Weed Control in Clean Agriculture: A Review1

OpenAIRE

ABOUZIENA,H.F.; HAGGAG,W.M.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Weed control is consider the major obstacle for the growers in the organic farming. Lower plant productivity in organic farming mainly related to the poor weed control. It is widely known, in most cases, that losses caused by weeds exceeded the losses from any category of agricultural pests. Under water-stress condition, weeds can reduce crop yields more than 50% through moisture competition alone. In the light of the environmental and toxicological problems created by herbicides, it...

Integration of Agronomic Practices with Herbicides for Sustainable Weed Management in Aerobic Rice

Science.gov (United States)

Anwar, M. P.; Juraimi, A. S.; Mohamed, M. T. M.; Uddin, M. K.; Samedani, B.; Puteh, A.; Man, Azmi

2013-01-01

Till now, herbicide seems to be a cost effective tool from an agronomic view point to control weeds. But long term efficacy and sustainability issues are the driving forces behind the reconsideration of herbicide dependent weed management strategy in rice. This demands reappearance of physical and cultural management options combined with judicious herbicide application in a more comprehensive and integrated way. Keeping those in mind, some agronomic tools along with different manual weeding and herbicides combinations were evaluated for their weed control efficacy in rice under aerobic soil conditions. Combination of competitive variety, higher seeding rate, and seed priming resulted in more competitive cropping system in favor of rice, which was reflected in lower weed pressure, higher weed control efficiency, and better yield. Most of the herbicides exhibited excellent weed control efficiency. Treatments comprising only herbicides required less cost involvement but produced higher net benefit. On the contrary, treatments comprising both herbicide and manual weeding required high cost involvement and thus produced lower net benefit. Therefore, adoption of competitive rice variety, higher seed rate, and seed priming along with spraying different early-postemergence herbicides in rotation at 10 days after seeding (DAS) followed by a manual weeding at 30 DAS may be recommended from sustainability view point. PMID:24223513

Delimitacion del periodo critico de competencia de malezas en el cultivo de lino (Linum usitatissimum Determination of the critical period of weed competition in linseed (Linum usitatissimum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.A. Barreyro

2002-12-01

Full Text Available La planta de lino oleaginoso es especialmente sensible a la competencia con malezas, que limita el rendimiento potencial. El objetivo de este trabajo fue delimitar el período crítico de competencia del lino con una comunidad natural de malezas. Se realizó una experiencia de campo durante 1993, 1994 y 1995 en La Plata, Argentina. Los tratamientos consistieron en mantener el lino con y sin presencia de malezas en distintas etapas de su desarrollo. La comunidad de malezas fue evaluada en su composición y producción de materia seca y el cultivo en su rendimiento en semillas y componentes. El período crítico se delimitó entre los 30 y 80 días después de la siembra. En este período, la disminución de rendimiento de lino respecto del testigo sin malezas fue superior al 10%. La disminución de rendimiento del cultivo totalmente enmalezado fue del 79% respecto del desmalezado todo el ciclo. Fue afectado el número de semillas por planta ya que su definición está incluida en el período delimitado. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que las alternativas de control deben considerar el período crítico y también propiciar su utilización en modelos de predicción.Linseed plant is especially sensitive to weed competition, which limits its potential yield. The aim of this work was to determine the critical period of linseed competition with a natural weed community. A field experiment was carried out in 1993, 1994 and 1995 in La Plata, Argentina. Treatments consisted of keeping linseed with and without weeds at different stages of development. Weed composition and dry biomass, and linseed yield and its components were evaluated. The critical period of competition was determined, starting at 30 days and ending 80 days after crop seeding. Linseed yield decrease was greater than 10% during the critical period of competition,when compared to the check plot kept without competition. The maximum yield decrease of the check plot kept totally weeded

Dry Bean Morpho-Physiological Responses to Gradual Weed Biomass Accumulation

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Hossein GHAMARI

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Field study was carried out in 2011 in west of Iran to assess responses of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. morpho-physiological traits to gradual weed biomass accumulation. The treatments consisted of two different periods of weed interference, which weeds either infested the plots or removed for an increasing duration of time (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 days after crop emergence. Relative dominance and relative importance of weed species fluctuated over the crop cycle. As the duration of weed interference was increased, a declining trend of crop growth rate (CGR was observed. When weeds were allowed to compete with crop throughout the crop cycle, maximum value of CGR was decreased from 25.57 g m-2 days in full season weed free treatment to 16.78 g m-2 days in full season weed infested treatment. Effect of treatments on leaf area index (LAI was significant. Weed removal increased LAI but it could not significantly affect this trait, at the early of growing season. Weed interference caused a significant reduction on number of branches. The minimum number of branches was registered in full season weed infested treatment (2.58 branches per plant, while the maximum one was observed in the full season weed free treatment (4.25 branches per plant. Weed competition severely reduced crop yield. At 10 and 20 days after crop emergence, weed infestation could not significantly affect the yield. A negative relationship between weeds’ dry matter accumulation and LAI as well as number of branches was observed which signify the vulnerability of these morpho-physiological traits to weed competition.

Variação da competição interespecífica em milho em função do controle de plantas daninhas em faixas Variation of interspecific weed competition in corn as a function of banded weed control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Merotto Jr.

2001-08-01

Full Text Available O controle de plantas daninhas em faixas é mais uma estratégia que pode ser utilizada no manejo integrado de plantas daninhas (MIPD para aumentar a racionalização do uso do ambiente no cultivo de plantas. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram determinar o efeito do controle de plantas daninhas em faixas na linha ou na entrelinha e avaliar suas conseqüências sobre a competição interespecífica na cultura do milho. Os tratamentos constaram do estabelecimento de um gradiente de infestação de Brachiaria plantaginea, obtido com a variação da intensidade do controle em pré-emergência, e do controle de plantas daninhas em pós-emergência realizado em faixas na linha, na entrelinha ou em área total. O controle de plantas daninhas em pós-emergência em faixas não foi suficiente para reduzir os efeitos da competição interespecífica sobre o rendimento de grãos de milho, mesmo em baixas densidades de plantas daninhas. Os prejuízos causados pela presença de plantas daninhas na linha da cultura são duas a três vezes maiores em comparação com a presença destas plantas na entrelinha ou em área total da cultura. O controle de plantas daninhas na linha da cultura necessita de complementação com práticas culturais ou outros métodos de controle destas plantas na entrelinha.Banded weed control is one of the methods used for integrated weed management (IWM to increase the rationalization of environmental use in crop activities management. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of in-and between-row weed control and the effects of weed competition on corn. The treatments consisted in the establishment of a range of Brachiaria plantaginea densities by varying the intensity of weed control in pre-emergence, complemented with post-emergence weed control in-row, between row and broadcast. Banded weed control was not efficient in decreasing weed competition and reducing corn grain yield, even at low weed infestation. In-row weed

Quantifying the effect of crop spatial arrangement on weed suppression using functional-structural plant modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Evers, Jochem B; Bastiaans, Lammert

2016-05-01

Suppression of weed growth in a crop canopy can be enhanced by improving crop competitiveness. One way to achieve this is by modifying the crop planting pattern. In this study, we addressed the question to what extent a uniform planting pattern increases the ability of a crop to compete with weed plants for light compared to a random and a row planting pattern, and how this ability relates to crop and weed plant density as well as the relative time of emergence of the weed. To this end, we adopted the functional-structural plant modelling approach which allowed us to explicitly include the 3D spatial configuration of the crop-weed canopy and to simulate intra- and interspecific competition between individual plants for light. Based on results of simulated leaf area development, canopy photosynthesis and biomass growth of the crop, we conclude that differences between planting pattern were small, particularly if compared to the effects of relative time of emergence of the weed, weed density and crop density. Nevertheless, analysis of simulated weed biomass demonstrated that a uniform planting of the crop improved the weed-suppression ability of the crop canopy. Differences in weed suppressiveness between planting patterns were largest with weed emergence before crop emergence, when the suppressive effect of the crop was only marginal. With simultaneous emergence a uniform planting pattern was 8 and 15 % more competitive than a row and a random planting pattern, respectively. When weed emergence occurred after crop emergence, differences between crop planting patterns further decreased as crop canopy closure was reached early on regardless of planting pattern. We furthermore conclude that our modelling approach provides promising avenues to further explore crop-weed interactions and aid in the design of crop management strategies that aim at improving crop competitiveness with weeds.

Yield loss prediction models based on early estimation of weed pressure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asif, Ali; Streibig, Jens Carl; Andreasen, Christian

2013-01-01

thresholds are more relevant for site-specific weed management, because weeds are unevenly distributed in fields. Precision of prediction of yield loss is influenced by various factors such as locations, yield potential at the site, variation in competitive ability of mix stands of weed species and emergence...

Improving University Ranking to Achieve University Competitiveness by Management Information System

Science.gov (United States)

Dachyar, M.; Dewi, F.

2015-05-01

One way to increase university competitiveness is through information system management. A literature review was done to find information system factors that affect university performance in Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) University Ranking: Asia evaluation. Information system factors were then eliminated using Delphi method through consensus of 7 experts. Result from Delphi method was used as measured variables in PLS-SEM. Estimation with PLS-SEM method through 72 respondents shows that the latent variable academic reputation and citation per paper have significant correlation to university competitiveness. In University of Indonesia (UI) the priority to increase university competitiveness as follow: (i) network building in international conference, (ii) availability of research data to public, (iii) international conference information, (iv) information on achievements and accreditations of each major, (v) ease of employment for alumni.

Determination of critical period for weed control in the second crop ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-09-15

Sep 15, 2009 ... maximize crop yield by eliminating weed competition and/ or minimizing ... fertilizer. When corn plants reached 80 cm in height, 170 kg N ha-1 was applied ... describing the effect of increasing duration of weed interference on corn yield ... corresponding value of length of weed-free period (d°C) and b and.

Competition between crops and weeds in the Zanderij area of Suriname

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Everaarts, A.P.

1991-01-01

A weed flora rapidly built up with the cultivation of annual crops on two experimental farms in the Zanderij area of Suriname, despite the fact that the farms were newly established in forested areas. Studies indicated that without adequate weed control, significant yield losses occurred in

Impact of fungicides on weed growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nordmeyer, Henning

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The study has shown that fungicides influence the growth of weeds. The competition against crops will be substantially reduced. Bioassays in a climate chamber variation in temperature as well as different lightning phases and microplot trials under semi field levels were carried out to investigate the influence of fungicides on weed growth. Selected weed species (Alopecurus myosuroides, Viola arvensis, Galium aparine, Stellaria media, Lamium purpureum have been examined with different dose rates of fungicides (Adexar, Bravo 500, Diamant, Crupozin flüssig. Weed species showed a different sensitivity. There were leaf discoloration, contractions and growth inhibition. In some cases using common practise dose rates of fungicides more than 70% growth inhibition could be estimated 14 days after application in comparison to the untreated control. Effects were much stronger in bioassays than in semi field trials.

A canopy architectural model to study the competitive ability of chickpea with sowthistle.

