scholarly journals Seed shattering phenology at soybean harvest of economically important weeds in multiple regions of the United States. Part 3: Drivers of seed shatter

Weed Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Lauren M. Schwartz-Lazaro ◽  
Lovreet S. Shergill ◽  
Jeffrey A. Evans ◽  
Muthukumar V. Bagavathiannan ◽  
Shawn C. Beam ◽  
...  

Seed retention, and ultimately seed shatter, are extremely important for the efficacy of harvest weed seed control (HWSC) and likely influenced by various agro-ecological and environmental factors. Field studies investigated seed shattering phenology of 22 weed species across three soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] producing regions in the US. We further evaluated the potential drivers of seed shatter in terms of weather conditions, growing degree days, and plant biomass. Based on the results, weather conditions had no consistent impact on weed seed shatter. However, there was a positive correlation between individual weed plant biomass and delayed weed-seed shattering rates during harvest. This work demonstrates that HWSC can potentially reduce weed seedbank inputs of plants that have escaped early season management practices and retained seed through harvest. However, smaller individuals of plants within the same population that shatter seed before harvest pose a risk of escaping early season management and HWSC.

Weed Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Lauren M. Schwartz-Lazaro ◽  
Lovreet S. Shergill ◽  
Jeffery A. Evans ◽  
Muthukumar V. Bagavathiannan ◽  
Shawn C. Beam ◽  
...  

Abstract Seed shatter is an important weediness trait on which the efficacy of harvest weed seed control (HWSC) depends. The level of seed shatter in a species is likely influenced by agroecological and environmental factors. In 2016 and 2017, we assessed seed shatter of eight economically important grass weed species in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] from crop physiological maturity to four weeks after maturity at multiple sites spread across eleven states in the southern, northern, and mid-Atlantic U.S. From soybean maturity to four weeks after maturity, cumulative percent seed shatter was lowest in the southern U.S. regions and increased as the states moved further north. At soybean maturity, the percent of seed shatter ranged from 1 to 70%. That range had shifted to 5 to 100% (mean: 42%) by 25 days after soybean maturity. There were considerable differences in seed shatter onset and rate of progression between sites and years in some species that could impact their susceptibility to HWSC. Our results suggest that many summer annual grass species are likely not ideal candidates for HWSC, although HWSC could substantially reduce their seed output at during certain years.


Weed Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Lauren M. Schwartz-Lazaro ◽  
Lovreet S. Shergill ◽  
Jeffrey A. Evans ◽  
Muthukumar V. Bagavathiannan ◽  
Shawn C. Beam ◽  
...  

Abstract Potential effectiveness of harvest weed seed control (HWSC) systems depends upon seed shatter of the target weed species at crop maturity, enabling its collection and processing at crop harvest. However, seed retention likely is influenced by agroecological and environmental factors. In 2016 and 2017, we assessed seed shatter phenology in thirteen economically important broadleaf weed species in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] from crop physiological maturity to four weeks after physiological maturity at multiple sites spread across fourteen states in the southern, northern, and mid-Atlantic U.S. Greater proportions of seeds were retained by weeds in southern latitudes and shatter rate increased at northern latitudes. Amaranthus species seed shatter was low (0 to 2%), whereas shatter varied widely in common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) (2 to 90%) over the weeks following soybean physiological maturity. Overall, the broadleaf species studied shattered less than ten percent of their seeds by soybean harvest. Our results suggest that some of the broadleaf species with greater seed retention rates in the weeks following soybean physiological maturity may be good candidates for HWSC.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Michael J. Walsh ◽  
Annie E. Rayner ◽  
Annie Rutledge ◽  
John C. Broster

Abstract Chaff lining and chaff tramlining are harvest weed seed control (HWSC) systems that involve the concentration of weed seed containing chaff material into narrow (20 to 30 cm) rows between or on the harvester wheel tracks during harvest. These lines of chaff are left intact in the fields through subsequent cropping seasons in the assumption that the chaff environment is unfavourable for weed seed survival. The chaff row environment effect on weed seed survival was examined in field studies, while chaff response studies determined the influence of increasing amounts of chaff on weed seedling emergence. The objectives of these studies were to determine 1) the influence of chaff lines on the summer-autumn seed survival of selected weed species; and 2) the influence of chaff type and amount on rigid ryegrass seedling emergence. There was frequently no difference (P>0.05) in survival of seed of four weed species (rigid ryegrass, wild oat, annual sowthistle and turnip weed) when these seed were placed beneath or beside chaff lines. There was one instance where wild oat seed survival was increased (P<0.05) when seed were placed beneath compared to beside a chaff line. The pot studies determined that increasing amounts of chaff consistently resulted in decreasing numbers of rigid ryegrass seedlings emerging through chaff material. The suppression of emergence broadly followed a linear relationship where there was approximately a 2.0% reduction in emergence with every 1.0 t ha-1 increase in chaff material. This relationship was consistent across wheat, barley, canola and lupin chaff types, indicating that the physical presence of the chaff was more important than chaff type. These studies indicated that chaff lines may not affect the over summer-autumn survival of the contained weed seeds but the subsequent emergence of weed seedlings will be restricted by high amounts of chaff (>40 t ha-1).


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Charles N. Nyamwamu ◽  
Rebecca Karanja ◽  
Peter Mwangi

This study sought to determine the relation between soil weed seed bank and weed management practices and diversity in farms in Kisii Central Sub County, Western Kenya. Eight administrative sub-locations were randomly selected. Ten farms were selected at equal distance along transect laid across each sub-location. Weed soil seed bank was assessed from soil samples collected from each of the farms; a sub-sample was taken from a composite sample of ten soil cores of 5cm diameter and 15cm deep and placed in germination trays in a greenhouse. Weed diversity in soil weed seedbank was calculated using the Shannon index (H’). Twelve weed species from 12 genera of nine families were recorded. Diversity of the weed species in soil weed seed bank was (H'=1.48). Weed management practises significantly affected weed species soil weed seedbank reserves. Use of inefficient and ineffective hand-weeding techniques resulted in high weed species diversity and abundance.


Weed Science ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 533-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Smith ◽  
Randa Jabbour ◽  
Andrew G. Hulting ◽  
Mary E. Barbercheck ◽  
David A. Mortensen

The transition period to certified organic production can present a significant weed management challenge for growers. Organic certification requires that prohibited fertilizers and pesticides must not have been used for 36 mo before harvest of the first organic crop. Understanding how organic management practices and initial weed seed-bank densities affect weed population dynamics during the transition period may improve weed management efficacy and adoption of organic practices. We examined how tillage systems (full or reduced) and cover crop species planted during the first transition year (rye or a mixture of timothy and red clover) affect the seedling densities of three common annual weed species, common lambsquarters, velvetleaf, and foxtail spp., during the 3-yr transition period. Weed seeds were applied in a one-time pulse at the beginning of the study at three densities, low, medium, and high (60, 460, and 2,100 seeds m−2, respectively), and cumulative seedling densities of each species were assessed annually. Treatment factors had variable and species-specific effects on weed seedling densities. In general, the full-tillage system, with an initial cover crop of timothy and red clover, resulted in the lowest density of weed seedlings following seed-bank augmentation. There was little consistent association between the initial densities of applied weed seeds in the weed seed bank at the start of the transition and weed seedling densities at the end of the transition period. This suggests that when multiple crop and weed cultural management practices are employed during the organic transition period, initial failures in weed management may not necessarily lead to persistent and intractable annual weed species management problems following organic certification.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aniruddha Maity ◽  
Amrit Lamichaney ◽  
Dinesh Chandra Joshi ◽  
Ali Bajwa ◽  
Nithya Subramanian ◽  
...  

Seed shattering refers to the natural shedding of seeds when they ripe, a phenomenon typically observed in wild and weedy plant species. The timing and extent of this phenomenon varies considerably among plant species. Seed shattering is primarily a genetically controlled trait; however, it is significantly influenced by environmental conditions, management practices and their interactions, especially in agro-ecosystems. This trait is undesirable in domesticated crops where consistent efforts have been made to minimize it through conventional and molecular breeding approaches. However, this evolutionary trait serves as an important fitness and survival mechanism for most weeds that utilize it to ensure efficient dispersal of their seeds, paving the way for persistent soil seedbank development and sustained future populations. Weeds have continuously evolved variations in seed shattering as an adaptation under changing management regimes. High seed retention is common in many cropping weeds where weed maturity coincides with crop harvest, facilitating seed dispersal through harvesting operations, though some weeds have notoriously high seed shattering before crop harvest. However, high seed retention in some of the most problematic agricultural weed species such as annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum), wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum), and weedy amaranths (Amaranthus spp.) provides an opportunity to implement innovative weed management approaches such as harvest weed seed control, which aims at capturing and destroying weed seeds retained at crop harvest. The integration of such management options with other practices is important to avoid the rapid evolution of high seed shattering in target weed species. Advances in genetics and molecular biology have shown promise for reducing seed shattering in important crops, which could be exploited for manipulating seed shattering in weed species. Future research should focus on developing a better understanding of various seed shattering mechanisms in plants in relation to changing climatic and management regimes.


Weed Science ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 477-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim S. Broatch ◽  
Lloyd M. Dosdall ◽  
John T. O'Donovan ◽  
K Neil Harker ◽  
George W. Clayton

Weed management strategies can influence insect infestations in field crops, yet no attempts have been made previously to manipulate weed populations in canola for integrated weed and insect management. Field studies were conducted during 2003 to 2005 at Lacombe and Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada to manipulate weed and root maggot, Delia spp. (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), interactions in canola. Densities of monocot weeds were varied by altering herbicide applications, with rates ranging from 0 to 100% of the rate recommended. Weed populations declined, and yields were variable with increased herbicide rates. Root maggot damage decreased with increases in monocot weed dry weight for both canola species at both study sites. Results support the hypothesis that heterogenous environments, arising from mixed populations of monocot weeds with canola, minimize opportunities for females of Delia spp. to complete the behavioral sequence required for oviposition, leading to reduced infestation levels in weedy systems. However, effects of dicot weeds on root maggot infestations varied between sites as a result of site-related differences in weed species complexes. When wild mustard was common, crop damage increased, because this weed can serve as an alternate host for root maggots. The study emphasizes the importance of adopting crop management practices that are compatible for both weed and root maggot control.


