Strengthening the Weak Links in Organic Weed Management
This presentation will discuss organic weed management practices with a focus on identifying weak links in current management practices and strategies that strengthen these links in the chain. The presentation will share results from research on Western Illinois University's Organic Research Farm as well as other sites.
Weed management strategies discussed will include promoting crop competitive advantage, crop/cover crop rotation, blind cultivation, row cultivation, cover crop interseeding and organic no-till systems.
Speaker
Joel Gruver
Dr. Joel Gruver is an Associate Professor of Soil Science in the School of Agriculture at Western Illinois University. In addition to teaching soil science and conservation classes, he is the Director of the WIU Organic Research Program. His research and outreach activities focus on organic grain production systems with an emphasis on weed management, nutrient management and farming system strategies to enhance soil health. He grew up on a small farm in rural Maryland and has been active in farming systems research and education for over 25 years.