Benefits and Risks of Economic vs. Efficacious Approaches to Weed Management in Corn and Soybean

2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 723-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan S. Hamill ◽  
Susan E. Weaver ◽  
Peter H. Sikkema ◽  
Clarence J. Swanton ◽  
Francois J. Tardif ◽  
...  

A 3-yr study was conducted on nine farms across southern Ontario to evaluate the risks and benefits of different approaches to weed management in corn and soybean. Weed control decisions were based on field scouting and recommendations from the Ontario version of HADSS™, the herbicide application decision support system. Treatments were selected to maximize profit (economic threshold approach) or to maximize yield (highest treatment efficacy). Reduced rates of the high efficacy treatment for each field also were included. Weed density before and after treatment, crop yields, weed seed return, and the effect of weed control decisions on weed density 1 yr after treatment were assessed. Crop yield varied among years and farms but was not affected by weed control treatment. Weed control at 28 d after treatment (DAT) was often lower and weed density, biomass, and seed production 70 DAT were often higher with the profit maximization approach compared with the yield maximization approach. However, weed density 1 yr later, after each cooperator had applied a general weed control program, did not vary significantly among the previous year's weed control treatments. Reduced rates of the high efficacy treatments did not lead to increased weed problems the next year, despite lower weed control and increased weed seed production in some years. During the 3 yr of the study, weed control costs with the profit maximization approach were approximately Can$45/ha less than with the yield maximization approach.

Weed Science ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Josée Simard ◽  
Bernard Panneton ◽  
Louis Longchamps ◽  
Claudel Lemieux ◽  
Anne Légère ◽  
...  

Weed management decisions based on weed threshold models offer the opportunity to reduce herbicide use by allowing the possibility of forgoing treatment or lowering rates. Weed thresholds based on a relative leaf-cover model were tested during a 4-yr period at two locations. Two 1.62-ha fields, planted to conventional and glyphosate-resistant corn (2004, 2005, 2007) or soybean (2006), were divided in 900 m2sections. Herbicides were applied postemergence to each of these sections with either variable rates based on weed thresholds, or constant full rates. Variable herbicide rates included: no application, half rate, or full rate. Relative weed cover values of 0.2 and 0.4 (corn) or 0.1 and 0.3 (soybean) served as thresholds for incremental rates. Digital images were used to evaluate the relative weed cover. Weed density was assessed before and after herbicide application. Weed seed production was estimated for two species in 2004 and 2005. No difference in crop yield, relative weed cover, weed density, or weed seed production was observed between conventional and glyphosate-resistant cropping systems. During the first year, herbicide use reduction was obtained (−85.4%) with marginal crop yield loss (5 to 15%). In the subsequent 3 yr, preherbicide weed densities increased and concomitant increases in relative weed cover values did not allow more than a 10% overall reduction in herbicide use. This threshold model designed to maintain crop yields within a given year did not allow significant reduction in herbicide use during the following 3 yr. Residual weed populations most likely replenished the seed bank to levels that allowed weed densities to increase afterward. Increased weed density over time in plots treated with full rates of herbicide every year also indicated that a single postemergence herbicide treatment was not sufficient to contain weed populations at low levels every year in this corn–soybean rotation.


Author(s):  
Suryakanta Kashyap ◽  
V.P. Singh ◽  
S.K. Guru ◽  
Tej Pratap ◽  
S.P. Singh ◽  
...  

