ARS | Publication request: Evaluation of Field Pennycress As An Overwinter Green Manure Crop in Corn for Suppression of Western Corn Rootworm

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: June 29, 2006
Publication Date: June 29, 2006
Citation: Vaughn, S.F., Isbell, T., Stessman, R.J., Behle, R.W. 2006. Evaluation of field pennycress as an overwinter green manure crop in corn for suppression of western corn rootworm [abstract]. Proceedings of the Second International Biofumigation Symposium. P. 41

Technical Abstract: Field pennycress (FP; Thlaspi arvense L.) is a winter annual species of the Brassicaceae which is a native of Europe but has a wide distribution throughout temperate North America. FP tissues contain the glucosinolate sinigrin, and release a mixture of the biocides allyl thiocyanate and allyl isothiocyanate when plant tissues are macerated. Although FP is considered a major agricultural weed, its ability to overwinter in areas with severe winters and its sinigrin content led us to investigate it as a potential biofumigation green manure crop for the control of Western corn rootworm (WCR; Diabrotica virgifera LeConte), a leaf beetle whose larvae feed predominantly on corn roots. Plots were seeded on September 15, 2004 with FP seeds and allowed to grow overwinter, with fallow ground maintained between plots as a control. Soil was removed in March and analyzed in the greenhouse for WCR eggs and larval development. Although eggs were more numerous in soil from FP plots, survival was less than in the fallow plots. FP plants were incorporated into the soil by mowing and immediate rototillage at three different dates (April 11, 18 and 25, 2005), which corresponded with different developmental stages of the plants. Corn (Zea mays L.) was planted one week after the last incorporation date. Corn growth was reduced by FP incorporated at the later two dates but not at the earliest date. Results for corn root damage by WCR and adult emergence did not vary statistically among treatments in the test plots. From these results it does not appear that FP as a green manure will reduce WCR damage to corn cropped the following season.