Nitrogen Fertility and Weed Management Critical for Continuous No-Till Wheat in the Pacific Northwest

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 658-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Young ◽  
Mark E. Thorne ◽  
Douglas L. Young

No-till cropping is an option for growers needing to reduce soil erosion in the Palouse annual-cropped region of the Pacific Northwest, which is well suited for wheat production. A 6-yr field study was conducted to determine optimum levels of fertilizer and herbicide inputs in a no-till continuous wheat crop production system. Three levels of nitrogen (N) and two weed management levels (WML) were compared in a spring wheat (SW)–winter wheat (WW)–WW rotation through two rotation cycles. The high WML reduced weed densities about 50% compared with the low WML. In general, herbicide treatments were more effective on broadleaf weeds and may have facilitated a shift toward grass weeds. The high WML reduced grass weed biomass only at the reduced N levels, whereas the high WML reduced broadleaf weed density at all N levels. Variable environmental conditions affected wheat yield; however, yield tended to be highest where winter wheat immediately followed spring wheat. Nitrogen had little effect on weed density but increased crop yield about 13% with each increased N level. Crop yield was greater at the high versus low WML at each N level, even though weed density and biomass were reduced least between WMLs at the highest N level. The highest crop yield and net returns were obtained with the highest N and WML; however, none of the N and WML combinations were profitable.

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 430-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Young ◽  
Daniel A. Ball ◽  
Donn C. Thill ◽  
J. Richard Alldredge ◽  
Alex G. Ogg ◽  
...  

Jointed goatgrass is an invasive winter annual grass weed that is a particular problem in the low to intermediate rainfall zones of the Pacific Northwest (PNW). For the most part, single-component research has been the focus of previous jointed goatgrass studies. In 1996, an integrated cropping systems study for the management of jointed goatgrass was initiated in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon in the traditional winter wheat (WW)–fallow (F) region of the PNW. The study evaluated eight integrated weed management (IWM) systems that included combinations of either a one-time stubble burn (B) or a no-burn (NB) treatment, a rotation of either WW–F–WW or spring wheat (SW)–F–WW, and either a standard (S) or an integrated (I) practice of planting winter wheat. This study is the first, to our knowledge, to evaluate and identify complete IWM systems for jointed goatgrass control in winter wheat. At the Idaho location, in a very low weed density, no IWM system was identified that consistently had the highest yield, reduced grain dockage, and reduced weed densities. However, successful IWM systems for jointed goatgrass management were identified as weed populations increased. At the Washington location, in a moderate population of jointed goatgrass, the best IWM system based on the above responses was the B:SW–F–WW:S system. At the Washington site, this system was better than the integrated planting system because the competitive winter wheat variety did not perform well in drought conditions during the second year of winter wheat. At the Oregon site, a location with a high weed density, the system B:SW–F–WW:I produced consistently higher grain yields, reduced grain dockage, and reduced jointed goatgrass densities. These integrated systems, if adopted by PNW growers in the wheat–fallow area, would increase farm profits by decreasing dockage, decreasing farm inputs, and reducing herbicide resistance in jointed goatgrass.


2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 418-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Young ◽  
Alex G. Ogg ◽  
J. Richard Alldredge

In the Pacific Northwest, downy brome continues to infest winter wheat, especially in low-rainfall areas where the winter wheat–summer fallow rotation is the dominant production system. In Washington, a study was conducted for 2 yr at two locations in the winter wheat–summer fallow region to determine the influence of four postharvest tillage treatments on vertical seed movement, seedbank depletion, and plant densities of downy brome. The four tillage implements included a disk, sweep plow, harrow, and skew treader. The study also included a no-till treatment for comparison. The sweep plow and disk led to the most vertical movement of downy brome seed compared with the no-till treatment. Approximately 75% of the fall postharvest seed in the no-till treatment was located either on the soil surface or in the 0- to 3-cm depth at both locations. In contrast, 75% of the seed in the disked treatment was located from 0 to 6 cm deep at both locations. The disk and sweep plow both decreased downy brome seed in the soil at the 0- to 3-cm depth compared with the harrow and no-till treatments. There was no difference in downy brome plant densities following postharvest tillage in the summer fallow due to any of the treatments. However, plant densities in the subsequent winter wheat crop were reduced by the disk and sweep plow compared with the no-till and skew-treader treatments. In general, seed densities as affected by the skew treader fell between the disk and the no-till treatments. The use of the sweep plow and the disk should be integrated into a weed management strategy for downy brome in the wheat–fallow region of the Pacific Northwest.


