Reducing Herbicide Dependence in Corn-Wheat with a Long Cover Crop

Case studies - DEPHY EXPE System Sheets

Mixed farming and livestock Mixed farming and livestockWeeding

Ille-et-Vilaine (department)

Sandy textures

Mixed farming and livestock

Photo credit: David Bouillé

Milk producer in the Rennes basin, Pascal Lefeuvre has a crop rotation typical of local farms with meadows around the barn and more fragile corn-wheat rotations in the more distant plots. Despite this, he has managed to reduce his IFT without reducing his yields.

In 2000, he decided to stop using glyphosate. Pascal did not change his corn-wheat rotation. However, the long intercrop period (mustard, buckwheat, forage radish and phacelia) is an integral part. Its destruction is facilitated by the choice of frost-sensitive species. The cessation of ploughing on corn, the introduction of false seedbeds, and the development of hoeing on corn form the basis of weed management.

➔ More information in the DEPHY FARM Trajectory sheet

Annexes

Leviers évoqués dans ce système

• Plant frost-sensitive species in intercrop
• Practice mechanical weeding on the inter-row - Hoeing
• Perform false seedbeds during intercrop