Weeds continue to be one of the most yield-limiting factors in no-till crop production, but thankfully, there are new ways of dealing with them when the right tools are sought out and used. 

Research from Ohio State University shows when left unmanaged, weeds can cause up to 80% yield loss in the Midwest. And with growing concerns over government regulations for herbicides, as well as increased numbers of herbicide resistant weeds, cover crops become all the more important to utilize as a tool for weed suppression. 

Alyssa Essman, assistant professor in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at Ohio State University, has been researching integrated weed management strategies and how cover crops can be used to supplement conventional herbicide programs.

The Big Five

Essman’s research has been focused on what her team is calling “the big five,” or the 5 most common weeds seen in Ohio and across a lot of the Midwest. Two of them are common ragweed and giant ragweed. Giant ragweed is a very tough weed that has a lot of biological advantages when it comes to seed size and plant size. It has a fast growth rate and is typically a very competitive weed. 

Another of the “big five” is horseweed or marestail, which has a number of characteristics that make it hard to deal with. It can germinate throughout different points of the year, spread across long distances and grow in pretty much any season. Essman says she has seen this weed become an…