Cover cropping as a weed management tool in southern Australian farming systems.

Control options are limited for weeds developing herbicide resistance. Alternative management strategies are needed for improved control. A cover crop is defined as a crop grown to provide soil cover and to prevent soil erosion, regardless of whether it is later incorporated. Cover crops have been shown to possess multiple benefits to farming systems as a result of protecting soil from erosion, increasing water infiltration, improving soil structure and fertility, contributing to carbon sequestration and improving soil health (Yenish et al. 1996; Sainju and Singh 1997). Cover crops can also immobilize available nitrogen after harvest and reduce the amount of nitrogen leached (Brandi-Dohrn at al. 1997). Cover crops have been extensively studied for weed management in North America, but such information is scarce in Australia.