Background: Weeds are the major threat to direct seeded rice and a single strategy of weed control may not be effective for season-long weed control. Intending to accomplish the long-term and sustainable weed management of direct seeded rice, the integration approach of weed management strategies seems a better alternative. The current field study was aimed to evaluate the impact of integration of different weed control methods on direct seeded rice under irrigated ecosystem on weed growth and rice yield. Methods: The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications and twelve treatments during 2017 at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India. The twelve treatments included the combination of cultural, mechanical, physical and chemical weed management methods. Result: Combination of stale seedbed technique integrated with pre-emergence application of pendimethalin with mechanical weeding at 25 DAS followed by 1 hand weeding at 45 DAS, Sesbania (line sowing) fb application of pendimethalin (PE) fb 1 mechanical weeding at 25 DAS fb 1 hand weeding at 45 DAS, stale seedbed with application of pendimethalin (PE) with Sesbania brown manuring supplemented with mechanical weeding (25 DAS) fb hand weeding at 45 DAS, mulching with wheat straw mulch along with post-emergence application of penoxsulam (20 DAS) fb 1 hand weeding at 45 DAS and application of pendimethalin (PE) fb penoxsulum (PoE) at 20 DAS fb 1 hand weeding at 45 DAS with a row spacing of 25 cm found to be similar in the suppression of weed population and weed density at 40 and 60 DAS and crop yields (4.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.0 and 4.2 t/ha, respectively) were on par with weed free plot i.e. 4.4t/ha. Application of pendimethalin (PE) fb penoxsulum (PoE) at 20 DAS fb 1 hand weeding at 45 DAS with row spacing of 25cm recorded 93.7%, 90.6% and 4.5% weed control efficiency, weed control index and weed index respectively, which was similar with above integrated weed management treatments. A negative correlation of the weed density and dry matter with the yield of rice was recorded.


Weed Science ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 248-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orvin C. Burnside ◽  
Russell S. Moomaw ◽  
Fred W. Roeth ◽  
Gail A. Wicks ◽  
Robert G. Wilson

An experiment was conducted at five locations in Nebraska to determine the extent of demise of weed seed in soil when seed production was eliminated from 1975 through 1979 in corn (Zea maysL.). Weed yields, weed seed production, and corn yields were determined under four weed management levels in 1980. Annual broadleaf weed seed were more prevalent than grass seed in cultivated soil throughout the study. The population of viable weed seed in soil declined 95% during the 5-yr period that weed seed production was eliminated. Weed seed buildup recovered to within 90% of the 1975 level during 1980 at Concord and Clay Center but remained low at Lincoln, North Platte, and Scottsbluff. Thus, seed longevity in soil was sometimes sufficient to withstand modern weed control methods and still reinfest a field after 5 yr of eliminating weed seed production. Corn yields were maintained 1 yr with minimum weed management effort following 5 yr of no weed seed production.


2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 733-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
John T. O'Donovan ◽  
Jeff C. Newman ◽  
K. Neil Harker ◽  
George W. Clayton

Glyphosate-resistant canola was seeded at Vegreville, Alberta, in 1997 and 1999 and barley in rotation with the canola in 1998 at three seeding rates. The effects, at each crop seeding rate, of variable glyphosate (canola) and tralkoxydim plus bromoxynil plus MCPA (barley) rates on crop yield, net economic return and seed production by wild oat, wild mustard, and wild buckwheat, and the amount of weed seed in the soil seed bank was determined. Crop seeding rate influenced the response of canola and barley yield and weed seed production to herbicide rate. At the lowest crop seeding rates, yield responses tended to be parabolic with yields increasing up to one-half and three-quarters of the recommended herbicide rates and trends toward reduced yields at the full rates. This response was not evident at the higher crop seeding rates, where, in most cases the yield reached a maximum between one-half and the full recommended rate. The effects of the herbicides on weed seed production, especially at the lowest rate, were often superior at the higher crop seeding rates. The results indicate that seeding canola and barley at relatively high rates may reduce risk associated with lower crop yields and increased weed seed production at lower than recommended herbicide rates. However, the current cost of herbicide-resistant canola seed may preclude the adoption of this integrated weed management practice by growers.


Weed Science ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 416-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas D. Buhler

Weed control practices affected the weed seed content of the soil, weed seedling populations, and corn and soybean yields in two 4-yr field experiments. When the initial weed seed density was high, giant foxtail seed numbers in soil declined rapidly under weed-free conditions. Changes in seed densities when initial densities were low varied over years. Mechanical and chemical control treatments had variable effects on weed seed numbers over the course of the experiment. Weed seed numbers and weed densities were sometimes greater if herbicides were banded, but crop yields were similar to full-rate herbicides in both experiments in all years. When the initial density was low, giant foxtail seed numbers in soil increased over the course of the experiment regardless of the weed control treatment. Seed densities of broadleaf species decreased under the same conditions. Also, when initial weed densities were low, weed control and crop yields were less sensitive to weed control practices than at high weed densities. Weather factors that influenced treatment efficacy had a major affect on weed populations and crop yield responses to the weed control treatments over years. The interactions of weed control practices, weed populations, and crop yields were complex. Initial weed density and species composition interacted with weed control treatments and weather patterns to generate the results observed.


