The Effect of Barley Cover Crop Residue and Herbicide Management on the Foliar Arthropod Community in No-Till Soybeans

Abstract

Cover cropping has long been used as a method of reducing soil erosion, increasing soil quality, and suppressing weeds. However, the effects of cover crops in local farming systems are varied and can be affected by timing and method of termination. Field experiments were conducted at two sites in Maryland, USA during the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons to examine how varying the date and method of terminating a barley (Hordeum vulgare) cover crop affects the arthropod communities in succeeding no-till soybean (Glycine max). Experimental treatments included early-kill with pre-and post-emergent herbicides (EK), late-kill with pre-and post-emergent herbicides (LK), late-kill with a flail mower and pre-emergent herbicide (FM), and a fallow/bare-ground check with pre-and post-emergent herbicides (BG). Terminating barley late, just prior to soybean planting, resulted in significantly greater biomass accumulation in LK and FM than EK. However, method and timing of termination had no effect on the community of pest and beneficial arthropods in the soybean canopy. Results from this experiment suggest that terminating the cover crop early or late (just prior to crop planting) or using a mower or post-emergent herbicide will result in a similar community of arthropods within the soybean canopy.

Impact of Post-Harvest Management Practices in Corn (Zea mays L.) Fields on Arthropods in Subsequent Soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) Plantings

“…Similar to some previous findings, results from this study showed no effect or a variable response of cover crops and residue disturbances on arthropod abundance in soybeans [ 23 , 40 , 41 ]. Overall, an increased abundance of all arthropods (cumulative feeding guilds) was recorded in the CC treatment.…”

The Effect of Salicylic Acid and 20 Substituted Molecules on Alleviating Metolachlor Herbicide Injury in Rice (Oryza sativa)

“…Chloramides (e.g., metolachlor, acetochlor, and pretilachlor) are among the most commonly used herbicide types. However, chloramides negatively affect the yield and growth of crops such as sweet potato, sorghum, wheat, soybean, corn, and rice [2][3][4][5][6]. Technologies that can combat the poor selectivity of herbicides include selective conventional herbicides and herbicide safeners [7,8].…”

Crop Diversity at the Landscape Level Affects the Composition and Structure of the Vegetation-Dwelling Arthropod Communities in Naked Oat (Avena Chinensis) Fields

“…At present, most studies on landscape heterogeneity focus on the effects of overall landscape heterogeneity (including all land use types) or on the effects of the proportion of natural and semi-natural habitats [22][23][24], while there are fewer studies on crop habitat heterogeneity [25]. Research on the effects of crop habitat heterogeneity on pest control is also often concentrated at the small scale (field scale), such as in field-scale intercropping experiments [15,19,26].…”