Science.gov (United States)

Cici, S-Zahra-Hosseini; Adkins, Steve; Hanan, Jim

2008-06-01

Improving the competitive ability of crops is a sustainable method of weed management. This paper shows how a virtual plant model of competition between chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus) can be used as a framework for discovering and/or developing more competitive chickpea cultivars. The virtual plant models were developed using the L-systems formalism, parameterized according to measurements taken on plants at intervals during their development. A quasi-Monte Carlo light-environment model was used to model the effect of chickpea canopy on the development of sowthistle. The chickpea-light environment-sowthistle model (CLES model) captured the hypothesis that the architecture of chickpea plants modifies the light environment inside the canopy and determines sowthistle growth and development pattern. The resulting CLES model was parameterized for different chickpea cultivars (viz. 'Macarena', 'Bumper', 'Jimbour' and '99071-1001') to compare their competitive ability with sowthistle. To validate the CLES model, an experiment was conducted using the same four chickpea cultivars as different treatments with a sowthistle growing under their canopy. The growth of sowthistle, both in silico and in glasshouse experiments, was reduced most by '99071-1001', a cultivar with a short phyllochron. The second rank of competitive ability belonged to 'Macarena' and 'Bumper', while 'Jimbour' was the least competitive cultivar. The architecture of virtual chickpea plants modified the light inside the canopy, which influenced the growth and development of the sowthistle plants in response to different cultivars. This is the first time that a virtual plant model of a crop-weed interaction has been developed. This virtual plant model can serve as a platform for a broad range of applications in the study of chickpea-weed interactions and their environment.

Prioritising weed management activities in a data deficient environment: the Pilbara islands, Western Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lohr, Cheryl; Passeretto, Kellie; Lohr, Michael; Keighery, Greg

2015-12-01

Along the Pilbara coast of Western Australia (WA) there are approximately 598 islands with a total area of around 500 km(2). Budget limitations and logistical complexities mean the management of these islands tends to be opportunistic. Until now there has been no review of the establishment and impacts of weeds on Pilbara islands or any attempt to prioritise island weed management. In many instances only weed occurrence has been documented, creating a data deficient environment for management decision making. The purpose of this research was to develop a database of weed occurrences on WA islands and to create a prioritisation process that will generate a ranked list of island-weed combinations using currently available data. Here, we describe a model using the pairwise comparison formulae in the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), four metrics describing the logistical difficulty of working on each island (island size, ruggedness, travel time, and tenure), and two well established measures of conservation value of an island (maximum representation and effective maximum rarity of eight features). We present the sensitivity of the island-weed rankings to changes in weights applied to each decision criteria using Kendall's tau statistics. We also present the top 20 ranked island-weed combinations for four modelling scenarios. Many conservation prioritisation tools exist. However, many of these tools require extrapolation to fill data gaps and require specific management objectives and dedicated budgets. To our knowledge, this study is one of a few attempts to prioritise conservation actions using data that are currently available in an environment where management may be opportunistic and spasmodic due to budgetary restrictions.

Weed Diversity Affects Soybean and Maize Yield in a Long Term Experiment in Michigan, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrero, Rosana; Lima, Mauricio; Davis, Adam S; Gonzalez-Andujar, Jose L

2017-01-01

Managing production environments in ways that promote weed community diversity may enhance both crop production and the development of a more sustainable agriculture. This study analyzed data of productivity of maize (corn) and soybean in plots in the Main Cropping System Experiment (MCSE) at the W. K. Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research (KBS-LTER) in Michigan, USA, from 1996 to 2011. We used models derived from population ecology to explore how weed diversity, temperature, and precipitation interact with crop yields. Using three types of models that considered internal and external (climate and weeds) factors, with additive or non-linear variants, we found that changes in weed diversity were associated with changes in rates of crop yield increase over time for both maize and soybeans. The intrinsic capacity for soybean yield increase in response to the environment was greater under more diverse weed communities. Soybean production risks were greatest in the least weed diverse systems, in which each weed species lost was associated with progressively greater crop yield losses. Managing for weed community diversity, while suppressing dominant, highly competitive weeds, may be a helpful strategy for supporting long term increases in soybean productivity. In maize, there was a negative and non-additive response of yields to the interaction between weed diversity and minimum air temperatures. When cold temperatures constrained potential maize productivity through limited resources, negative interactions with weed diversity became more pronounced. We suggest that: (1) maize was less competitive in cold years allowing higher weed diversity and the dominance of some weed species; or (2) that cold years resulted in increased weed richness and prevalence of competitive weeds, thus reducing crop yields. Therefore, we propose to control dominant weed species especially in the years of low yield and extreme minimum temperatures to improve maize yields

Mechanical pre-planting weed control in short rotation coppice using deep forestry ploughing techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-11-01

This report describes a trial by Border biofuels to investigate the deep forestry plough as a mechanical pre-planting weed control method to reduce weed infestations in willow coppice and thus contribute to improved establishment and eventual yield. The results suggest that there was a considerable increase in biomass productivity from the deep ploughed area compared to the conventionally cultivated area at all three SRC sites tested. This technique also suggests that the deep forestry ploughing provides the benefit of much reduced levels of seed germination of many annual weed species and a reduction in levels of perennial weed infestation. It is not possible at this stage to predict the longer term benefits in terms of harvestable biomass productivity but it may be considered that the improved establishment and lack of weed competition would consistently produce higher yields of biomass than plantations which suffer from persistent and invasive weed competition. (author)

Ranking prediction model using the competition record of Ladies Professional Golf Association players.

Science.gov (United States)

Chae, Jin Seok; Park, Jin; So, Wi-Young

2017-07-28

The purpose of this study was to suggest a ranking prediction model using the competition record of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) players. The top 100 players on the tour money list from the 2013-2016 US Open were analyzed in this model. Stepwise regression analysis was conducted to examine the effect of performance and independent variables (i.e., driving accuracy, green in regulation, putts per round, driving distance, percentage of sand saves, par-3 average, par-4 average, par-5 average, birdies average, and eagle average) on dependent variables (i.e., scoring average, official money, top-10 finishes, winning percentage, and 60-strokes average). The following prediction model was suggested:Y (Scoring average) = 55.871 - 0.947 (Birdies average) + 4.576 (Par-4 average) - 0.028 (Green in regulation) - 0.012 (Percentage of sand saves) + 2.088 (Par-3 average) - 0.026 (Driving accuracy) - 0.017 (Driving distance) + 0.085 (Putts per round)Y (Official money) = 6628736.723 + 528557.907 (Birdies average) - 1831800.821 (Par-4 average) + 11681.739 (Green in regulation) + 6476.344 (Percentage of sand saves) - 688115.074 (Par-3 average) + 7375.971 (Driving accuracy)Y (Top-10 finish%) = 204.462 + 12.562 (Birdies average) - 47.745 (Par-4 average) + 1.633 (Green in regulation) - 5.151 (Putts per round) + 0.132 (Percentage of sand saves)Y (Winning percentage) = 49.949 + 3.191 (Birdies average) - 15.023 (Par-4 average) + 0.043 (Percentage of sand saves)Y (60-strokes average) = 217.649 + 13.978 (Birdies average) - 44.855 (Par-4 average) - 22.433 (Par-3 average) + 0.16 (Green in regulation)Scoring of the above five prediction models and the prediction of golf ranking in the 2016 Women's Golf Olympic competition in Rio revealed a significant correlation between the predicted and real ranking (r = 0.689, p ranking prediction model using LPGA data may help coaches and players to identify which players are likely to participate in Olympic and World competitions, based

A weed suppressive index for spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) varieties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, P K; Kristensen, K; Willas, J

2008-01-01

A screening programme for crop variety competitiveness would ideally be based on only a few, non-destructive measurements of key growth traits. In this study we measured the weed suppressive ability of 79 varieties of spring barley in two ways: (i) directly, by weed coverage assessments under wee...

Simulating changes in cropping practises in conventional and glyphosate-tolerant maize. I. Effects on weeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Colbach, Nathalie; Fernier, Alice; Le Corre, Valérie; Messéan, Antoine; Darmency, Henri

2017-04-01

Herbicide-tolerant (HT) crops such as those tolerant to glyphosate simplify weed management and make it more efficient, at least at short-term. Overreliance on the same herbicide though leads to the spread of resistant weeds. Here, the objective was to evaluate, with simulations, the impact on the advent of glyphosate resistance in weeds of modifications in agricultural practises resulting from introducing HT maize into cropping systems. First, we included a single-gene herbicide resistance submodel in the existing multispecific FLORSYS model. Then, we (1) simulated current conventional and probable HT cropping systems in two European regions, Aquitaine and Catalonia, (2) compared these systems in terms of glyphosate resistance, (3) identified pertinent cultural practises influencing glyphosate resistance, and (4) investigated correlations between cultural practises and species traits, using RLQ analyses. The simulation study showed that, during the analysed 28 years, (1) glyphosate spraying only results in glyphosate resistance in weeds when combined with other cultural factors favouring weed infestation, particularly no till; (2) pre-sowing glyphosate applications select more for herbicide resistance than post-sowing applications on HT crops; and (3) glyphosate spraying selects more for species traits avoiding exposure to the herbicide (e.g. delayed early growth, small leaf area) or compensating for fitness costs (e.g. high harvest index) than for actual resistance to glyphosate, (4) actual resistance is most frequent in species that do not avoid glyphosate, either via plant size or timing, and/or in less competitive species, (5) in case of efficient weed control measures, actual resistance proliferates best in outcrossing species. An advice table was built, with the quantitative, synthetic ranking of the crop management effects in terms of glyphosate-resistance management, identifying the optimal choices for each management technique.

Weed control based on real time patchy application of herbicides using image analysis as a non-destructive estimation method for weed infestation and herbicide effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asif, Ali

There is an increasing concern about excessive use of herbicides for weed control in arable lands. Usually the whole field is sprayed uniformly, while the distribution of weeds often is non-uniform. Often there are spots in a field where weed pressure is very low and has no significant effect...... on crop yield. The excessive use of spraying can potentially be reduced by spraying only those parts of the field where it has economic importance. The competition relation between weeds and crop was ana-lyzed in context of real time patch spray. A non-destructive image analysis method was developed...

A new method for comparing rankings through complex networks: Model and analysis of competitiveness of major European soccer leagues

Science.gov (United States)

Criado, Regino; García, Esther; Pedroche, Francisco; Romance, Miguel

2013-12-01

In this paper, we show a new technique to analyze families of rankings. In particular, we focus on sports rankings and, more precisely, on soccer leagues. We consider that two teams compete when they change their relative positions in consecutive rankings. This allows to define a graph by linking teams that compete. We show how to use some structural properties of this competitivity graph to measure to what extend the teams in a league compete. These structural properties are the mean degree, the mean strength, and the clustering coefficient. We give a generalization of the Kendall's correlation coefficient to more than two rankings. We also show how to make a dynamic analysis of a league and how to compare different leagues. We apply this technique to analyze the four major European soccer leagues: Bundesliga, Italian Lega, Spanish Liga, and Premier League. We compare our results with the classical analysis of sport ranking based on measures of competitive balance.

Development of Weeds Density Evaluation System Based on RGB Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Solahudin, M.; Slamet, W.; Wahyu, W.

2018-05-01

Weeds are plant competitors which potentially reduce the yields due to competition for sunlight, water and soil nutrients. Recently, for chemical-based weed control, site-specific weed management that accommodates spatial and temporal diversity of weeds attack in determining the appropriate dose of herbicide based on Variable Rate Technology (VRT) is preferable than traditional approach with single dose herbicide application. In such application, determination of the level of weed density is an important task. Several methods have been studied to evaluate the density of weed attack. The objective of this study is to develop a system that is able to evaluate weed density based on RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) sensors. RGB sensor was used to acquire the RGB values of the surface of the field. An artificial neural network (ANN) model was then used for determining the weed density. In this study the ANN model was trained with 280 training data (70%), 60 validation data (15%), and 60 testing data (15%). Based on the field test, using the proposed method the weed density could be evaluated with an accuracy of 83.75%.

Weeds Cause Losses in Field Crops through Allelopathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali ZOHAIB

2016-03-01

Full Text Available A large number of weeds are known to be associated with crops and causing economic losses. Weeds interfere with crops through competition and allelopathy. They produce secondary metabolites known as allelochemicals, which belong to numerous chemical classes such as phenolics, alkaloids, fatty acids, indoles, terpens etc. However, phenolics are the predominant class of allelochemicals. The allelochemicals release from weed plants takes place through leaf leachates, decomposition of plant residues, volatilization and root exudates. Weeds leave huge quantities of their residues in field and affect the associated, as well as succeeding crops, in various cropping systems. Liberation of allelochemicals from weeds affects the germination, stand establishment, growth, yield and physiology of crop plants. They cause substantial reduction in germination and growth of the crop plants by altering various physiological processes such as enzyme activity, protein synthesis, photosynthesis, respiration, cell division and enlargement, which ultimately leads to a significant reduction in crop yield. In crux, allelopathic weeds represent a potential threat for crop plants and cause economic losses.

The effect of soil tillage system and weeding time on the growth of weed and yield of soybean (Glycine max (L. Merril

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Husni Thamrin Sebayang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The growth and yield of soybeans can decrease due to competition from weeds. Various efforts have been made to control the growth of weeds such as land preparation and weeding periods. An experiment to study the effect of soil tillage systems and weeding time on the growth of weeds and soybean crop yield (Glycine max (L. Merril has been done in Wringinsongo Village, Tumpang Sub-District, Malang Regency from February to May 2017. The split-plot design with three replicates was used with the soil tillage system as the main plot consisting of three levels, T0: no tillage, T1: minimum tillage, and T2: conventional tillage, and weeding time as the sub plot consisting of 4 levels, P0: no weeding, P1: weeding 1 time, P2: weeding two times and P3: weeding three times. The results showed that the dominant weed species before treatment were Amaranthus spinosus (Spiny amaranth, Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass, Cyperus rotundus (Purple nutsedge, Ageratum conyzoides (Billygoat weed, and Portulaca oleracea (Common purslane. After treatment, the dominant weed species were Cyperus rotundus (Purple nutsedge, Amaranthus spinosus (Spiny amaranth, Ageratum conyzoides (Billygoat weed, Physalis peruviana (Cape gooseberry, and Eclipta alba (False daisy. There was no significant difference of the dry weight of weeds in conventional tillage followed by weeding 3 times at 15, 30 and 45 days after planting, and minimum tillage and no tillage. For the yield of soybeans, conventional tillage followed by weeding 3 times at 15, 30 and 45 days after planting were not significant with that of minimum tillage. The yield of soybeans was lower than that of with no tillage and no weeding.

Evolutionary Agroecology: the potential for cooperative, high density, weed-suppressing cereals.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiner, Jacob; Andersen, Sven B; Wille, Wibke K-M; Griepentrog, Hans W; Olsen, Jannie M

2010-09-01

Evolutionary theory can be applied to improve agricultural yields and/or sustainability, an approach we call Evolutionary Agroecology. The basic idea is that plant breeding is unlikely to improve attributes already favored by millions of years of natural selection, whereas there may be unutilized potential in selecting for attributes that increase total crop yield but reduce plants' individual fitness. In other words, plant breeding should be based on group selection. We explore this approach in relation to crop-weed competition, and argue that it should be possible to develop high density cereals that can utilize their initial size advantage over weeds to suppress them much better than under current practices, thus reducing or eliminating the need for chemical or mechanical weed control. We emphasize the role of density in applying group selection to crops: it is competition among individuals that generates the 'Tragedy of the Commons', providing opportunities to improve plant production by selecting for attributes that natural selection would not favor. When there is competition for light, natural selection of individuals favors a defensive strategy of 'shade avoidance', but a collective, offensive 'shading' strategy could increase weed suppression and yield in the high density, high uniformity cropping systems we envision.

Weed competitiveness and yielding ability of aerobic rice genotypes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhao, D.L.

2006-01-01

Keywords:    Broad-sense heritability; Crop vigour; Genetic correlation; Indirect selection index; Plant erectness; Rice germplasm; Seeding rate; Vegetative growth; Weed-suppressive ability.

Phytotoxins produced by pathogenic fungi for the integrated management of noxious weeds

OpenAIRE

Cimmino, Alessio

2008-01-01

Weeds infest economically important crops causing marked losses in agrarian production, forests, and ornamental heritages. Weed pests, including parasitic plants, have always being recognised as one of the most serious agricultural and environmental problems due to competition with the growth of agrarian crops and forest plants by subtraction of water, nutrients, light and by the serious obstacles they represent for agronomic activities. A number of weed management strategies have been fo...

An investigation into the relationship between pre-competition mood states, age, gender and a national ranking in artistic gymnastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Boldizsár, Dóra; Soós, István; Whyte, Ian; Hamar, Pál

2016-06-01

This study investigated the relationship between pre-competition mood state factors in gymnastics by gender, age and a national ranking. Participant-gymnasts (total n=116, male n=49, female n=67) completed a Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) one day prior to their main competition of the year. Information was also gathered from gymnasts of gender, age and a national ranking. Consistent with theoretical predictions, results confirmed that a number of pre-competition mood states differed by age with both juniors and seniors having a higher level of anger than children (p<.05 respectively). Also, seniors demonstrated higher tension than children (p<.001). However, only anger showed significant differences by gender with male gymnasts demonstrating higher levels of anger than female gymnasts (p<.05), and with international gymnasts registering higher levels of anger compared with second class gymnasts (p<.05). Authors suggest that future research should investigate relationships between the pre-competition mood in other gymnastics-related disciplines and sports, as well as competitive performances.

Competition in the Brain. The Contribution of EEG and fNIRS Modulation and Personality Effects in Social Ranking.

Science.gov (United States)

Balconi, Michela; Vanutelli, Maria E

2016-01-01

In the present study, the social ranking perception in competition was explored. Brain response (alpha band oscillations, EEG; hemodynamic activity, O2Hb), as well as self-perception of social ranking, cognitive performance, and personality trait (Behavioral Activation System, BAS) were considered during a competitive joint-action. Subjects were required to develop a strategy to obtain a better outcome than a competitor (C) (in term of error rate, and response time, RT). A pre-feedback (without a specific feedback on the performance) and a post-feedback condition (which reinforced the improved performance) were provided. It was found that higher-BAS participants responded in greater measure to perceived higher cognitive performance (post-feedback condition), with increased left prefrontal activity, higher ranking perception, and a better real performance (reduced RTs). These results were explained in term of increased sense of self-efficacy and social position, probably based on higher-BAS sensitivity to reinforcing conditions. In addition, the hemispheric effect in favor of the left side characterized the competitive behavior, showing an imbalance for high-BAS in comparison to low-BAS in the case of a rewarding (post-feedback) context. Therefore, the present results confirmed the significance of BAS in modulating brain responsiveness, self-perceived social position, and real performance during an interpersonal competitive action which is considered highly relevant for social status.

Robotic weeding and automated weed measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, S.; Søgaard, H.T.; Jørgensen, R.N.

2003-01-01

The goal of decreasing herbicide usage has so far focused on reducing the herbicide dosage or replacing chemical weed control by hoeing and harrowing. The conventional weed control strategy is to apply the same dose of herbicide or the same intensity of hoeing and harrowing in the whole field. Th...... the state-of-the-art of automated weed measurement methods and the research projects concerning autonomous platform and information system for crop and weed monitoring and robotic weeding....

Impact of preceding crop on alfalfa competitiveness with weeds

Science.gov (United States)

Organic producers would like to include no-till practices in their farming systems. We are seeking to develop a continuous no-till system for organic farming, based on a complex rotation that includes a 3-year sequence of alfalfa. In this study, we evaluated impact of preceding crop on weed infest...

Investigation the Vertical Distribution of Leaf Area and Dry Matter of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L., Borage (Borago officinalis L. and Cover Crops in Competition with Weeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

zeinab shirzadi margavi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction Distribution of leaf area and dry matter are the effective factors that influence on absorption the radiation, evaporation and transpiration of canopy and eventually dry matter accumulation and grain yield in plants. Plant canopy is the spatial arrangement of shoots in a plant population. In plant canopy, leaves are responsible for radiation absorption and gas exchange with the outside. Stem and branches arrange photosynthetic organs somehow, which gas exchange and light distribution best done. The effect of canopy structure on gas exchange and absorption of radiation in plant communities caused detailed study of the canopy structure to be more important. Materials and methods In order to investigate the vertical distribution of leaf area and dry matter of borage and sweet basil in competition with weeds by cover crops treatments, a field experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with 8 treatments and 3 replications in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Sari in 2013. Treatments were cover crops mung bean (Vigna radiata L. and Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L. in the rows between the sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. and borage (Borago officinalis L.. Moreover, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of cover crops to control weeds, pure stand of sweet basil and borage in terms of weeding and no weed controls per replicates were used. Each plot was included 5 rows of medicinal plants. Cover crop inter-seeded simultaneously in the main crop. Estimation of leaf area and dry matter of each plant in different canopy layers (0-20, 20-40, 40-60, 80.100, 100-120 and 120-140 cm were done after 75 planting days, with 1 m × 1 m quadrate per plot. For this purpose a vertical card board frame marked in 20-cm increments was used in the field as a guide to cut standing plants (crops, cover crops and weeds into 20-cm strata increments (Mosier & Oliver, 1995. All samples were transferred to the

Effect of crop density on competition by wheat and barley with Agrostemma githago and other weeds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Doll, H.; Holm, U.; Søgaard, B.

1995-01-01

The effect of Agrostemma githago L. and other naturally occurring weeds on biomass production and grain yield was studied in winter wheat and winter barley. Naturally occurring weeds had only a negligible effect on barley, but reduced wheat grain yield by 10% at a quarter of normal crop density....... The interaction between the cereals and A. githago was studied in additive series employing different crop densities. Growth of this weed species was strongly dependent on crop density, which was more important for controlling weed growth than it was for obtaining a normal grain yield. Wheat and especially barley...

Ecophysiological responses of a young blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantation to weed control.

Science.gov (United States)

Eyles, Alieta; Worledge, Dale; Sands, Peter; Ottenschlaeger, Maria L; Paterson, Steve C; Mendham, Daniel; O'Grady, Anthony P

2012-08-01

Early weed control may improve the growth of forest plantations by influencing soil water and nutrient availability. To understand eucalypt growth responses to weed control, we examined the temporal responses of leaf gas-exchange, leaf nitrogen concentration (N) and water status of 7-month-old Eucalyptus globulus L. trees in a paired-plot field trial. In addition, we monitored the growth, leaf N and water status of the competing vegetation in the weed treatment. By the end of the 11-month experiment, complete weed control (WF treatment) of largely woody competitors increased the basal diameter of E. globulus by 14%. As indicated by pre-dawn water potentials of > - 0.05 MPa, interspecies competition for water resources was minimal at this site. In contrast, competition for N appeared to be the major factor limiting growth. Estimations of total plot leaf N (g m(-2) ground) showed that competing vegetation accounted for up to 70% of the total leaf N at the start of the trial. This value fell to 15% by the end of the trial. Despite increased leaf N(area) in WF trees 5 months after imposition of weed control, the photosynthetic capacity (A(1500)) of E. globulus was unaffected by treatment suggesting that the growth gains from weed control were largely unrelated to changes in leaf-level photosynthesis. Increased nutrient availability brought about by weed control enabled trees to increase investment into leaf-area production. Estimates of whole-tree carbon budget based on direct measurements of dark respiration and A(1500) allowed us to clearly demonstrate the importance of leaf area driving greater productivity following early weed control in a nutrient-limited site.

Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Weeds Growth and Emergence and Yield and Yield Components of Corn (Zea mays L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Gholamshahi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Corn is one of the important crops of poaceae family which has important role in supplying food for human societies. Corn is third food crop in world and it has high potential compare to other crops because of its C4 photosynthetic pathway. In addition, corn is a strong and fast growing plant but it is sensitive to competition with weeds. According studies, there are 25 to 30 problematic weeds in corn farms which they include annual and perennial species. Annual weeds life cycle is similar to corn life cycle, there for the most problem of weeds in corn is summer annual weeds. Damage of weeds is different and it depends on weeds density, species composition, time of emergence, crop variety and other factors. While non control of weeds depending on those density and Variety, corn yeild may be decrease of 15 to 90 percent. Weeds which germinate in a short time can compete with crop on light, water and nutrition sources. Most of the weeds show better reaction to fertilizers compare with crops. This subject is due to weeds ability to nutrition absorption and aggregation and their high performances. Most of the weeds species are more responsive than crops to application of nitrogen fertilizer. Furthermore, the growth of most of the weed species increases with increasing nitrogen. Therefore, the increase of nitrogen in farming systems can have impacts on weeds and crops competitiveness. However, weeds compete with crop about using light, nutrient, water and soil space and the result of this competition is yield losses. Moreover, nitrogen is necessary to increase yield and nitrogen fertilizer enhances corn competitiveness, especially early in the season due to the slow growth of the plant and is necessary to achieve optimal performance. Excessive of nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season is benefit for weeds. Therefore, in order to study the effects of nitrogen fertilizer in combination with weeds management on yield and yield

A novel application of PageRank and user preference algorithms for assessing the relative performance of track athletes in competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Beggs, Clive B; Shepherd, Simon J; Emmonds, Stacey; Jones, Ben

2017-01-01

Ranking enables coaches, sporting authorities, and pundits to determine the relative performance of individual athletes and teams in comparison to their peers. While ranking is relatively straightforward in sports that employ traditional leagues, it is more difficult in sports where competition is fragmented (e.g. athletics, boxing, etc.), with not all competitors competing against each other. In such situations, complex points systems are often employed to rank athletes. However, these systems have the inherent weakness that they frequently rely on subjective assessments in order to gauge the calibre of the competitors involved. Here we show how two Internet derived algorithms, the PageRank (PR) and user preference (UP) algorithms, when utilised with a simple 'who beat who' matrix, can be used to accurately rank track athletes, avoiding the need for subjective assessment. We applied the PR and UP algorithms to the 2015 IAAF Diamond League men's 100m competition and compared their performance with the Keener, Colley and Massey ranking algorithms. The top five places computed by the PR and UP algorithms, and the Diamond League '2016' points system were all identical, with the Kendall's tau distance between the PR standings and '2016' points system standings being just 15, indicating that only 5.9% of pairs differed in their order between these two lists. By comparison, the UP and '2016' standings displayed a less strong relationship, with a tau distance of 95, indicating that 37.6% of the pairs differed in their order. When compared with the standings produced using the Keener, Colley and Massey algorithms, the PR standings appeared to be closest to the Keener standings (tau distance = 67, 26.5% pair order disagreement), whereas the UP standings were more similar to the Colley and Massey standings, with the tau distances between these ranking lists being only 48 (19.0% pair order disagreement) and 59 (23.3% pair order disagreement) respectively. In particular, the

A novel application of PageRank and user preference algorithms for assessing the relative performance of track athletes in competition.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clive B Beggs

Full Text Available Ranking enables coaches, sporting authorities, and pundits to determine the relative performance of individual athletes and teams in comparison to their peers. While ranking is relatively straightforward in sports that employ traditional leagues, it is more difficult in sports where competition is fragmented (e.g. athletics, boxing, etc., with not all competitors competing against each other. In such situations, complex points systems are often employed to rank athletes. However, these systems have the inherent weakness that they frequently rely on subjective assessments in order to gauge the calibre of the competitors involved. Here we show how two Internet derived algorithms, the PageRank (PR and user preference (UP algorithms, when utilised with a simple 'who beat who' matrix, can be used to accurately rank track athletes, avoiding the need for subjective assessment. We applied the PR and UP algorithms to the 2015 IAAF Diamond League men's 100m competition and compared their performance with the Keener, Colley and Massey ranking algorithms. The top five places computed by the PR and UP algorithms, and the Diamond League '2016' points system were all identical, with the Kendall's tau distance between the PR standings and '2016' points system standings being just 15, indicating that only 5.9% of pairs differed in their order between these two lists. By comparison, the UP and '2016' standings displayed a less strong relationship, with a tau distance of 95, indicating that 37.6% of the pairs differed in their order. When compared with the standings produced using the Keener, Colley and Massey algorithms, the PR standings appeared to be closest to the Keener standings (tau distance = 67, 26.5% pair order disagreement, whereas the UP standings were more similar to the Colley and Massey standings, with the tau distances between these ranking lists being only 48 (19.0% pair order disagreement and 59 (23.3% pair order disagreement respectively. In

Weeded Out? Gendered Responses to Failing Calculus.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanabria, Tanya; Penner, Andrew

2017-06-01

Although women graduate from college at higher rates than men, they remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study examines whether women react to failing a STEM weed-out course by switching to a non-STEM major and graduating with a bachelor's degree in a non-STEM field. While competitive courses designed to weed out potential STEM majors are often invoked in discussions around why students exit the STEM pipeline, relatively little is known about how women and men react to failing these courses. We use detailed individual-level data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS) Postsecondary Transcript Study (PETS): 1988-2000 to show that women who failed an introductory calculus course are substantially less likely to earn a bachelor's degree in STEM. In doing so, we provide evidence that weed-out course failure might help us to better understand why women are less likely to earn degrees.

Weeds and Wildlife: Perceptions and Practices of Weed Managers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma H Carlos

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Negative impacts of invasive plants or weeds on biodiversity have been well established yet their role in providing key habitats and resources for wildlife has been little understood. Weed removal thus has the potential to adversely affect wildlife but whether this is considered during weed management is poorly known. To determine the extent of this knowledge, we examined the perceptions of weed managers regarding wildlife and weed management in Victoria, Australia. We surveyed 81 weed managers of varying levels of experience from different types of organisations, including state and local government, community groups and private companies. We found 90% of managers had observed wildlife-weed interactions and that most (70% adjusted management programmes to accommodate wildlife. Despite this, few (19% had adopted the recommended practice of combining gradual weed removal with re-vegetation. While management programmes included monitoring of native vegetation, consideration of wildlife monitoring in weed management was rare. This highlights the need for management to better understand and respond to wildlife-weed relationships. If the improvement of wildlife habitat is included in the objectives of weed programmes, as it should be, then wildlife should also be incorporated in project monitoring. This would lead to a greater understanding of the role weeds and their management have in each situation and, ultimately, more informed decision making.

Ranking structures and rank-rank correlations of countries: The FIFA and UEFA cases

Science.gov (United States)

Ausloos, Marcel; Cloots, Rudi; Gadomski, Adam; Vitanov, Nikolay K.

2014-04-01

Ranking of agents competing with each other in complex systems may lead to paradoxes according to the pre-chosen different measures. A discussion is presented on such rank-rank, similar or not, correlations based on the case of European countries ranked by UEFA and FIFA from different soccer competitions. The first question to be answered is whether an empirical and simple law is obtained for such (self-) organizations of complex sociological systems with such different measuring schemes. It is found that the power law form is not the best description contrary to many modern expectations. The stretched exponential is much more adequate. Moreover, it is found that the measuring rules lead to some inner structures in both cases.

Evaluation of tillage, cover crop, and herbicide effects on weed control, yield, and grade in peanut

Science.gov (United States)

Peanut production plays a large role in agriculture in the Southeastern United States. Weeds are detrimental to their production because of the competition that they create; weeds will compete with crops for resources such as nutrients and sunlight, among others. Therefore, it is important to reduce...

Quantifying the effect of crop spatial arrangement on weed suppression using functional-structural plant modelling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Evers, Jochem B.; Bastiaans, Lammert

2016-01-01

Suppression of weed growth in a crop canopy can be enhanced by improving crop competitiveness. One way to achieve this is by modifying the crop planting pattern. In this study, we addressed the question to what extent a uniform planting pattern increases the ability of a crop to compete with weed

Integration of row spacing, mulching and herbicides on weed management in tomato

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakht, T.; Khan, I.A.

2014-01-01

A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of The University of Agriculture, Peshawar during the year 2012 to determine the impact of row spacing and weed management strategies on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The local variety 'Roma' was sown in a randomized complete block (RCB) design with split plot arrangements, having four replications. The main plots were row spacings while subplots of the experiment comprised of ten treatments including five mulches viz., white and black polyethylene, wheat straw, newspaper and saw dust, three herbicide treatments (fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, pendimethalin and s-metolachlor), hand weeding and a weedy check. The data were recorded on weed density m/sup -2/, fresh and dry weed biomass, number of branches plant-1, and fruit yield (kg ha/sup -1/). All these parameters were significantly affected by row spacing and weed management treatments. Increase in weed population was observed with increasing in row spacing. The competitiveness of tomato with weeds can be enhanced by using black plastic as mulch. In light of the results, the row spacing of 60 cm is the optimum one for tomato plants, as the fruit yields decreased at 40 cm and 80 cm row spacing. (author)

Biology and management of Avena fatua and Avena ludoviciana: two noxious weed species of agro-ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajwa, Ali Ahsan; Akhter, Muhammad Javaid; Iqbal, Nadeem; Peerzada, Arslan Masood; Hanif, Zarka; Manalil, Sudheesh; Hashim, Saima; Ali, Hafiz Haider; Kebaso, Lynda; Frimpong, David; Namubiru, Halima; Chauhan, Bhagirath Singh

2017-08-01

Avena fatua and Avena ludoviciana are closely related grass weed species infesting a large number of crops around the world. These species are widely distributed in diverse agro-ecosystems from temperate to sub-tropical regions due to their unique seed traits, successful germination ecology, high competitive ability, and allelopathic potential. A. fatua is more widespread, adaptable, and problematic than A. ludoviciana. Both these species infest major winter and spring crops, including wheat, oat, barley, canola, maize, alfalfa, and sunflower, causing up to 70% yield losses depending on crop species and weed density. Chemical control has been challenged by large-scale herbicide resistance evolution in these weed species. A. fatua is the most widespread herbicide-resistant weed in the world, infesting about 5 million hectares in 13 countries. The use of alternative herbicides with different modes of action has proved effective. Several cultural practices, including diverse crop rotations, cover crops, improved crop competition (using competitive cultivars, high seed rates, narrow row spacing, altered crop geometry), and allelopathic suppression, have shown promise for controlling A. fatua and A. ludoviciana. The integrated use of these cultural methods can reduce the herbicide dose required, and lower dependency on herbicides to control these grasses. Moreover, integrated management may successfully control herbicide-resistant populations of these weed species. The use of integrated approaches based on the knowledge of biology and ecology of A. fatua and A. ludoviciana may help to manage them sustainably in the future.

