The Effect of Spring Planted Cereal Rye on the Yield of Fresh Market Vegetables

ABSTRACT Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of spring-planted rye cultivars in vegetable cropping systems. Snap bean and tomato yields were reduced in the rye plots compared to conventional tillage plots. In one of the years, squash yields were reduced in the rye plots, except for ‘Florida 401’, compared to conventional tillage plots. The reduced vegetable yields were probably caused by weed competition, nitrogen immobilization, soil compaction and changes in the microenvironment caused by the rye. Spring-seed rye systems are not recommended for vegetable crops because of the risk of reduced yields.