ARS | Publication request: CROP TOLERANCE AND WEED SUPPRESSIVE ABILITY OF THREE SWEET CORN HYBRIDS: INITIAL RESULTS

Submitted to: National Food Processors Association Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings/Symposium
Publication Acceptance Date: November 30, 2004
Publication Date: January 15, 2005
Citation: WILLIAMS, M.M., BOYDSTON, R.A. 2005. Crop tolerance and weed suppressive ability of three sweet corn hybrids: Initial results. 77th Processing Crops Conference Proceedings. p. 8.

Technical Abstract: Commercially-available sweet corn hybrids vary in their crop tolerance and weed suppressive ability. Even at low weed densities, large differences were observed in the hybrids¿ ability to endure weed competition. Those hybrids that had a higher crop tolerance also had a higher weed suppressive ability, sometimes by an order of magnitude. These results can be explained largely by direct resource preemption by the crop, and that gains in crop tolerance benefit weed suppressive ability and vice versa. Practical applications of this work include 1) weed-tolerant sweet corn hybrids will improve yield stability in weedy fields and 2) weed-suppressive hybrids (perhaps the same hybrids that are weed-tolerant) will contribute to reducing weed growth and seed production. The impact of this research is that we have a better understanding of weed/crop ecology, which provides a useful foundation for developing new approaches to managing weeds in sweet corn. Studies will be repeated in 2005.