2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathanael D. Fickett ◽  
Chris M. Boerboom ◽  
David E. Stoltenberg

Approximately 50% of the genetically modified herbicide-resistant corn hectares in the United States are treated only with POST-applied herbicides for weed management. Although a high degree of efficacy can be obtained with POST-applied herbicides, delayed timing of application may result in substantial corn yield loss. Our goal was to characterize on-farm corn–weed communities prior to POST herbicide application and estimate potential corn-yield loss associated with early-season corn–weed competition. In 2008 and 2009, field surveys were conducted across 95 site-years in southern Wisconsin and recorded weed species, density, and height in addition to crop height, growth stage, and row spacing. WeedSOFT® was used to predict corn yield loss. Common lambsquarters, velvetleaf, dandelion, common ragweed, andAmaranthusspecies were the five most abundant broadleaf weed species across site-years, present in 92, 86, 59, 45, and 44% of all fields, respectively, at mean densities of 19, 3, 3, 4, and 3 plants m−2, respectively. Mean plant heights among these species were 17 cm or less. Grass and sedge species occurred in 96% of fields at a mean density of 25 plants m−2and height of 7 cm. The mean and median of total weed density across site-years were 96 and 52 plants m−2, with heights of 14 and 13 cm, respectively. Mean predicted corn yield loss was 4.5% with a mean economic loss of $62 ha−1. However, predicted yield loss was greater than 5% on one-third of the site-years, with a maximum of 26%. These results indicate that delayed application of POST herbicides has led to corn yield loss due to early-season weed-crop competition on a substantial number of fields across southern Wisconsin, and suggest that management tactics need to be improved to protect corn yield potential fully.


Weed Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Carolina San Martín ◽  
Mark E Thorne ◽  
Jennifer A Gourlie ◽  
Drew J Lyon ◽  
Judit Barroso

Abstract Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) may control problematic weeds by decreasing contributions to the weed seed bank. However, HWSC practices will not be effective if plants have shed a great part of their seeds before harvest, or if a low proportion of seed production is retained at a height that enables collection during harvest. The seed shattering pattern of several weed species was evaluated over three growing seasons to determine their potential to be controlled with HWSC in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). The studied weed species were downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.), feral rye (Secale cereale L.), Italian ryegrass [Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum (Lam.) Husnot,], and rattail fescue [Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C. Gmel.]. Seed retention at harvest, seed production, and plant height differed among species, locations, and years. Environmental conditions influenced seed shattering patterns, particularly the time plants started to shatter seeds and the rate of the shattering. Agronomic factors such as herbicide use, inter-row space, or crop height/vigor also seemed to affect shattering patterns and seed production, but more specific studies must be conducted to determine their individual effects. Bromus tectorum, L. perenne ssp. multiflorum, and V. myuros had an average seed retention at harvest of less than 50%. In addition, the low seed retention height of V. myuros makes this species a poor candidate for HWSC. Secale cereale had average seed retention at harvest greater than 50% and seed retention height was greater than 30 cm. The variability of seed retention in different species will make the efficacy of HWSC practices species and environment dependent in PNW winter wheat cropping systems. Harvesting the wheat crop as early as possible will be crucial to the success of HWSC.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezequiel González ◽  
Miroslav Seidl ◽  
Martin Štrobl ◽  
Tomáš Kadlec ◽  
Marco Ferrante ◽  
...  

Non-crop habitats can act as refuge for insects in agricultural landscapes and increase ecosystem services (ESs) in neighboring arable fields. Among the different types of non-crop habitats, field defects are temporary patches where sown plants are poorly developed and other plant species emerge. These defects can be common and large in years with extreme weather conditions. However, their relevance as habitat for beneficial insects and ESs provision is unknown. Here, we quantified two ESs (pest and weed seed predation) in field defects within oilseed rape crops and related ESs levels with the activity-density of ground beetles and temperature. In 10 fields, we used artificial caterpillars made of plasticine and seed cards of two weed species (Taraxacum sp. and Stellaria sp.) to quantify ESs in two sampling periods (spring and summer) and in three habitat types: field defects, standardly grown crop (field interiors) and crop-defect boundaries. Ground beetles were sampled using pitfall traps and classified into feeding guilds and body size classes. Insects and mammals were the main pest predators and predation increased in summer, but did not differ among habitats. Seed predation rates for both species were significantly higher in summer. Predation of Taraxacum seeds was higher at field interiors, whereas predation of Stellaria was significantly higher at field interiors and defects, compared to crop-defect boundaries. Insect predation increased with the activity-density of medium and large carnivorous carabids, whereas seed predation for both weed species was positively related to the activity-density of medium-sized herbivorous carabids. Finally, temperature was negatively linked to predation of artificial caterpillars and seeds of Taraxacum.


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