Changes of Heading Response and Leaf Production of Winter Cereals as Spring Living Mulch According to Cultivar and Sowing Date

ABSTRACT Changes of heading response and leaf produc-tion of winter cereals according to cultivar and sowing date in spring, were investigated in Suwon Korea during three years from 2007 to 2009 to obtain information on use as spring living mulch of winter cereals for weed suppression without herbicide in environment-friendly crop production. Rye showed variation among cultivar in heading response according to sowing date, which means that cultivar selection for living mulch is important in rye. Cultivar Prima and Wintergreen had not headed in sowing during March with low soil temperature in contrast to cultivar Koolgrazer and Gokwoo which had headed somewhat even until sowing in early May with relative high soil temperature. Barley and wheat showed distinct characteristics in heading response between sowing before and after early April compared to rye. Leaf production for soil covering was higher in barley than wheat, and cultivar Mirak than Ol within barley in 2007, respectively. Leaf production were not different much among rye cultivar in sowing during early or mid April, but it was different in sowing after mid April indicating that winter cereal cultivar with high leaf production could be selected in late sowing. It is thought that rye cultivar Duru was the most proper cultivar for spring living mulch in the point of high leaf production in addition to low heading in sowing after March.