Abstract

Organic Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) production in the United States has become more popular due to consumers’ concern regarding food safety. Growers, however, are challenged by many issues in organic production, including weed control that was often cited as the number one factor contributing to yield reduction. This report described a case study conducted on an organic farm in central Missouri, USA where cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) or rapeseed (Brassica napus I.) were planted as cover crops. The two crops were terminated by either tilling a couple of times or mowing followed by crimping prior to Sweetpotato transplanting. This case study demonstrated that tilling the cover crops rather than mowing and crimping resulted in significant weed control especially in the early part of the growing season. This suppression also resulted in up to three times the root tuber production, compared to the untreated control where no cover crops were planted. Between the two crops, cereal rye appeared to produce a higher yield in terms of tuber counts. This case report suggests that tilling cover crops prior to Sweetpotato transplanting can benefit organic Sweetpotato production.

Keywords: Cereal rye; Green manure; Organic farming; Rapeseed; Tillage; Weed control