SIMULATION OF SPRING-SEEDED SMOTHER PLANTS FOR WEED-CONTROL IN CORN (ZEA-MAYS)

Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of a short-te rm spring-seeded smother plant on corn development and weed control. Y ellow mustard was managed to provide interference durations of 2, 4, 6 , or 8 wk, and maximum height of 10 or 20 cm. Three yellow mustard pla nting patterns and eight seeding rates were evaluated during 1989 and 1990 at St. Paul and Rosemount, MN. Yellow mustard seeded at 2120 seed s m-2 with an interference duration of 4 wk and a maximum height of 10 cm decreased corn yield 17% and reduced weed dry weight 4 wk after ye llow mustard emergence an average of 66%. Yellow mustard with a 2-wk i nterference duration did not reduce weed dry weight. Yellow mustard se eded at 2120 seeds m-2 with a 6- or 8-wk life cycle and 10-cm height r educed weed dry weight at the end of the interference period an averag e of 82% but delayed corn silk emergence an average of 5.3 d and reduc ed average grain yield 19%. Increasing yellow mustard height from 10 t o 20 cm delayed corn silk emergence and reduced grain yield but did no t decrease weed dry weight. Yellow mustard with an interference durati on of 4 wk and a maximum height of 10 cm, seeded over the corn row at 530 seeds m-2, reduced weed dry weight 4 wk after mustard emergence an average of 51%, and resulted in an average corn grain yield reduction of 4%, compared with corn grown in monoculture averaged over weedy an d weed-free treatments. These results suggest that it may be possible to develop spring-seeded smother plants that reduce weed biomass up to 80% but have only a small impact on corn yield.