Cover Crops in Woody Ornamental Production: Impact on Plant Growth, Arthropod Pests, Soil-Borne Pathogens and Weeds

Project Overview

LS18-287
Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2018: $284,869.00
Projected End Date: 09/30/2021
Grant Recipient: Tennessee State University
Region: Southern
State: Tennessee
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Karla Addesso
Email
Tennessee State University

Information Products

Methods for Management of Soilborne Diseases in Crop Production. (Peer-reviewed Journal Article)
Management of flatheaded appletree borer in nursery production with cover crops (Conference/Presentation Material)
Pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia solani and Phytophthora nicotianae to Brassicaceae cover crops. (Peer-reviewed Journal Article)
Effect of Brassica crop-based biofumigation on soilborne disease suppression in woody ornamentals (Peer-reviewed Journal Article)
Flatheaded Borer Management in Nurseries with Winter Cover Crops (Bulletin)
COVER CROPS IN FIELD-GROWN NURSERIES: IMPACTS ON TREE GROWTH, PEST, AND BENEFICIAL ARTHROPODS (Book/Handbook)
Response of Cover Crops to Phytopythium vexans, Phytophthora nicotianae, and Rhizoctonia solani, Major Soilborne Pathogens of Woody Ornamentals (Book/Handbook)
Using Cover Crops in Nursery Production (Video)
Comparative performance of drill and broadcast winter cover crops in nursery production and their impact on arthropod communities (Conference/Presentation Material)
Managing flatheaded borers in nursery production without insecticides (Conference/Presentation Material)
Development of a cover crop system for management of flatheaded borers in red maple production (Conference/Presentation Material)
Flatheaded borer ecology and management in ornamental trees. (Conference/Presentation Material)
Impact of cover crop usage on soilborne disease suppressiveness in field nursery production. (Conference/Presentation Material)
Management of Flatheaded Appletree Borers Using Cover Crops in Woody Ornamental Production Systems. (Conference/Presentation Material)
COVER CROPS UTILIZED AS PART OF FLATHEADED BORER MANAGEMENT (Video)
Cover Crops in the Nursery (Conference/Presentation Material)
Managing Glyphosate Resistant Weeds in Horticulture Crop Production (Conference/Presentation Material)
Impact of winter cover crop usage in soilborne disease suppressiveness in woody ornamental production system (Peer-reviewed Journal Article)

Commodities

  • Additional Plants: ornamentals, trees

Practices

  • Crop Production: biological inoculants, cover crops, foliar feeding, nurseries
  • Education and Training: demonstration, extension, farmer to farmer, on-farm/ranch research, workshop
  • Natural Resources/Environment: drift/runoff buffers, soil stabilization
  • Pest Management: allelopathy, biofumigation, chemical control, competition, cultural control, field monitoring/scouting, integrated pest management, weed ecology
  • Production Systems: agroecosystems
  • Soil Management: green manures, soil analysis, soil microbiology

    Abstract:

    The purpose of this project is to move nursery production towards more sustainable management practices. To accomplish this task, evidence-based recommendations are needed to improve wood ornamental cropping while minimizing weed, pest arthropod and disease concerns. Our project will evaluate the impacts of cover crop use in field-grown woody ornamental production.

    While the impact of cover crops has been studied extensively in row crop and vegetable production, less is known about how cover crops may positively or negatively affect perennial woody ornamental production. Woody ornamental production systems are complicated to manage due to the many plant species grown on a single nursery. To effectively serve this industry, management solutions must be applicable to a wide range of tree and shrub crops. Of particular interest to growers is the amount of competition endured by trees in fields with cover crops growing within tree rows as compared to rows with weeds or those kept clean with pre-emergent herbicides. The presence of cover crops may alter arthropod pest and beneficial communities as well. An additional gap in our knowledge base is the efficacy of biofumigant cover crops for management of soil-borne diseases in multi-year cropping systems such as those of woody perennials.

    Project objectives:

    The objectives include an investigation of the use of cover crops in woody ornamental production systems through:

    1. The evaluation of winter cover crop stand recovery and tree seedling development after fall or spring transplant of tree liners;
    2. The evaluation of summer and winter cover crop rotations in established tree production areas;
    3. Optimization of winter cover crops methods for management of key woody ornamental tree pest, the flatheaded appletree borer, and;
    4. The incorporation of biofumigant cover crops for treatment of soils prior to liner transplant.

    The impact of these practices on soil-borne pathogens, soil quality, pest and beneficial arthropod populations, weed pressure, and plant growth will be evaluated.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.