Utilization of common buckwheat as a short-cycle cover crop before direct-seeded processing cucumber production
Weeds are difficult to control in processing cucumber (Cucumis sativus) production because of the growth habit of cucumber and its sensitivity to herbicides. One alternative method is utilizing short-cycle summer cover crops, such as common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) prior to planting cucumber. However, this needs to be tested to assess any potentially negative influences of buckwheat on cucumber yields. To examine the effects of buckwheat on cucumber growth, four field experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2009 in northern and central Illinois and two greenhouse experiments were conducted in Urbana, IL in 2010. Using buckwheat as a cover crop prior to direct-seeding cucumber had negative effects on overall cucumber growth and yield in both field and greenhouse experiments. . In the field experiments, buckwheat reduced weed growth during the buckwheat stand, but did not provide long-term weed suppression during the cucumber growth period, and caused inhibition of cucumber growth and reduction of cucumber yield, making it unsuitable to be used as cover crop prior to cucumber if there is only a seven-day period between incorporation and seeding processing cucumbers. In the greenhouse experiments, cucumber plants grown in soil that had previously grown buckwheat seven days earlier were smaller and less vigorous than those grown in soil with no buckwheat residues or containing only buckwheat shoots. Direct-seeding cucumber into buckwheat residues only one week after killing the buckwheat is not advisable as cucumber growth and yield will be reduced as a result.
common buckwheat, processing cucumbers, weeds
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign