Rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea L.) control in fallow

Rush skeletonweed is an invasive weed in winter wheat (WW)/summer fallow (SF) rotations of the low to intermediate rainfall areas of the inland Pacific Northwest. Standard weed control practices are not effective, resulting in additional SF tillage or herbicide applications. The objective of this field research was to identify herbicide treatments that control rush skeletonweed during the SF phase of the WW/SF rotation. Trials were conducted near LaCrosse, WA in 2017-2019 and 2018-2020, and near Hay, WA in 2018-2020. The LaCrosse 2017-2020 trial was in tilled SF; the other two trials were in no-till SF. Fall post-harvest applications in October included clopyralid, clopyralid plus 2,4-D, clopyralid plus 2,4-D plus chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron, aminopyralid, picloram, and glyphosate plus 2,4-D. Spring treatments of clopyralid, aminopyralid, and glyphosate were applied to rush skeletonweed rosettes. Summer treatments of 2,4-D were applied when rush skeletonweed initiated bolting. Plant density was monitored through the SF phase in all plots. Picloram provided complete control of rush skeletonweed through June at all three locations. Fall-applied clopyralid, clopyralid plus 2,4-D, and clopyralid followed by 2,4-D in summer reduced rush skeletonweed through June at the two LaCrosse sites but were ineffective at Hay. In August, just prior to winter wheat seeding, the greatest reductions in rush skeletonweed density were achieved with picloram and fall-applied clopyralid at the two LaCrosse sites. No treatments provided effective control into August at Hay. Wheat yield in the next crop compared to the nontreated control was reduced only at one LaCrosse site by a spring-applied aminopyralid treatment, otherwise no other reductions were found. Long-term control of rush skeletonweed in WW/SF may be achieved by a combination of fall application of picloram, after wheat harvest, followed by an effective burn-down treatment in August prior to winter wheat seeding.

Chondrilla juncea (rush skeletonweed).

C. juncea is a herbaceous biennial or perennial plant native to parts of Western Europe, north Africa and central Asia. It was accidentally introduced into a number of regions around the world as a contaminant of plant material, seed and fodder. C. juncea is invasive in Australia, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and a number of states in the USA. C. juncea produces a large tap root which can compete with native plant species for nutrients and water. In Australia and Argentina it is a major problem of wheat fields and can reduce yields by 80%. In the USA, C. juncea is one of the invasive species impacting on the threatened species Silene spaldingii. A number of distinct genotypes of C. juncea exist which makes control of this species difficult. In addition to this, C. juncea is resistant to a large number of herbicides.

Weed-sensing technology modifies fallow control of rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea)

Rush skeletonweed is an aggressive perennial weed that establishes itself on land in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and persists during cropping following contract expiration. It depletes critical soil moisture required for yield potential of winter wheat. In a winter wheat/fallow cropping system, weed control is maintained with glyphosate and tillage during conventional fallow, and with herbicides only in no-till fallow. Research was conducted for control of rush skeletonweed at two sites in eastern Washington, Lacrosse and Hay, to compare the effectiveness of a weed-sensing sprayer and broadcast applications of four herbicides (aminopyralid, chlorsulfuron + metsulfuron, clopyralid, and glyphosate). Experimental design was a split-plot with herbicide and application type as main and subplot factors, respectively. Herbicides were applied in the fall at either broadcast or spot-spraying rates depending on sprayer type. Rush skeletonweed density in May was reduced with use of aminopyralid (1.1 plants m−2), glyphosate (1.4 plants m−2), clopyralid (1.7 plants m−2), and chlorsulfuron + metsulfuron (1.8 plants m−2) compared with the nontreated check (2.6 plants m−2). No treatment differences were observed after May 2019. There was no interaction between herbicide and application system. Area covered using the weed-sensing sprayer was, on average, 52% (P < 0.001) less than the broadcast application at the Lacrosse location but only 20% (P = 0.01) at the Hay location. Spray reduction is dependent on foliar cover in relation to weed density and size. At Lacrosse, the weed-sensing sprayer reduced costs for all herbicide treatments except aminopyralid, with savings up to US$6.80 per hectare. At Hay, the weed-sensing sprayer resulted in economic loss for all products because of higher rush skeletonweed density. The weed-sensing sprayer is a viable fallow weed control tool when weed densities are low or patchy.

Vernalization affects absorption and translocation of clopyralid and aminopyralid in rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea)

The developmental status of perennial weeds such as rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea L.) can influence herbicide absorption and translocation. Differential efficacy between fall and spring applications suggests vernalization impacts herbicide absorption and translocation in other perennial asters. Clopyralid and aminopyralid absorption and translocation were quantified in nonvernalized and vernalized plants following application of 14C-labeled herbicides 2, 4, 8, 24, and 72 h after treatment. Less 14C clopyralid was absorbed, and at a slower rate, in vernalized plants. Movement out of the treated leaf was slower, with 14C clopyralid translocating more rapidly than 14C aminopyralid. More 14C moved to the roots in nonvernalized plants compared with vernalized plants, regardless of herbicide. Increased translocation to belowground survival structures is needed for effective control of C. juncea.

Rush Skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) Control in Pacific Northwest Winter Wheat

Rush skeletonweed is emerging as a regionally important weed of winter wheat production in eastern Washington. Field studies were conducted during the 2016 and 2017 crop years to evaluate several auxin herbicides applied at two seasonal timings (fall or spring) for control of rush skeletonweed in winter wheat. Clopyralid (210 g ae ha-1) provided>90% visual control of rush skeletonweed in both years of the study and aminopyralid (10 g ae ha-1) provided>80% visual control. Aminocyclopyrachlor, dicamba, and 2,4-D provided<55% control of rush skeletonweed. Season of application did not meaningfully affect efficacy of any herbicide tested. Wheat yields were reduced by 39 to 69% compared to the non-treated check when aminocyclopyrachlor was applied in the spring. Clopyralid is an effective option for control of rush skeletonweed in Pacific Northwest winter wheat.

Seasonal Change in Forage Value of Rangeland Weeds in Northern Idaho

Prescribed grazing is an effective tool for controlling some rangeland weeds. Forage quality of eight nonnative rangeland weeds common to northern Idaho was determined. Five collection sites were established for each weed species: rush skeletonweed, meadow hawkweed, houndstongue, sulfur cinquefoil, yellow starthistle, Dalmatian toadflax, hoary cress, and tansy ragwort. Plants were collected at rosette, bolt, flower, and seed set stages; dried and separated into leaves, stems, flowers, or seed; and analyzed separately for crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and mineral content (ash). As expected, plants became more fibrous as they matured because stems increased in NDF value throughout the season and the leaf : stem ratio of most weeds we examined decreased throughout the season. In general, the weeds we examined expressed only moderate fiber levels, beginning the season with NDF values near 34% in the rosette stage and becoming near 52% NDF in the seed set stage. CP values were near 25% in the rosette stage for houndstongue, rush skeletonweed, and hoary cress whereas other weeds we examined had about 15% CP in the rosette. As the season advanced, all plants lost protein content and ended the season with CP values from 5 to 8% at seed set. Ash values declined for all species as the season progressed. Our results indicate that these weeds have forage values similar to many native plants and could be reasonable forage resources for livestock. We did not examine the content of secondary compounds in these weeds that may render them unpalatable and limit their forage value.