INTEGRATING MECHANICAL AND CHEMICAL WEED MANAGEMENT IN CORN (ZEA-MAYS)

Experiments conducted over three years compared weed cover and grain y ields in com which received cultivation alone, herbicide alone, and tr eatments combining mechanical and chemical weed control. Weed cover av eraged 30% with cultivation alone compared to 9% for the other treatme nts. Grain yields were 7% lower in one year. In the cultivation-alone treatments the rolling cultivator was less effective in controlling we eds than the shovel/sweep cultivator. In-row weed cover was greater th an between-row weed cover with cultivation alone. With banded herbicid e plus cultivation, in and between-row weed cover was the same. Weed c over and grain yields following banded herbicide plus cultivation were equivalent to broadcast herbicide with or without cultivation.