till into a winter cover crop of rye (rye planted November 14, 2013 and fertilized with 30 lb N/ac on December 16, 2013 and again on February 19, 2014).