Patchy weed distribution and site-specific weed control in winter cereals

AbstractThe use of a fallow phase is an important tool for maximizing crop yield potential in moisture limited agricultural environments, with a focus on removing weeds to optimize fallow efficiency. Repeated whole field herbicide treatments to control low-density weed populations is expensive and wasteful. Site-specific herbicide applications to low-density fallow weed populations is currently facilitated by proprietary, sensor-based spray booms. The use of image analysis for fallow weed detection is an opportunity to develop a system with potential for in-crop weed recognition. Here we present OpenWeedLocator (OWL), an open-source, low-cost and image-based device for fallow weed detection that improves accessibility to this technology for the weed control community. A comprehensive GitHub repository was developed, promoting community engagement with site-specific weed control methods. Validation of OWL as a low-cost tool was achieved using four, existing colour-based algorithms over seven fallow fields in New South Wales, Australia. The four algorithms were similarly effective in detecting weeds with average precision of 79% and recall of 52%. In individual transects up to 92% precision and 74% recall indicate the performance potential of OWL in fallow fields. OWL represents an opportunity to redefine the approach to weed detection by enabling community-driven technology development in agriculture.

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Evaluation of Three Winter Cereals for Weed Control in Conservation-Tillage Nontransgenic Cotton

Weed Technology ◽

10.1614/wt-04-245r1.1 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 731-736 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

D. Wayne Reeves ◽

Andrew J. Price ◽

Michael G. Patterson

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Cotton Production ◽

Winter Cereal ◽

Winter Cereals ◽

Fallow System ◽

Winter Fallow

The increased use of conservation tillage in cotton production requires that information be developed on the role of cover crops in weed control. Field experiments were conducted from fall 1994 through fall 1997 in Alabama to evaluate three winter cereal cover crops in a high-residue, conservation-tillage, nontransgenic cotton production system. Black oat, rye, and wheat were evaluated for their weed-suppressive characteristics compared to a winter fallow system. Three herbicide systems were used: no herbicide, preemergence (PRE) herbicides alone, and PRE plus postemergence (POST) herbicides. The PRE system consisted of pendimethalin at 1.12 kg ai/ha plus fluometuron at 1.7 kg ai/ha. The PRE plus POST system contained an additional application of fluometuron at 1.12 kg/ha plus DSMA at 1.7 kg ai/ha early POST directed (PDS) and lactofen at 0.2 kg ai/ha plus cyanazine at 0.84 kg ai/ha late PDS. No cover crop was effective in controlling weeds without a herbicide. However, when black oat or rye was used with PRE herbicides, weed control was similar to the PRE plus POST system. Rye and black oat provided more effective weed control than wheat in conservation-tillage cotton. The winter fallow, PRE plus POST input system yielded significantly less cotton in 2 of 3 yr compared to systems that included a winter cover crop. Use of black oat or rye cover crops has the potential to increase cotton productivity and reduce herbicide inputs for nontransgenic cotton grown in the Southeast.

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A Bioeconomic Analysis of Site‐Specific Management for Weed Control

Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy ◽

10.2307/1349587 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 523-535 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Caleb A. Oriade ◽

Robert P. King ◽

Frank Forcella ◽

Jeffrey L. Gunsolus

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Site Specific ◽

Specific Management

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Site-specific weed control technologies

Weed Research ◽

10.1111/j.1365-3180.2009.00696.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 233-241 ◽

Cited By ~ 105

Author(s):

S CHRISTENSEN ◽

H T SØGAARD ◽

P KUDSK ◽

M NØRREMARK ◽

I LUND ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Site Specific ◽

Control Technologies

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Weed control in conventional and herbicide tolerant winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) grown in rotations with winter cereals in the UK

Weed Research ◽

10.1111/j.1365-3180.2008.00643.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 48 (5) ◽

pp. 408-419 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

P J W LUTMAN ◽

J SWEET ◽

K BERRY ◽

J LAW ◽

R PAYNE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brassica Napus ◽

Weed Control ◽

Oilseed Rape ◽

Winter Oilseed Rape ◽

Winter Cereals ◽

Herbicide Tolerant ◽

The Uk

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Using energy requirements to compare the suitability of alternative methods for broadcast and site-specific weed control

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2019.32 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 633-650 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Guy R. Y. Coleman ◽

Amanda Stead ◽

Marc P. Rigter ◽

Zhe Xu ◽

David Johnson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Weed Control ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Energy Requirements ◽

Site Specific ◽

Alternative Technologies ◽

Alternative Weed Control ◽

Control Technologies ◽

Sites Of Action

AbstractThe widespread use of herbicides in cropping systems has led to the evolution of resistance in major weeds. The resultant loss of herbicide efficacy is compounded by a lack of new herbicide sites of action, driving demand for alternative weed control technologies. While there are many alternative methods for control, identifying the most appropriate method to pursue for commercial development has been hampered by the inability to compare techniques in a fair and equitable manner. Given that all currently available and alternative weed control methods share an intrinsic energy consumption, the aim of this review was to compare methods based on energy consumption. Energy consumption was compared for chemical, mechanical, and thermal weed control technologies when applied as broadcast (whole-field) and site-specific treatments. Tillage systems, such as flex-tine harrow (4.2 to 5.5 MJ ha−1), sweep cultivator (13 to 14 MJ ha−1), and rotary hoe (12 to 17 MJ ha−1) consumed the least energy of broadcast weed control treatments. Thermal-based approaches, including flaming (1,008 to 4,334 MJ ha−1) and infrared (2,000 to 3,887 MJ ha−1), are more appropriate for use in conservation cropping systems; however, their energy requirements are 100- to 1,000-fold greater than those of tillage treatments. The site-specific application of weed control treatments to control 2-leaf-stage broadleaf weeds at a density of 5 plants m−2 reduced energy consumption of herbicidal, thermal, and mechanical treatments by 97%, 99%, and 97%, respectively. Significantly, this site-specific approach resulted in similar energy requirements for current and alternative technologies (e.g., electrocution [15 to 19 MJ ha−1], laser pyrolysis [15 to 249 MJ ha−1], hoeing [17 MJ ha−1], and herbicides [15 MJ ha−1]). Using similar energy sources, a standardized energy comparison provides an opportunity for estimation of weed control costs, suggesting site-specific weed management is critical in the economically realistic implementation of alternative technologies.

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