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Weed control is becoming increasingly challenging for field crop producers across the Northeastern United States, including New York (N.Y.). Several factors are driving this trend, including the introduction of new and invasive weed species, the growing prevalence of herbicide resistance, increasing cost of herbicide premixes, and unpredictable weather that often limits timely field operations.
Growing alfalfa in rotation with corn improves yields, reduces the risk of crop loss, reduces fertilizer nitrogen and pest control inputs, spreads cropping and labor activities throughout the growing season, improves soil quality and reduces cropland vulnerability to nitrate leaching, soil erosion and nutrient runoff.
Weeds can affect the establishment of any perennial system, especially forages. For example, researchers found alfalfa fields with high densities of weeds resulted in reduced alfalfa plant densities more than 50 percent, and others have documented similar results.
Researchers attributed the loss in establishment from competition for soil moisture and light.
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a vigorous, warm-season perennial grass planted for many purposes including livestock grazing, wildlife cover and as a biofuel crop.
Switchgrass begins growth in late spring and continues through the summer if moisture is available. It grows 3 to 6 feet in small to large sodded clumps that spread slowly from numerous scaly, creeping rhizomes.