Effects of fertility, weed density and crop competition on biomass partitioning in Centaurea cyanus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Łukasz Chachulski

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The influence of environmental factors on biomass partitioning of annual arable weed Centaurea cyanus was analysed. We investigated the effect of fertilisation, density and competition with the winter rye crop on the reproductive investment. Three fertiliser treatments and three density levels were applied. In Centaurea cyanus differences in the pattern of biomass allocation to reproduction are related to plant size. The relationship between reproductive and vegetative mass is close to linear. It is consistent with the model of linear size-dependent reproductive output. In Centaurea cyanus this model worked well for size differences that have been generated by interspecific competition, nutrients supply and density. Our data support the hypothesis that plastic changes in relationship between vegetative and generative biomass are environmentally-induced. Significantly different relationship between vegetative and reproductive biomass were detected among populations growing at different density and fertility levels. The fertilisation with mineral fertiliser and manure resulted in an increase of generative biomass allocated to flowerheads and a decrease of reproductive effort. Generative dry weight increased more rapidly with plant size in higher densities of population and at lower fertility levels. The experiment showed that the rate of weight allocated to reproductive structures was bigger under the pressure of competition with cereal crop. At low fertility level and high density, when the individuals were small, generative biomass increased faster with plant size. The production of seeds was not directly dependent on biomass allocated into total reproductive structures. At low level, of nutrient supply C. cyanus gave more offspring per gram of its biomass. We discuss the results in context of life-history theory. From the strategic point of view, size-dependent variation in reproductive effort and in efficiency of reproduction can be

Weed Interference Effects on Leaves, Internode and Harvest Index of Dry Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein GHAMARI

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The development of appropriate weed management strategies and efficient use of herbicides relies upon understanding weed-crop interactions. A field study was carried out to assess the effect of weed interference on leaves, internode and harvest index of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.. The experiment was established under a randomized complete block design with two types of weed interference treatments: plots with weeds and plots without weeds at different time intervals (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 days after crop emergence. The sigmoid Boltzmann model was used to quantify the crop traits as influenced by weed interference. Prolonged delays in weed removal reduced gradually the number of leaves of the crop. Weed interference decreased dry weight of leaves as well, so that the lowest value of it (33.49 g plant-1 was observed in full season during weed-infested treatment. Infestation of weeds affected the length of the crop internodes. While the weed interference duration increased, the length of the internodes decreased. Harvest index was also sensitive to weed competition. As the crop was kept weed-infested from the emergence for increasing periods of time, harvest index decreased to a value of 28.01%. A significant negative correlation between total biomass of weeds and dry bean traits (number of leaves, leaves dry weight, internode length and harvest index was observed. Therefore, weeds are able to adversely affect dry bean growth through constraining environmental resources and impairing leaves as the photosynthetic areas.

Effect of weed management and seed rate on crop growth under direct dry seeded rice systems in Bangladesh.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharif Ahmed

Full Text Available Weeds are a major constraint to the success of dry-seeded rice (DSR. The main means of managing these in a DSR system is through chemical weed control using herbicides. However, the use of herbicides alone may not be sustainable in the long term. Approaches that aim for high crop competitiveness therefore need to be exploited. One such approach is the use of high rice seeding rates. Experiments were conducted in the aman (wet seasons of 2012 and 2013 in Bangladesh to evaluate the effect of weed infestation level (partially-weedy and weed-free and rice seeding rate (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 kg ha(-1 on weed and crop growth in DSR. Under weed-free conditions, higher crop yields (5.1 and 5.2 t ha(-1 in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, respectively were obtained at the seeding rate of 40 kg ha(-1 and thereafter, yield decreased slightly beyond 40 kg seed ha(-1. Under partially-weedy conditions, yield increased by 30 to 33% (2.0-2.2 and 2.9-3.2 t ha(-1 in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, respectively with increase in seeding rate from 20 to 100 kg ha(-1. In the partially-weedy plots, weed biomass decreased by 41-60% and 54-56% at 35 days after sowing and at crop anthesis, respectively, when seeding rate increased from 20 to 100 kg ha(-1. Results from our study suggest that increasing seeding rates in DSR can suppress weed growth and reduce grain yield losses from weed competition.

Effect of Weed Management and Seed Rate on Crop Growth under Direct Dry Seeded Rice Systems in Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Sharif; Salim, Muhammad; Chauhan, Bhagirath S.

2014-01-01

Weeds are a major constraint to the success of dry-seeded rice (DSR). The main means of managing these in a DSR system is through chemical weed control using herbicides. However, the use of herbicides alone may not be sustainable in the long term. Approaches that aim for high crop competitiveness therefore need to be exploited. One such approach is the use of high rice seeding rates. Experiments were conducted in the aman (wet) seasons of 2012 and 2013 in Bangladesh to evaluate the effect of weed infestation level (partially-weedy and weed-free) and rice seeding rate (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 kg ha−1) on weed and crop growth in DSR. Under weed-free conditions, higher crop yields (5.1 and 5.2 t ha−1 in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, respectively) were obtained at the seeding rate of 40 kg ha−1 and thereafter, yield decreased slightly beyond 40 kg seed ha−1. Under partially-weedy conditions, yield increased by 30 to 33% (2.0–2.2 and 2.9–3.2 t ha−1 in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, respectively) with increase in seeding rate from 20 to 100 kg ha−1. In the partially-weedy plots, weed biomass decreased by 41–60% and 54–56% at 35 days after sowing and at crop anthesis, respectively, when seeding rate increased from 20 to 100 kg ha−1. Results from our study suggest that increasing seeding rates in DSR can suppress weed growth and reduce grain yield losses from weed competition. PMID:25000520

Effect of weed management and seed rate on crop growth under direct dry seeded rice systems in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Sharif; Salim, Muhammad; Chauhan, Bhagirath S

2014-01-01

Weeds are a major constraint to the success of dry-seeded rice (DSR). The main means of managing these in a DSR system is through chemical weed control using herbicides. However, the use of herbicides alone may not be sustainable in the long term. Approaches that aim for high crop competitiveness therefore need to be exploited. One such approach is the use of high rice seeding rates. Experiments were conducted in the aman (wet) seasons of 2012 and 2013 in Bangladesh to evaluate the effect of weed infestation level (partially-weedy and weed-free) and rice seeding rate (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 kg ha(-1)) on weed and crop growth in DSR. Under weed-free conditions, higher crop yields (5.1 and 5.2 t ha(-1) in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, respectively) were obtained at the seeding rate of 40 kg ha(-1) and thereafter, yield decreased slightly beyond 40 kg seed ha(-1). Under partially-weedy conditions, yield increased by 30 to 33% (2.0-2.2 and 2.9-3.2 t ha(-1) in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, respectively) with increase in seeding rate from 20 to 100 kg ha(-1). In the partially-weedy plots, weed biomass decreased by 41-60% and 54-56% at 35 days after sowing and at crop anthesis, respectively, when seeding rate increased from 20 to 100 kg ha(-1). Results from our study suggest that increasing seeding rates in DSR can suppress weed growth and reduce grain yield losses from weed competition.

Weed communities of rain-fed lowland rice vary with infestation by Rhamphicarpa fistulosa

Science.gov (United States)

Houngbédji, Tossimidé; Dessaint, Fabrice; Nicolardot, Bernard; Shykoff, Jacqui A.; Gibot-Leclerc, Stéphanie

2016-11-01

The facultative hemiparasitic plant Rhamphicarpa fistulosa (Orobanchaceae) thrives in seasonally wet soils in sub-Saharan Africa, mainly in marginal lowland rice growing environments where weeds are already a major constraint for rice production. Because lowland rice production is increasing in tropical Africa, it is important to ascertain the influence of R. fistulosa on weed plant communities in these rice-growing habitats. We investigated weed plant community richness and composition at four different levels of R. fistulosa infestation across two years of surveys from lowland rice fields in northern Togo (West Africa). Despite a lack of significant differences in community richness among sites with different R. fistulosa infestation levels, there were significant differences in community composition, both when estimated from presence-absence data and from relative abundance data, after controlling statistically for geographic proximity among sites. Rhamphicarpa fistulosa infestation, therefore, may influence the competitive balance between rice and its weeds and shape weed community structure. However, experimental studies are required to elucidate the weed host range of R. fistulosa and the direct and indirect effects of this hemiparasite in rice fields in order to predict its net impact on rice and its weed species.

Competition and critical periods in spring sugar beet cultivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansilla Martínez José

2015-12-01

Full Text Available High yields with low costs require that sugar beets be kept free of weeds, during critical periods, using labor or chemical treatments. Since the critical periods for this crop in Castilla - La Mancha (Spain are unknown, the first goal of this study was to determine the effect of early and late competition on yield. The second goal was to determine the critical periods, while taking into consideration the semiarid climatic conditions of this region. Two irrigation farms located in the province of Albacete are dedicated to sugar beet cultivation. These two farms were chosen to carry out the tests March (140,000-150,000 seeds ∙ ha-1 and harvested in October. Two simultaneous and complementary experiments were carried out in each year and farm. Two scenarios were considered with eight different treatments each. In the first one (With Weeds Until - WWU, plots were infested by weeds up to a certain date. In the second one (Free of Weeds Until - FWU, plots were kept free of weeds up to a certain date. For each test, a randomised experimental blocked field was designed and there were four repetitions, each of them containing eight elemental plots (12 m2. Each plot was weeded by hand or weeds were left to grow till a definite date.The results indicated that a 1% loss of yield was reached in the early competition after 14 days, while a loss of 5% was reached after a period of 41 days after it was infested. The results also indicated that in late competition, if a crop is kept clean for 124 days and it is infested afterwards, a 1% loss is reached. However, the loss increases to 5% if the plot is kept clean for 111 days. For a 1% loss the critical period is 110 days and 70 days for a 5% loss.

Weed flora, yield losses and weed control in cotton crop

OpenAIRE

Jabran, Khawar

2016-01-01

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is the most important fiber crop of world and provides fiber, oil, and animals meals. Weeds interfere with the growth activities of cotton plants and compete with it for resources. All kinds of weeds (grasses, sedges, and broadleaves) have been noted to infest cotton crop. Weeds can cause more than 30% decrease in cotton productivity. Several methods are available for weed control in cotton. Cultural control carries significance for weed control up to a certain extent....

Cultivar weed-competitiveness in aerobic rice : heritability, correlated traits, and the potential for indirect selection in weed-free environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhao, D.L.; Atlin, G.N.; Bastiaans, L.; Spiertz, J.H.J.

