Wheat cultivar and cereal species mixture use in organic and conventional agriculture.

摘要

Mixtures of wheat cultivars and cereal species may be more competitive, produce higher yields and provide greater environmental stability than growing sole crop wheat. We conducted two 8 site-year studies on both organic and conventionally managed land; testing (a) 16 modern wheat cultivar mixtures with and without simulated weed pressure, and (b) 18 wheat:spring cereal (barley, oats or triticale) mixtures, between 2003 and 2005. A 1:1 mixture of a vigorous semi-dwarf (Superb) and an early maturing (Intrepid) wheat cultivar performed well in both conventional and organic systems. Sole-crop Superb produced high yields but was not as stable as some mixtures. Barley:wheat and oat:wheat mixtures yielded well and suppressed weeds in both systems. Barley often suppressed wheat (and weeds) in mixtures due to its greater competitive ability. Wheat cultivar and cereal species mixtures may be useful for both organic and conventional producers in western Canada.