Weed control and field management with barley living mulch in asparagus production.

摘要

The efficacy of a barley (cv. Temairazu) live mulch for weed control in an asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) field in Hokkaido, Japan, was evaluated. When barley was sown in the spring, heading did not occur and only leaves emerged; this resulted in the development of a live mulch. After sowing on 15 April 2004, barley live mulch covered the ground surface after mid-May, and reduced weed emergence to 18% of the control (bare soil without barley) on 15 July. The live mulch continued to grow during the summer. Sowing density was more than 60-80 kg/ha for complete weed control. Sowing of barley after mid-May reduced the weed control efficacy compared to sowing on 15 April (2 or 3 weeks before the beginning of asparagus harvesting). The weed control efficacy of live mulch of barley sown on 15 May 2004 was less pronounced compared to that of herbicide application or tillage. Serious problems were not observed during spear harvesting and it was possible to supply organic matter into the soil in a barley living mulch system.