Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

2026

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science

First Advisor

Kristine Lang

Abstract

Vegetable farmers often face weed management and soil health challenges, such as nitrate leaching, soil compaction, and top-soil loss. Sustainable agriculture is a forefront of innovation compared to conventional agriculture. Living mulches, non-cash crops grown alongside cash crops, have demonstrated weed suppression and impact on the promotion of sustainable agriculture. Yet studies have not evaluated established living mulch systems on cash crop quality and yield. This study conducted in 2023, 2024, and 2025 at SDSU Southeast Research Farm, Beresford, SD, USA evaluates the impact of established ‘Dynamite’ red clover (Trifolium pratense), ‘Domino’ white clover (T. repens), and ‘Aberlasting’ white × kura clover (T. repens × ambiguum) in comparison to a bare ground control and four different soil management treatments (till, till + fabric, no-till, no-till + fabric). Combinations of clover, soil management, and cash crop were compared for crop growth, weed suppression, and yield quality. The study analyzed combinations of clover living mulch and soil management on production of three varieties of organic cabbage (Brassica oleraceae) ‘Farao’ (65 DTM), ‘Famosa’ (81 DTM), and ‘Deadon’ (105 DTM)). Harvested cabbage heads were graded in accordance with USDA Marketable standards for cabbage cash crop production. Weed suppression was increased under living mulch systems with cool, wet spring which was prime for clover establishment. Growth habits of clover varieties (stolonous, rhizotomous, or taproot) influenced weed suppression; imperative on late-seasons weeds. The in-row soil treatments demonstrated differences for clover and weed biomass accumulation. Regardless of clover variety, highest impact on cabbage production and yield was within no-till soil management, often due to immature and soft heads. Clover treatment had the highest impact on cabbage yield of US Number 1 marketable head. This study also investigated historic soil management, and third year established clover living mulch systems on organic sweet corn (Zea mays) ‘Who Gets Kissed.’ Historical soil management treatments had minimum effect on sweet corn production; potential influence was observed during the growing season for nutrient deficiencies. Yield was graded in accordance with USDA Marketable Standard for sweet corn crop production. Weed biomass decreased as season progressed, particularly after canopy closure. Living mulch influenced sweet corn harvest production, yet over 50% of graded sweet corn was still in the US No1 and US No2 marketable categories. Bare ground treatment plots were first to reach maturity and produce the highest percentage of marketable ears. Farmers who are interested in growing cash crops within living mulch conditions could see benefits in weed suppression, yet awareness of proper mitigation and soil management is necessary. These parameters can depend on irrigation, management, and location. Utilization of living mulch systems with cash crop productions should be implemented after key considerations such as water availability, early season maintenance, and scale of production.

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright