Level and causes of weed control in organic pea cultivation via intercropping under varying ploughing depths

Summary

Semi-leafless peas have a weak weed suppressive ability and reducing soil tillage depth is often related to an increase in weed infestation in organic farming. The high weed suppressive ability is one important aspect of growing peas in an intercrop with oat. Therefore a pea-oat intercropping is a feasible weed management strategy for pea cultivation in reduced tillage systems. We determined the interaction of pea sole or intercropping and shallow or deep ploughing on annual weed infestation. Of additional concern have been the causes of weed suppression in pea-oat intercrops.