Tillage Radish to Control Weeds in Horticulture Crops

Published Nov 3, 2010

Abstract

Scattergood Farm near West Branch tested tillage radish for weed control in one of their vegetable fields. They also collected data on seed germination for the cash crop after tillage radishes to observe if the tillage radish had an adverse effect on seed germination. Mean weed counts (34.25 in control and 31.75 in tillage radish plots) combined with statistical analysis indicated no difference in weed control between the tillage radish and control.

Statistical analyses of cash crop germination also illustrated no difference in cash crop seed germination between tillage radish and control plots. Mark Quee, farm manager at Scattergood, said that observations were in line with the data. He thinks tillage radish may have potential to contribute to soil tilth and organic matter, and plans to find out with further research.