Weed Science ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zubeyde Filiz Arslan ◽  
Martin M. Williams ◽  
Roger Becker ◽  
Vincent A. Fritz ◽  
R. Ed Peachey ◽  
...  

Atrazine has been the most widely used herbicide in North American processing sweet corn for decades; however, increased restrictions in recent years have reduced or eliminated atrazine use in certain production areas. The objective of this study was to identify the best stakeholder-derived weed management alternatives to atrazine in processing sweet corn. In field trials throughout the major production areas of processing sweet corn, including three states over 4 yr, 12 atrazine-free weed management treatments were compared to three standard atrazine-containing treatments and a weed-free check. Treatments varied with respect to herbicide mode of action, herbicide application timing, and interrow cultivation. All treatments included a PRE application of dimethenamid. No single weed species occurred across all sites; however, weeds observed in two or more sites included common lambsquarters, giant ragweed, morningglory species, velvetleaf, and wild-proso millet. Standard treatments containing both atrazine and mesotrione POST provided the most efficacious weed control among treatments and resulted in crop yields comparable to the weed-free check, thus demonstrating the value of atrazine in sweet corn production systems. Timely interrow cultivation in atrazine-free treatments did not consistently improve weed control. Only two atrazine-free treatments consistently resulted in weed control and crop yield comparable to standard treatments with atrazine POST: treatments with tembotrione POST either with or without interrow cultivation. Additional atrazine-free treatments with topramezone applied POST worked well in Oregon where small-seeded weed species were prevalent. This work demonstrates that certain atrazine-free weed management systems, based on input from the sweet corn growers and processors who would adopt this technology, are comparable in performance to standard atrazine-containing weed management systems.


Weed Science ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 460-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell S. Moomaw ◽  
Alex R. Martin

Season-long weed control has been a goal of some producers of irrigated corn (Zea maysL.) to reduce competition, lessen weed seed production, facilitate crop harvest, improve water efficiency (particularly with furrow irrigation), and improve aesthetic properties of fields. Field experiments were conducted for 3 yr on sprinkler-irrigated corn on a loamy fine sand. Five herbicides applied at layby generally provided season-long control of grass weeds and reduced weed seed production up to 100%. Pendimethalin [N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-2,6-dinitrobenzenamine] was particularly effective. Yields of irrigated corn were not increased by layby herbicide application. Use of corn rows spaced 91 cm apart and use of a shorter, early-maturing, horizontal-leaf corn cultivar resulted in greater weed growth and weed seed production than did use of 76-cm rows and a taller, full-season, upright-leaf corn cultivar. After nearly complete weed control with herbicides for 2 yr, withholding herbicide use in the third year allowed weed growth which reduced corn yield. Indications were that weed control efforts need to be continuous in irrigated corn production.


2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1179 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Walker ◽  
G. R. Robinson ◽  
R. W. Medd

The competitive advantage of barley compared with wheat was quantified for suppressing seed production of Avena ludoviciana Durieu. (wild oats) andPhalaris paradoxa L. (paradoxa grass), and for improving herbicide effectiveness on these major winter grass weeds of the subtropical grain region of Australia. Eight field experiments were broadcast with weed seed before sowing wheat or barley, in which the emerged weeds were then treated with 4 herbicide doses (0, 25, 50, 100% of recommended rates). Yield reduction from untreated weeds was on average 4 times greater in wheat than in barley, with greater losses from A. ludoviciana than P. paradoxa. Barley did not affect weed emergence, but suppressed weed tiller density and, to a lesser extent, the number of weed seeds per tiller. Seed production was, on average, 4340 and 5105 seeds/m2 for A. ludoviciana and P. paradoxa, respectively, in untreated wheat compared with 555 and 50 seeds/m2 in untreated barley. Weed seed production following treatment with 25% herbicide rate in barley was similar or less than that after treatment with 100% herbicide rate in wheat. Overall, 25% herbicide rate was optimal for both conserving yield and minimising weed seed production in barley. For wheat, maximum yield was achieved with 50% herbicide but weed seed production was lowest with 100% herbicide rate. This indicates that weeds can be effectively controlled in barley with considerably less herbicide than required in wheat, highlighting the importance of including barley as a part of weed management strategies that aim to reduce herbicide inputs.