2006-01-01

Forty rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars and breeding lines used in the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) upland rice breeding program were evaluated in adjacent weed-free and weedy trials in aerobic soil conditions during the wet seasons of 2001, 2002, and 2003. The objectives of this

WEED INTERFERENCE IN COTTON PLANTS GROWN WITH REDUCED SPACING IN THE SECOND HARVEST SEASON

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MICHEL ALEX RAIMONDI

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Changes in row spacing may result in changes in crop and weed behavior and crop-weed competition. A study was performed to determine the periods of weed presence and weed control in cotton sown with 0.76 m spacing between planting rows. Cotton cultivar FM 993 was sown on 01/08/2010 with the aim of reaching a density of 190,000 seeds ha-1. Treatments with either weed presence or weed control during the first 0, 5, 10, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64, 71, and 190 days of cultivation were established to determine the period prior to weed interference (PPI, total period of interference prevention (TPIP and critical period of weed control (CPWC. The weed species with high relative importance were Amaranthus retroflexus, Bidens pilosa, Eleusine indica, Digitaria horizontalis, Alternanthera tenella, and Commelina benghalensis. Considering a maximum yield loss of 5%, the PPI was established 11 days after cotton emergence (DAE, the TPWC at 46 DAE, and the CPWC between 11 and 46 DAE, for a total duration of 35 days. Considering a maximum acceptable yield loss equal to the standard deviation for the weed-free treatment, the PPI was established at 6 DAE, the TPWC at 55 DAE, and the CPWC between 6 and 55 DAE for a total duration of 49 days.

Competition increases sensitivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to biotic plant-soil feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Hol, W H Gera; de Boer, Wietse; ten Hooven, Freddy; van der Putten, Wim H

2013-01-01

Plant-soil feedback (PSF) and plant competition play an important role in structuring vegetation composition, but their interaction remains unclear. Recent studies suggest that competing plants could dilute pathogenic effects, whereas the standing view is that competition may increase the sensitivity of the focal plant to PSF. In agro-ecosystems each of these two options would yield contrasting outcomes: reduced versus enhanced effects of weeds on crop biomass production. To test the effect of competition on sensitivity to PSF, we grew Triticum aestivum (Common wheat) with and without competition from a weed community composed of Vicia villosa, Chenopodium album and Myosotis arvensis. Plants were grown in sterilized soil, with or without living field inoculum from 4 farms in the UK. In the conditioning phase, field inocula had both positive and negative effects on T. aestivum shoot biomass, depending on farm. In the feedback phase the differences between shoot biomass in T. aestivum monoculture on non-inoculated and inoculated soils had mostly disappeared. However, T. aestivum plants growing in mixtures in the feedback phase were larger on non-inoculated soil than on inoculated soil. Hence, T. aestivum was more sensitive to competition when the field soil biota was present. This was supported by the statistically significant negative correlation between shoot biomass of weeds and T. aestivum, which was absent on sterilized soil. In conclusion, competition in cereal crop-weed systems appears to increase cereal crop sensitivity to soil biota.

Weed interference with peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.) and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) crops under different herbicide treatments: effects on biomass and essential oil yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Karkanis, Anestis; Lykas, Christos; Liava, Vasiliki; Bezou, Anna; Petropoulos, Spyridon; Tsiropoulos, Nikolaos

2018-01-01

'Minor crops' such as spearmint and peppermint are high added value crops, despite the fact that their production area is comparably small worldwide. The main limiting factor in mint commercial cultivation is weed competition. Thus, field experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of weed interference on growth, biomass and essential oil yield in peppermint and spearmint under different herbicide treatments. The application of pendimethalin and oxyfluorfen provided better control of annual weeds resulting in higher crop yield. Additionally, when treated with herbicides both crops were more competitive against annual weeds in the second year than in the first year. All pre-emergence herbicides increased biomass yield, since pendimethalin, linuron and oxyfluorfen reduced the density of annual weeds by 71-92%, 63-74% and 86-95%, respectively. Weed interference and herbicide application had no effect on essential oil content; however, a relatively strong impact on essential oil production per cultivated area unit was observed, mainly due to the adverse effect of weed interference on plant growth. Considering that pendimethalin and oxyfluorfen were effective against annual weeds in both spearmint and peppermint crops, these herbicides should be included in integrated weed management systems for better weed management in mint crops. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of nitrogen application method and weed control on corn yield and yield components.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepahvand, Pariya; Sajedi, Nurali; Mousavi, Seyed Karim; Ghiasvand, Mohsen

2014-04-01

The effects of nitrogen fertilizer application and different methods for weed control on yield and yield components of corn was evaluated in Khorramabad in 2011. The experiment was conducted as a split plot based on randomized complete block design in 3 replications. Nitrogen application was as main plot in 4 levels (no nitrogen, broadcasting nitrogen, banding nitrogen and sprayed nitrogen) and methods of weed control were in 4 levels (non-control weeds, application Equip herbicide, once hand control of weeds and application Equip herbicide+once time weeding) was as subplots. Result illustrated that effects of nitrogen fertilizer application were significant on grain and forage yield, 100 seeds weight, harvest index, grain number per row and cob weight per plant. Grain yield increased by 91.4 and 3.9% in application banding and broadcasting for nitrogen fertilizer, respectively, compared to the no fertilizer treatment. The results show improved efficiency of nitrogen utilization by banding application. Grain yield, harvest index, seed rows per cob, seeds per row and cob weight were increased by weed control. In the application of Equip herbicide+ hand weeding treatment corn grain yield was increased 126% in comparison to weedy control. It represents of the intense affects of weed competition with corn. The highest corn grain yield (6758 kg h(-1)) was related to the application banding of nitrogen fertilizer and Equip herbicide+once hand weeding.

Changes to soil water content and biomass yield under combined maize and maize-weed vegetation with different fertilization treatments in loam soil

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Lehoczky Éva

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Especially during early developmental stages, competition with weeds can reduce crop growth and have a serious effect on productivity. Here, the effects of interactions between soil water content (SWC, nutrient availability, and competition from weeds on early stage crop growth were investigated, to better understand this problem. Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 using long-term study plots on loam soil in Hungary. Plots of maize (Zea mays L. and a weed-maize combination were exposed to five fertilization treatments. SWC was observed along the 0–80 cm depth soil profile and harvested aboveground biomass (HAB was measured.

About the value of species diversity in arable weeds for weed management

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Gerowitt, Bärbel

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Arable weeds accompany arable land use – we define them based on their affiliation to ar able systems. They are adapted to such a degree that most of them cannot exist without arable land use. Weeds are part of the total biodiversity on arable fields, as primary producers they are basic for important functions within the ecosystem. This paper elaborates the relevance of species diversity in arable weeds for their management. Arable systems can be regarded for the number of different methods for preventive and direct weed control which are realized. Historical arable land use is roughly divided into three periods, which differ concerning the diversity of weed management and the occurring diversity in weed species. Obviously divers weed management in arable systems and diversity in weed species depend on each other, this is illustrated with a simple abstract picture. Arable systems, which are characterised by simpleness, favor the domination of few species which ensure an effective use of the resources within the ecosystem. One consequence under continuous pressure of an overused tool in weed management is that the genetic diversity within a dominating weed population is exploited to ensure this resource use. Current herbicides represent this tool – the results are herbicide resistant biotypes within the weed populations. Species diversity in arable weeds as a rationale within arable production can assist to prevent this development.

Competição entre feijoeiros e plantas daninhas em função do tipo de crescimento dos cultivares Competition between the common bean and weed in function of cultivar growth type

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I.R. Teixeira

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar a capacidade competitiva de genótipos de feijão de diferentes tipos de crescimento sob presença e ausência de comunidade infestante de plantas daninhas, em duas safras de cultivo ("águas'' de 2006/07 e "seca'' de 2007. Foi utilizado o delineamento de blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 3 x 2, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de três cultivares de feijão com diferentes tipos de crescimento (Pérola: tipo III/II; Aporé: tipo III; e BRS Radiante: tipo I, em combinação com dois tipos de manejo de plantas daninhas: área capinada manualmente e área não capinada. Conclui-se que no cerrado brasileiro, na safra das "águas'', os problemas da cultura do feijão com as plantas daninhas foram agravados, especialmente com Brachiaria ssp., Cenchrus echinatus, Digitaria horizontalis e Eleusine indica. Os cultivares de feijão com hábitos de crescimento semiereto (Pérola e prostrado (Aporé foram mais competitivos com a comunidade infestante de plantas daninhas.This work aimed to evaluate the competitive capacity of common bean cultivars of different growth types under the presence and absence of weed species communities during two crop seasons(rainy 2006/2007 and dry 2007. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design, in a factorial scheme with four replications. The treatments consisted of three bean cultivars with different types of growth ("Pérola'': type III/II, "Aporé'': type III and "BRS Radiante'': type I in combination with two types of management of weed species: cultivated with and without weed. It was concluded that in the "cerrado'' during the rainy season, the problems of the common bean with the weed species aggravated, especially in relation to Brachiaria ssp., Cenchrus echinatus, Digitaria horizontalis and Eleusine indica. The common bean genotypes with semi-erect ("Pérola'' and prostrated ("Aporé' growth habits were more competitive against

Understanding Lolium rigidum Seeds: The Key to Managing a Problem Weed?

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Kathryn J. Steadman

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The 40 million hectare southern Australian winter cropping region suffers from widespread infestation by Lolium rigidum (commonly known as annual or rigid ryegrass, a Mediterranean species initially introduced as a pasture plant. Along with its high competitiveness within crops, rapid adaptability and widespread resistance to herbicides, the dormancy of its seeds means that L. rigidum is the primary weed in southern Australian agriculture. With the individuals within a L. rigidum population exhibiting varying levels of seed dormancy, germination can be staggered across the crop-growing season, making complete weed removal virtually impossible, and ensuring that the weed seed bank is constantly replenished. By understanding the processes involved in induction and release of dormancy in L. rigidum seeds, it may be possible to develop strategies to more effectively manage this pest without further stretching herbicide resources. This review examines L. rigidum seed dormancy and germination from a weed-management perspective and explains how the seed bank can be depleted by control strategies encompassing all stages in the lifecycle of a seed, from development to germination.

Performance and Economics of Growing Maize under Organic and Inorganic Fertilization and Weed Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, A.; Khan, M. A.; Jan, A. U.; Jan, D.; Sattar, S.; Saleem, A.; Marwat, K. B.

