Conservation tillage strategy based on the roller crimper technology for weed control in Mediterranean vegetable organic cropping systems

• Different tillage and cover crop management strategies were compared.
• In-line tillage/roller crimper technology feasibility was evaluated.
• The technology did not reduce yield and yield quality and controlled weeds.
• The technology increased the agro-ecosystem nitrogen use efficiency and allowed energy saving.
• The technology contributes to enhance sustainability of the organically managed vegetable agro-ecosystems.

A two-year field experiment was carried out at the MOVE (MOnsampolo VEgetables) organic long-term experiment, Monsampolo del Tronto – Central Italy – growing transplanted zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) to compare the effect of different tillage strategies and cover crop management (no cover crop; green manured barley; in-line till/roller crimped barley) on zucchini yield, zucchini yield quality, weed control and N dynamic in the soil–plant system. Energy consumption for mechanical operations, soil temperature and water content was also evaluated. Zucchini cultivated by the in line tillage/roller crimper technique yielded 69% more than the zucchini preceded by the green manure and similarly to the control. Moreover, zucchini yield quality did not differ among the treatments. Weed above ground biomass was 22 and 91% lower than the control in the green manure and in the roller crimper treatments, respectively. The in line-tillage/roller crimper (ILRC) also increased the N system use efficiency (yield N ratio) of twofold respect to the control and of 29% respect to the green manure treatment. Despite the additional tillage needed to sow and manage the cover crop, the ILRC treatment allowed 10% of work hours and 24% of energy saving respect to the control (no cover crop). Moreover, the in-line tillage/roller crimper technology used 46% of work hours and 56% of energy less than the green manure treatment, which is – so far – the most widely used system by organic farmers to manage cover crops. Our results demonstrated that the adoption of the novel ILRC technology would considerably contribute to enhance the sustainability of the organically managed vegetable cropping systems.