Weed Science ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren N. Kolb ◽  
Eric R. Gallandt ◽  
Ellen B. Mallory

Effective in-season weed management options are limited for organic cereal farmers. Two alternatives to current farmer practices are improving efficacy of physical weed control through use of interrow cultivation or increasing the competitive ability of the crop through elevated seeding rates and more uniform spatial planting patterns. It is unknown how these two methods affect yield, quality, and economic returns. Field experiments were conducted in the northeast United States to determine whether the yield gain from increased weed control from these contrasting weed management strategies resulted in increased net returns and how these different systems affected grain quality. Wheat was planted at two seeding rates (400 and 600 plants m−2), in three row spacings (11, 18, and 23 cm). A fourth crop arrangement that approaches a more uniform spatial distribution through a combination of drilling and broadcasting seed was included. For weed control, treatments received tine harrowing. Wheat sown in wide rows also received interrow cultivation. Each system was sown in the presence and absence of condiment mustard, which was sown as a surrogate weed. Increased seeding rate reduced weed density 64% compared to a crop-free check and 30% compared to regional farmers' practices of 18-cm rows and 400 plants m−2. Increased seeding rates lowered grain protein 5% compared to standard seeding rates. Wide rows, in combination with interrow cultivation, reduced weed density 62%, increased yield 16%, and net returns 19% compared to regional organic practices. Significant increases in grain N were limited to weed-free plots. While increased seeding rates improved weed suppression, the high input cost of organic seed make this an unsatisfactory alternative to interrow cultivation and current farmer practices, as yield would need to be. 15 t ha−1higher at elevated density to offset the extra cost of seed.


Weed Science ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin C. Hill ◽  
Karen A. Renner ◽  
Mark J. VanGessel ◽  
Robin R. Bellinder ◽  
Barbara A. Scott

Integrated weed management (IWM) for agronomic and vegetable production systems utilizes all available options to effectively manage weeds. Late-season weed control measures are often needed to improve crop harvest and stop additions to the weed seed bank. Eliminating the production of viable weed seeds is one of the key IWM practices. The objective of this research was to determine how termination method and timing influence viable weed seed production of late-season weed infestations. Research was conducted in Delaware, Michigan, and New York over a 2-yr period. The weeds studied included: common lambsquarters, common ragweed, giant foxtail, jimsonweed, and velvetleaf. Three termination methods were imposed: cutting at the plant base (simulating hand hoeing), chopping (simulating mowing), and applying glyphosate. The three termination timings were flowering, immature seeds present, and mature seeds present. Following termination, plants were stored in the field in mesh bags until mid-Fall when seeds were counted and tested for viability. Termination timing influenced viable seed development; however, termination method did not. Common ragweed and giant foxtail produced viable seeds when terminated at the time of flowering. All species produced some viable seed when immature seeds were present at the time of termination. The time of viable seed formation varied based on species and site-year, ranging from plants terminated the day of flowering to 1,337 growing degree d after flowering (base 10, 0 to 57 calendar d). Viable seed production was reduced by 64 to 100% when common lambsquarters, giant foxtail, jimsonweed, and velvetleaf were terminated with immature seeds present, compared to when plants were terminated with some mature seeds present. Our results suggest that terminating common lambsquarters, common ragweed, and giant foxtail prior to flowering, and velvetleaf and jimsonweed less than 2 and 3 wk after flowering, respectively, greatly reduces weed seed bank inputs.


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