2016-01-01

Weed competition and imbalanced fertilizers are important yield reducing factors in maize. To investigate the impact of weed management and combinations of fertilizers on yield and net income of maize, a field trial was conducted at National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan during summer 2014. Randomized complete block design with split-plot arrangement was used with three replications. Four weeds pressures viz. (1) hand weeding at 25 cm on both sides of each row of maize plants, (2) No hand weeding at 25 cm on both sides of maize rows, (3) application of Primextra gold (atrazine plus S-metolachlor) at the rate of 1.44 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/ as pre-emergence and (4) weedy check (control) were assigned to main plots. While different combinations of NPK were assigned to sub plots. Data revealed that dry weed biomass close to maize plants were significantly lower (140.4 kg ha/sup -1/) as compared to weeds 25 cm away from maize plants (153.2 kg ha/sup -1/). However, the application of atrazine plus S-metolachlor showed promising results by decreasing the weed biomass (53.6 kg ha/sup -1/) as compared to 155.6 kg ha/sup -1/ in control. Combination of fertilizers, also significantly affected the weed biomass. As compared to control, all the fertilizers (N, P and K) significantly increased weed biomass. Presence of weeds close to the crop rows, proved more harmful for grain yield of maize. Overall, application of herbicide in combination with NPK showed promising results in term of weed control and grain yield. Net income was higher when herbicide in combination with N, P or NP was used. (author)

Photosynthetic activity of cassava plants under weed competition Atividade fotossintética de plantas de mandioca submetidas a competição com plantas daninhas

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I. Aspiazú

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate characteristics associated with the photosynthetic activity of cassava plants under weed competition. The trial was carried out under field conditions, and experimental units consisted of 150 dm³ fiberglass boxes containing red yellow Latosol, previously corrected and fertilized. Treatments consisted in the cultivation of cassava plants which were free of weed competition and associated with three weed species: Bidens pilosa, Commelina benghalensis or Brachiaria plantaginea. After manioc sprouting started, 15 days after being planted, weeds that had been sown when manioc was planted were thinned, there were then eight plants left per experimental unit in accordance with specified treatments: cassava free of competition, cassava competing with B. pilosa, cassava competing with C. benghalensis and cassava competing with B. plantaginea. Sixty days after crop emergence leaf internal CO2 concentration (Ci, leaf temperature at the time of evaluation (Tleaf and photosynthetic rate (A were evaluated, also the CO2 consumption rate (ΔC of cassava plants was calculated. A correlation matrix between variables was also obtained. All characteristics associated with photosynthesis in cassava plants were influenced by weed species. Cassava was more affected by B. pilosa and B. plantaginea in which concerns its exposition to solar radiation and water, while C. benghalensis seems to mostly affect the composition of incident light on the culture, allowing cassava to anticipate imposition when competing, even before it reaches harmful levels.Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar características associadas à atividade fotossintética de plantas de mandioca sob competição ou não com plantas daninhas. O experimento foi realizado em condições de ambiente aberto, sendo as unidades experimentais compostas por vasos de fibra de vidro de 150 dm³ preenchidos com Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo, previamente adubado. Os

Evaluating the Competitive Ability of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. Cultivars against Tumble Pigweed (Amaranthus albus L. in Birjand Region

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mohammad javad babaie zarch

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction Using crop species and cultivars with high competitive ability against weeds is one of the effective strategies for sustainable weed management. Emergence rate, rapid root growth, seed vigor, development rate of leaves, rapid root and shoot biomass accumulation, rapid canopy closure and plant height are important traits in relation to the competitiveness between different cultivars of crops. Competitive ability is measured using two indices including the weed growth prevention ability or weed biomass reduction index and crop tolerance to weed or yield reduction preventing index. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the competitive ability of six oilseed sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cultivars and also introducing the most important morpho-physiological attributes affecting their competitive ability with tumble pigweed (Amaranthus albus L. in Birjand. Materials and methods This experiment was carried out as factorial layout based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, University of Birjand in 2012. Treatments were included six sunflower oilseed cultivars (Azargol, Jame esfehan, Farrokh, Syrna, Progress, Euroflor and tumble pigweed densities in four levels (zero (control, 5, 10 and 15 plants per square meter. The number of days and cumulative degree days were recorded from sowing to emergence. Plant height, leaf area and dry matter were recorded at four stages from emergence to 75 days after it. Sunflower seeds were harvested after physiological maturity. Preventing indices were used to evaluate the competitive ability of cultivars, competitive tolerance (Watson et al., 2002 and weed biomass. Data were analyzed with the SAS software and cluster analysis was performed using SPSS software. FLSD test was employed for comparison of the means at the 5% significance level. The graphs were prepared by Excel. Results and Discussion Analysis of variance showed that there was a

Chemical weed control in Spinach (Spiniacia oleracea

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A. Modhej

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction Spinach (Spinacia oleracea is an annual plant of family Chenopodiaceae. It is cultivated in temperate and cold regions in Khouzestan in autumn and winter. Weeds are the main problems that limit the production of vegetables. Competition ability of spinach against weeds is very low and weeds cause the loss of quality and quantity in this plant. Weeds reduce germination and establishment and growth of spinach. Weed management in spinach should be done at the beginning of the season. Hand weeding is the best way to control weeds spinach, although due to the high cost it is not cost effective, but is steel common in large areas. Weed control spinach, using chemical methods, the number of weeds are kept below the threshold of economic damage. Materials and Methods The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 15 treatments and three replications. Treatments included pre-plant application of EPTC at 5 and 6 lit ha-1, pre-plant application of Trifluralin at 2 lit ha-1, pre-plant and pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin at 3 lit ha-1, pre-emergence and post-emergence application of Meteribouzin at 300 g ha-1, pre-emergence and post-emergence application of Meteribouzin at 400 g ha-1, pre-emergence and post-emergence application of Imazethapyr at 0.7 lit ha-1, pre-emergence and post-emergence application of Imazethapyr at 1 lit ha-1, weedy and weed free checks. Each plot the size of 2.5 × 2 meters and 10 row cultivation with distances between rows of 15 cm and the distance between the plants 25 cm and the sowing depth was 3 cm. The herbicide treatments were applied to the back sprayer with Flat fan nozzle with volume of consumption of 240 lit ha-1 solution. The final harvest was about 50 days after emergence. Sampling of weeds 10 days before harvest was performed with using quadrate 0.5 ×0.5. Results Discussion Important broad-leaf and narrow leaf weeds observed in the field, included field bindweed

Ecological Weed Management by Cover Cropping: Effect on Winter Weeds and Summer Weeds Establishment in Potato

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M Ghaffari

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Now a day winter cover crops planting has been attended to reduce herbicide application. An experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of Agriculture Faculty, Bu- Ali Sina, University, in 2009. The experiment was a randomized complete block design with three replications. The trial included of five treatments consists of no cover crop, rye, winter oilseed rape, barley and triticale. The results showed that winter cereals were produced more biomass than winter oilseed rape. living mulch of rye, barley, oilseed rape and triticale reduced winter weeds biomass 89, 86, 82 and 70 percent respectively, in compare to control. Cover crop treatments showed significant different weeds control of potato at 3 time (15, 45 and 75 DAPG compare to control treatment. Residues mixed to soil of oilseed rape and rye had the most inhibition affects on summer weeds. These treatments, average weeds biomass decreased 61 and 57 percent respectively, in compare to control. Oilseed rape and rye in compare to control reduced weeds density in potato 36 and 35 percent, respectively. Significant negation correlations of weeds plant population, weeds dry matter with average tuber weight and potato yield. The treatments, oilseed rape and rye in compare to control increased tuber yield of potato 54 and 50 percent, respectively. These treatments, the average tuber weight increased 74 and 38 percent in compare with control, respectively.

Site-specific weed control technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Svend; Søgaard, Henning Tangen; Kudsk, Per

2009-01-01

Site-specific weed control technologies are defined as machinery or equipment embedded with technologies that detect weeds growing in a crop and, taking into account predefined factors such as economics, takes action to maximise the chances of successfully controlling them. In the article, we...... describe the basic parts of site specific weed control technologies, comprising of weed sensing systems, weed management models and precision weed control implements. A review of state-of-the-art technologies shows that several weed sensing systems and precision implements have been developed over the last...... of knowledge about the economic and environmental potential for increasing the resolution of weed control. The integration of site-specific information on weed distribution, weed species composition and density, and the effect on crop yield, is decisive for successful site-specific weed management.   Keywords...

Effect of plant spacing and weeding frequency on weed infestation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Common bean is an important food and cash crop in eastern Ethiopia. However, its yield is constrained by weeds. Therefore, this study was conducted in 2012 main cropping season at Haramaya and Hirna research fields, eastern Ethiopia, to determine the effect of plant spacing and weeding frequency on weeds, yield ...

Horny Goat Weed

Science.gov (United States)

Horny goat weed is an herb. The leaves are used to make medicine. As many as 15 horny goat weed species are known as “yin yang huo” in Chinese medicine. Horny goat weed is used for weak back and knees, ...

Effect of Soybean and Wheat as Cover Crops on Corn Yield and Weed Control using Different Fertilizer Sources

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F. Dadashi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: According to the importance of corn in supplying the human food directly and indirectly, it is one of the most important plants among crops. One of the major problems in corn production systems, is competition with weeds that reduce corn yield significantly. Weeds not only reduce crop yields but also decrease the commercial quality and the feeding palatability of main crops. They enhance the soil seed bank of weeds, which may cause continuous weed infestation of field crops as well. Herbicide application is a reliable and highly effective method for weed control. However, demand for safe food products that have been produced with a minimum application of chemical inputs is increasing. Therefore, farmers interested in weed management have to rely on other control approaches. An alternative weed control method is the use of cover crops, which can suppress the growth of weeds by preventing them from light and by producing allelopathic compounds. Cover crops successfully have been integrated into conservational agriculture systems in many areas of the world. Legumes are used as cover crop because of their rapid growth, in addition their potential to provide further nitrogen,along with high ability to compete with weeds. Materials and Methods: In order to study the effect of cover crops (soybean and wheat and different fertilizers sources on yield of corn and weed control, a filed experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design with three replications in 2012. Treatments included two cover crop (wheat and soybean and three fertilizer (no fertilizer, chemical fertilizer and compost..Fertilizer treatments was used according to soil analysis and requirement of corn (as a main plant. Weed-infestation and weed-free plots were used as controls. Study cultivars of corn, wheat and soybean were NS-640, Milan and Sari, respectively. Planting of corn was in June and cover crop was planted with corn simultaneously and between corn rows

Weed Dynamics during Transition to Conservation Agriculture in Western Kenya Maize Production.

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Judith A Odhiambo

Full Text Available Weed competition is a significant problem in maize (Zea mays, L. production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Better understanding of weed management and costs in maize intercropped with beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L. during transition to conservation agricultural systems is needed. Changes in weed population and maize growth were assessed for a period of three years at Bungoma where crops are grown twice per year and at Trans-Nzoia where crops are grown once per year. Treatments included three tillage practices: minimum (MT, no-till (NT and conventional (CT applied to three cropping systems: continuous maize/bean intercropping (TYPICAL, maize/bean intercropping with relayed mucuna after bean harvest (RELAY and maize, bean and mucuna planted in a strip intercropping arrangement (STRIP. Herbicides were used in NT, shallow hand hoeing and herbicides were used in MT and deep hoeing with no herbicides were used in CT. Weed and maize performance in the maize phase of each cropping system were assessed at both locations and costs of weed control were estimated at Manor House only. Weed density of grass and forb species declined significantly under MT and NT at Manor House and of grass species only at Mabanga. The greatest declines of more than 50% were observed as early as within one year of the transition to MT and NT in STRIP and TYPICAL cropping systems at Manor House. Transitioning to conservation based systems resulted in a decline of four out of five most dominant weed species. At the same time, no negative impact of MT or NT on maize growth was observed. Corresponding costs of weed management were reduced by $148.40 ha(-1 in MT and $149.60 ha(-1 in NT compared with CT. In conclusion, farmers can benefit from effective and less expensive weed management alternatives early in the process of transitioning to reduced tillage operations.

