Effect of cover crops on emergence and growth of carrot (Daucus carota L.) in no-plow and traditional tillage

Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to determine the influence of cover crop biomass incorporated into the soil at different times and using different treatments on carrot emergence and growth. 7 species of cover crops were included in the study: Secale cereale, Avena sativa, Vicia sativa, Sinapis alba, Phacelia tanacetifolia, Fagopyrum esculentum, and Helianthus annuus.Number of emerged carrot plants significantly depended on the cover crop used and on the method of pre-winter and spring pre-sowing tillage. Carrot emerged best after a rye or oats cover crop. Regardless of the cover crop species used, the largest number of carrots emerged in cultivation on ridges. In other variants of no-plow tillage, number of seedlings was significantly lower and did not differ from that under traditional plow tillage. The highest leaf rosettes were formed by carrot growing after a rye or oats cover crop. The highest rosettes were produced by carrots in the treatments where tillage was limited to the use of a tillage implement in spring and the lowest ones after pre-winter plowing. The effect of tillage on the emergence and height of carrot leaves largely depended on weather conditions in the successive years of the study. The largest number of leaves was found in carrots grown after a buckwheat cover crop and in cultivation without cover crop, while the smallest one after phacelia and white mustard. Carrots produced the largest number of leaves after a sunflower cover crop and the use of a tillage implement in spring, while the number of leaves was lowest when the mustard biomass was incorporated into the soil in spring. The use of cover crops significantly increased the mass of leaves produced by carrot as compared to the cultivation without cover crop. The largest mass of leaves was produced by carrots grown after the phacelia and mustard cover crops. Conventional plow tillage and pre-winter tillage using a stubble cultivator promoted an increase in the mass of carrot leaves.

Growth, decorative and nutritional values of ornamental cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) in flowerbed conditions

“…Dębicz and Bąbelewski (2010) noticed the different reactions of perennials to mulching depending on the species, while in the study by Błażewicz-Woźniak, mulching the soil with pine bark had a positive effect on almost all the characteristics of the growth and flowering of sage (Salvia splendens), the Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) and also bear garlic (Allium ursinum) . The mulch protects the soil from overheating and drying out during the full summer (Konopiński et al 2001;Błażewicz-Woźniak et al 2015). Summer 2010 and 2011 were relatively rainy, therefore, the impact of bark mulching on the soil moisture and temperature stabilisation was not so visible and did not significantly affect the cabbage growth.…”

Impact of Tillage Depth and Planting Spacing on Plant Growth and Root Yield of Carrot (Daucus carota L.)

“…The existence of ideal soil aeration and nitrification, which aid in the expansion of root diameter, may have contributed to the higher tillage depth that resulted in larger root diameter. According to Wozniak et al (2015), deep soil can support the growth of well-developed roots. The maximum root diameter (3.93 cm) was found from the plants sown at the spacing of 25 cm × 15 cm (S3).…”