2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nevin C. Lawrence ◽  
Ian C. Burke

Rattail fescue is a problematic weed for small grain producers in the Pacific Northwest when no-till production practices are used. Pyroxsulam and pyroxasulfone are two herbicides not previously evaluated for control of rattail fescue. Pyroxasulfone provided levels of control (> 74%) similar to flufenacet. Pyroxsulam did not consistently control (21 to 71%) rattail fescue. Rattail fescue biomass was reduced by pyroxasulfone and flufenacet compared to the nontreated control. Effective consistent rattail fescue control was only achieved where PRE herbicides were used. When managing rattail fescue, PRE herbicides pyroxasulfone and flufenacet plus metribuzin are essential components of an integrated management strategy.


Weed Science ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 429-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Young ◽  
Alex G. Ogg ◽  
Donn C. Thill ◽  
Douglas L. Young ◽  
Robert I. Papendick

A 9-yr large-scale integrated pest management (IPM) study was initiated in 1985 to develop and refine profitable conservation cropping systems in the Palouse wheat-growing region of the Pacific Northwest. Weed scientists from the USDA-ARS and the land-grant universities of ID and WA led a team of researchers and extension personnel from eight disciplines to investigate the interactions of crop systems, tillage systems, and weed management levels (WML) on crop production. Ineffective weed control has been a major deterrent to the adoption of conservation tillage by wheat growers. With this in mind, the primary focus of the scientists on the IPM project was integrated weed management (IWM) in conservation crop production systems for highly erodible land. For the first time in the Pacific Northwest, systems research developed a conservation production system using a 3-yr crop rotation that controlled weeds effectively, reduced erosion, was less risky than traditional farming systems, and was profitable. Broadleaf weeds were more prevalent in the 3-yr rotation of winter wheat-spring barley-spring pea compared to continuous wheat in both conservation and conventional tillage systems. In conservation tillage, troublesome grass weeds included wild oat and downy brome. Wild oat was controlled effectively at the moderate and maximum weed management levels under conservation tillage in the 3-yr rotation. Two years out of winter wheat (such as in the 3-yr rotation) reduced downy brome populations. In contrast, growing a spring crop 1 yr, followed by 2 yr of winter wheat was not effective for controlling downy brome. Effective weed control was instrumental in developing successful conservation IPM cropping systems, and education and technology transfer were important in helping action agencies assist growers in adopting these systems.


Plant Disease ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 90 (7) ◽  
pp. 885-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard W. Smiley ◽  
Ruth G. Whittaker ◽  
Jennifer A. Gourlie ◽  
Sandra A. Easley

Associations between stunt nematodes and yield of no-till annual spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) were examined at two eastern Oregon locations. Geocenamus brevidens was the only species detected at one location and was mixed with Tylenchorhynchus clarus at another location. Six cultivars were planted with or without application of aldicarb during 2001. Inverse correlations between yield and stunt nematode density were significant at the G. brevidens-only site (P = 0.04) but not the G. brevidens + T. clarus site (P = 0.44). Yields were inversely correlated (P < 0.01) with stunt nematode populations at both sites during 2002. Aldicarb improved grain yields at both locations during 2001 (17 and 24%, P < 0.01) but not at the single location treated with aldicarb during 2002 (10%, P = 0.06). A lack of association between yield and T. clarus in 19 previously unreported experiments is discussed. Reduced wheat yield in response to stunt nematodes in Oregon is likely due to parasitism by G. brevidens and not T. clarus. This is the first report associating G. brevidens with suppression of wheat yield in the Pacific Northwest. Further studies are needed to define cropping systems and locations where G. brevidens may cause economic damage.


Plant Disease ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 537-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard W. Smiley ◽  
Stephen Machado ◽  
Jennifer A. Gourlie ◽  
Larry C. Pritchett ◽  
Guiping Yan ◽  
...  

There is interest in converting rainfed cropping systems in the Pacific Northwest from a 2-year rotation of winter wheat and cultivated fallow to direct-seed (no-till) systems that include chemical fallow, spring cereals, and food legume and brassica crops. Little information is available regarding effects of these changes on plant-parasitic nematodes. Eight cropping systems in a low-precipitation region (<330 mm) were compared over 9 years. Each phase of each rotation occurred each year. The density of Pratylenchus spp. was greater in cultivated than chemical fallow, became greater with increasing frequency of host crops, and was inversely associated with precipitation (R2 = 0.92, α < 0.01). Densities after harvesting mustard, spring wheat, winter wheat, and winter pea were greater (α < 0.01) than after harvesting spring barley or spring pea. Camelina also produced low densities. Winter wheat led to a greater density of Pratylenchus neglectus and spring wheat led to a greater density of P. thornei. Density of Pratylenchus spp. was correlated (R2 = 0.88, α < 0.01) but generally higher when detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction on DNA extracts from soil than when detected by a traditional method. Selection of different Pratylenchus spp. by different wheat cultivars or growth habit must be addressed to minimize the level of nematode risk to future plantings of intolerant crops.


Weed Science ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 595-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae-Jin Kwon ◽  
Douglas L. Young ◽  
Frank L. Young ◽  
Chris M. Boerboom

Based on six years of data from a field experiment near Pullman, WA, a bioeconomic decision model was developed to annually estimate the optimal post-emergence herbicide types and rates to control multiple weed species in winter wheat under various tillage systems and crop rotations. The model name, PALWEED:WHEAT, signifies a Washington-Idaho Palouse region weed management model for winter wheat The model consists of linear preharvest weed density functions, a nonlinear yield response function, and a profit function. Preharvest weed density functions were estimated for four weed groups: summer annual grasses, winter annual grasses, summer annual broadleaves, and winter annual broadleaves. A single aggregated weed competition index was developed from the four density functions for use functions for use in the yield model. A yield model containing a logistic damage function performed better than a model containing a rectangular hyperbolic damage function. Herbicides were grouped into three categories: preplant nonselective, postemergence broadleaf, and postemergence grass. PALWEED:WHEAT was applied to average conditions of the 6-yr experiment to predict herbicide treatments that maximized profit. In comparison to average treatment rates in the 6-yr experiment, the bioeconomic decision model recommended less postemergence herbicide. The weed management recommendations of PALWEED:WHEAT behaved as expected by agronomic and economic theory in response to changes in assumed weed populations, herbicide costs, crop prices, and possible restrictions on herbicide application rates.


Weed Science ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vince M. Davis ◽  
Kevin D. Gibson ◽  
Thomas T. Bauman ◽  
Stephen C. Weller ◽  
William G. Johnson

Horseweed is an increasingly common and problematic weed in no-till soybean production in the eastern cornbelt due to the frequent occurrence of biotypes resistant to glyphosate. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of crop rotation, winter wheat cover crops (WWCC), residual non-glyphosate herbicides, and preplant application timing on the population dynamics of glyphosate-resistant (GR) horseweed and crop yield. A field study was conducted from 2003 to 2007 in a no-till field located at a site that contained a moderate infestation of GR horseweed (approximately 1 plant m−2). The experiment was a split-plot design with crop rotation (soybean–corn or soybean–soybean) as main plots and management systems as subplots. Management systems were evaluated by quantifying in-field horseweed plant density, seedbank density, and crop yield. Horseweed densities were collected at the time of postemergence applications, 1 mo after postemergence (MAP) applications, and at the time of crop harvest or 4 MAP. Viable seedbank densities were also evaluated from soil samples collected in the fall following seed rain. Soybean–corn crop rotation reduced in-field and seedbank horseweed densities vs. continuous soybean in the third and fourth yr of this experiment. Preplant herbicides applied in the spring were more effective at reducing horseweed plant densities than when applied in the previous fall. Spring-applied, residual herbicide systems were the most effective at reducing season-long in-field horseweed densities and protecting crop yields since the growth habit of horseweed in this region is primarily as a summer annual. Management systems also influenced the GR and glyphosate-susceptible (GS) biotype population structure after 4 yr of management. The most dramatic shift was from the initial GR : GS ratio of 3 : 1 to a ratio of 1 : 6 after 4 yr of residual preplant herbicide use followed by non-glyphosate postemergence herbicides.


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