Cover Crops

Cereal Rye as an Integrated Tool for Giant Ragweed Management! Recently published work in @AGEjournal by #WiscWeeds Graduate Research Assistant @gchudzik1 documented that 3.8 and 4.8 Mg/ha of cereal rye #covercrop biomass reduced giant #ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) biomass and density by 50%, respectively, compared to the no-cover crop biomass treatment. Cereal rye biomass alone provided up to 66% density and biomass suppression of new giant ragweed cohorts 42 days after study establishment. While Guilherme Chudzik's research focused on giant ragweed cohorts that emerged after study establishment (May 30), it is essential to note that some plants will establish before that date, especially when cereal rye biomass is insufficient for suppression, and such plants need to be properly managed during cereal rye termination, particularly if they are glyphosate-resistant, given that glyphosate is the most commonly adopted strategy for cereal rye termination. In conclusion, increasing cereal rye cover crop biomass levels was effective for suppressing giant ragweed establishment and growth, with >3.8 Mg/ha (= ~3,400 lbs/acre or ~30-inch tall cereal rye) providing >50% reduction in giant ragweed biomass and density. Such levels of cereal rye biomass have also been shown to provide effective biomass suppression (>50%) of #waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) according to previous work led by former #WiscWeeds graduate research assistant @JoseJr_Nunes. Citation: Chudzik, G., Nunes, J. J., Arneson, N. J., Stoltenberg, D. E., & Werle, R. (2025). Cereal rye biomass effects on giant ragweed suppression inform management decisions. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment, 8, e70023. doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70023