Browsing by Author "Pittman, Kara"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Control of Common Grassy Weeds in Pastures and Hayfields
    Rector, Lucas; Pittman, Kara; Flessner, Michael (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2018-06-25)
    Discusses ways to control annual and perennial grassy weeds in pastures and hayfields.
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    Control of Common Grassy Weeds in Pastures and Hayfields
    Rector, Lucas; Pittman, Kara; Flessner, Michael (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2018-11-06)
    Discusses ways to control annual and perennial grassy weeds in pastures and hayfields.
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    Harvest Weed Seed Control
    Flessner, Michael; Beam, Shawn; Pittman, Kara; Everman, Wesley (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-05-06)
    Discusses methods for reducing some common weeds by controlling their seeds in crop fields. Some techniques include seed mills, windrow burning, chaff carts and chaff lining.
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    Herbicide Options to Terminate Winter Cover Crops
    Pittman, Kara; Flessner, Michael; Cahoon, Charlie; Bamber, Kevin (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-09-18)
    Discusses mechanical methods and herbicide choices for terminating winter cover crops.
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    High Residue Cover Crops for Annual Weed Suppression in Corn and Soybean Production and Potential for Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) to be Weedy
    Pittman, Kara (Virginia Tech, 2018-02-07)
    After termination, cover crop residue can suppress weeds by reducing sunlight, decreasing soil temperature, and providing a physical barrier. Experiments were implemented to monitor horseweed suppression from different cover crops as well as two fall-applied residual herbicide treatments. Results suggest that cover crops, other than forage radish in monoculture, can suppress horseweed more consistently than flumioxazin + paraquat or metribuzin + chlorimuron-ethyl. Cover crop biomass is positively correlated to weed suppression. Subsequent experiments were designed to determine the amount of weed suppression from different cover crop treatments and if carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratios or lignin content are also correlated to weed suppression or cover crop residue thickness. Results indicate that cereal rye alone and mixtures containing cereal rye produced the most biomass and suppressed weeds more than hairy vetch, crimson clover, and forage radish alone. Analyses indicate that lignin, as well as biomass, is an important indicator of weed suppression. While cover crops provide many benefits, integrating cover crops into production can be difficult. Hairy vetch, a legume cover crop, can become a weed in subsequent seasons. Multiple experiments were implemented to determine germination phenology and viability of two hairy vetch cultivars, Groff and Purple Bounty, and to determine when viable seed are produced. Almost all germination occurred in the initial cover crop growing season for both cultivars. Both cultivars had <1% of viable seed at the termination of the experiment. These results indicate that seed dormancy is not the primary cause of weediness.
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    Using Cover Crops to Suppress Horseweed
    Pittman, Kara; Flessner, Michael (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2019-08-21)
    Because horseweed has become resistant to some herbicides, using cover crops can be an effective means for controlling this species in fields where soybeans will be planted.
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    Using Cover Crops to Suppress Horseweed
    Pittman, Kara; Flessner, Michael (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2020-09-14)
    Research shows that cover crops can be used as a weed management tactic to suppress horseweed prior to planting and early in the cropping season. This result, combined with other benefits of cover crops, is substantial. However, cover crops weren’t able to provide season-long suppression of horseweed. Once the cover crop mulch degrades, horseweed is able to germinate and grow; therefore, additional weed control methods should be used to control horseweed after this point in the season. It is also important to use an effective burndown herbicide to control horseweed prior to planting. If the opportunity to control horseweed prior to planting a cash crop is missed, control will be more difficult during the growing season.