Weed Dynamics during Transition to Conservation Agriculture in Western Kenya Maize Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Odhiambo, Judith A; Norton, Urszula; Ashilenje, Dennis; Omondi, Emmanuel C; Norton, Jay B

2015-01-01

Weed competition is a significant problem in maize (Zea mays, L.) production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Better understanding of weed management and costs in maize intercropped with beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) during transition to conservation agricultural systems is needed. Changes in weed population and maize growth were assessed for a period of three years at Bungoma where crops are grown twice per year and at Trans-Nzoia where crops are grown once per year. Treatments included three tillage practices: minimum (MT), no-till (NT) and conventional (CT) applied to three cropping systems: continuous maize/bean intercropping (TYPICAL), maize/bean intercropping with relayed mucuna after bean harvest (RELAY) and maize, bean and mucuna planted in a strip intercropping arrangement (STRIP). Herbicides were used in NT, shallow hand hoeing and herbicides were used in MT and deep hoeing with no herbicides were used in CT. Weed and maize performance in the maize phase of each cropping system were assessed at both locations and costs of weed control were estimated at Manor House only. Weed density of grass and forb species declined significantly under MT and NT at Manor House and of grass species only at Mabanga. The greatest declines of more than 50% were observed as early as within one year of the transition to MT and NT in STRIP and TYPICAL cropping systems at Manor House. Transitioning to conservation based systems resulted in a decline of four out of five most dominant weed species. At the same time, no negative impact of MT or NT on maize growth was observed. Corresponding costs of weed management were reduced by $148.40 ha(-1) in MT and $149.60 ha(-1) in NT compared with CT. In conclusion, farmers can benefit from effective and less expensive weed management alternatives early in the process of transitioning to reduced tillage operations.

WeedML: a Tool for Collaborative Weed Demographic Modeling

OpenAIRE

Holst, Niels

2010-01-01

WeedML is a proposed standard to formulate models of weed demography, or maybe even complex models in general, that are both transparent and straightforward to re-use as building blocks for new models. The paper describes the design and thoughts behind WeedML which relies on XML and object-oriented systems development. Proof-of-concept software is provided as open-source C++ code and executables that can be downloaded freely.

Multidimensional ranking the design and development of U-Multirank

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Ziegele, Frank

2012-01-01

During the last decades ranking has become one of the most controversial issues in higher education and research. It is widely recognized now that, although some of the current rankings can be severely criticized, they seem to be here to stay. In addition, rankings appear to have a great impact on decision-makers at all levels of higher education and research systems worldwide, including in universities. Rankings reflect a growing international competition among universities for talent and resources; at the same time they reinforce competition by their very results. Yet major concerns remain a

Weeds in Organic Fertility-Building Leys: Aspects of Species Richness and Weed Management

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Thomas F. Döring

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Legume-based leys (perennial sod crops are an important component of fertility management in organic rotations in many parts of Europe. Despite their importance, however, relatively little is known about how these leys affect weed communities or how the specific composition of leys may contribute to weed management. To determine whether the choice of plant species in the ley affects weeds, we conducted replicated field trials at six locations in the UK over 24 months, measuring weed cover and biomass in plots sown with monocultures of 12 legume and 4 grass species, and in plots sown with a mixture of 10 legume species and 4 grass species. Additionally, we monitored weed communities in leys on 21 organic farms across the UK either sown with a mixture of the project species or the farmers’ own species mix. In total, 63 weed species were found on the farms, with the annuals Stellaria media, Sonchus arvensis, and Veronica persica being the most frequent species in the first year after establishment of the ley, while Stellaria media and the two perennials Ranunculus repens and Taraxacum officinale dominated the weed spectrum in the second year. Our study shows that organic leys constitute an important element of farm biodiversity. In both replicated and on-farm trials, weed cover and species richness were significantly lower in the second year than in the first, owing to lower presence of annual weeds in year two. In monocultures, meadow pea (Lathyrus pratensis was a poor competitor against weeds, and a significant increase in the proportion of weed biomass was observed over time, due to poor recovery of meadow pea after mowing. For red clover (Trifolium pratense, we observed the lowest proportion of weed biomass in total biomass among the tested legume species. Crop biomass and weed biomass were negatively correlated across species. Residuals from the linear regression between crop biomass and weed biomass indicated that at similar levels of crop

Accelerated development in Johnsongrass seedlings (Sorghum halepense) suppresses the growth of native grasses through size-asymmetric competition.

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Schwinning, Susanne; Meckel, Heather; Reichmann, Lara G; Polley, H Wayne; Fay, Philip A

2017-01-01

Invasive plant species often dominate native species in competition, augmenting other potential advantages such as release from natural enemies. Resource pre-emption may be a particularly important mechanism for establishing dominance over competitors of the same functional type. We hypothesized that competitive success of an exotic grass against native grasses is mediated by establishing an early size advantage. We tested this prediction among four perennial C4 warm-season grasses: the exotic weed Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparius) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). We predicted that a) the competitive effect of Johnsongrass on target species would be proportional to their initial biomass difference, b) competitive effect and response would be negatively correlated and c) soil fertility would have little effect on competitive relationships. In a greenhouse, plants of the four species were grown from seed either alone or with one Johnsongrass neighbor at two fertilizer levels and periodically harvested. The first two hypotheses were supported: The seedling biomass of single plants at first harvest (50 days after seeding) ranked the same way as the competitive effect of Johnsongrass on target species: Johnsongrass critical mechanism by which exotic invasive species displace functionally similar native species and alter the functional dynamics of native communities.

1-14 Effect of Plant Spacing and Weeding Frequency on Weed ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, ... pod, hundred seed weight, grain yield, aboveground dry biomass, and ... an infestation by weeds and the performance of crop ... frequencies affect weed management in common bean .... including broad-leaved, sedge and grass weeds (Table.

Evaluation of weed control methods on sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. yield at different levels of nitrogen

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AliAsghar Chitband

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Weed competition is one of the major factors which limit sugar beet production in the world. Weed – crop interactions are based on competition for water, nutrients and light and allelopathic effects may also play a small role. In sugar beet weed interference, all these factors are important too, but the light is of prime importance. Due to the fact that a lot of weeds can grow above the sugar beet canopy and reduce the amount of photosynthetic radiation reaching the crop, these weeds are stronger competitors compared to smaller weeds. In much sugar beet growing areas dicot weeds of the families Chenopodiaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae and Polygonaceae are of major importance. The monocots are less important compared to dicot weeds. Competition from uncontrolled annual weeds that emerge within 8 weeks of sowing or within 4 weeks of the crop reaching the two-leaf stage can reduce root yields by 26–100% .Weeds that emerge 8 weeks after sowing, and particularly after the sugar beet plants have eight or more leaves, are less likely to affect yield. Although tractor hoeing and hand labour are still used in many production areas, herbicides have been the primary method of weed control in sugar beet. The effectiveness of pre-emergence residual herbicides decreases with reductions in rainfall or soil wet content. Therefore, less than 10 % of the total sugar beet crop is treated with pre-emergence herbicides. The remaining 90 % depends solely on a selection of post-emergence herbicides to maintain season-long weed control. The major herbicides are phenmedipham, chloridazon, metamitron. Mixtures of post-emergence, broad spectrum herbicides have to be applied to control the wide range of weed species in sugar beet crops. Materials and Methods: To study the effects of weeds control by hand weeding and herbicides combination with two selective herbicides at different levels of nitrogen application on sugar beet yield and quality

Effect of Cultural Practices in Night on Weed Density and Weed Dry Matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.H Rashed Mohasel

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract In order to evaluate the response of weed seeds to light, two experiments, at two different locations were conducted at Ferdowsi university of Mashhad in 2009. At the first experiment, field was ploughed in day and night. Weed density was evaluated 70 d after plough, with 1×1 quadrate. At the second experiment, at night treatment, ploughing, potato planting and weeding with cultivator were done at night. Weed sampling was done twice at 43 and 130 days after planting with 1×1 quadrate and weeds were identified and counted. Result showed pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L., sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L., crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis (L. scop, jimsonweed (Datura stramonium L. and mallow (Hibiscus trionum L. did not observed at night plough, in contrast, night plough has no significance influence on common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L., and black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.. Only common lambsquarters had similar appearance in two treatments, indicating insusceptibility of this weed to time of plough. Interestingly, at the second experiment, result was very similar. Potato yield was higher at night treatment, but not significant. This research showed that some cultural practice like plough, planting and weeding with cultivator in night can reduce weed density and weed dry matter. Keywords: Germination, Time of plough, Sustainable weeds management, Light

Evaluating the Effects of Elevated CO2 on the Competition Ability between Various C3 and C4 Crops and Weeds in Greenhouse Condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Anvarkhah

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Since agriculture is both the source and sink of greenhouse gases, and plants show different responses to the elevated CO2 concentration, an experiment was conducted in 2006 at the research greenhouse of the faculty of agriculture of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The purpose of the experiment was to examine the effects of elevated CO2 on the competition ability between various crops and weeds in factorial arrangement within a completely randomized design with three replications. The factors included ambient (360ppm CO2 and elevated (700 ppm CO2 concentrations and various combinations of the plantation of crops (millet and soybean and weeds (pigweed and lambsquarters of C3 and C4 species, whether of the pure culture or intercropping. The results of the experiment showed that, as the CO2 concentration increased, the leaf area and root dry weight of millet increased whereas those of other species decreased. Millet,s root length increased whereas those of other species decreased. Root dry weight in each cultural combinations, compared to the ambient CO2 concentration, decreased. The amount of chlorophyll in lambsquarters, increased whereas it decreased in pigweed, millet and soybean.

Effect of Non-chemical Procedures of Weed Management on Growth Characteristics and Yield of Cumin (Cuminnum cyminum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surur Khorramdel

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Medicinal and aromatic plants are major crops of domestic and industrial interest. The essential oil yield, seed yield and biomass of medicinal and aromatic plants are seriously affected by interspecific competition, meaning proper weed management becomes crucial. Competition with weeds is detrimental for medicinal and aromatic plants production for two main reasons. The first reason is that, in acting as an important stress factor, the interference of weeds is supposed to generate variations in photosynthesis rate and direction, pushing plants to allocate more carbon to roots (competition for nutrients or water or shoots (competition for light. These plants are increasingly organically grown to improve profitability. However, the presence of weeds may lead to a decline in both yield and quality. Therefore, nonchemical methods of weed management are needed. More attention has been paid worldwide about the technical means for weeding, generally addressed to a removal of weeds as complete as possible, and sometimes to the effects of weeds on medicinal and aromatic plants yields and quality.Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L. is an herbaceous and annual plant belonging to Apiaceae family which is planted in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran as medicinal plant. About 26% of the total area under cultivation of medicinal plants in Iran is allocated to cumin cultivation. This paper studied the methods of non-chemical weed control on yield components and quantitative and qualitative yield of cumin. Materials and Methods In order to study weed management methods, an experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during growing season 2012-2013. Treatments included tillage at night, false seed bed, three cover crops such as hairy vetch, chuckling vetch and fenugreek, crop residues of sunflower, barley and garlic and

Effect of Weed Management on Weeds and Grain Yield of Haricot ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Weeds are one of the major constraints limiting haricot bean productivity and production. Field experiments were conducted on the effect of weed managements on weeds and grain yield of haricot bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) at Melkassa Agricultural Research Center from 2011 - 2013. The objective was to determine the ...

Ecologically sustainable weed management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liebman, Matt; Baraibar, Bàrbara; Buckley, Yvonne

2016-01-01

Weed management is a critically important activity on both agricultural and non-agricultural lands, but it is faced with a daunting set of challenges: environmental damage caused by control practices, weed resistance to herbicides, accelerated rates of weed dispersal through global trade, and gre......Weed management is a critically important activity on both agricultural and non-agricultural lands, but it is faced with a daunting set of challenges: environmental damage caused by control practices, weed resistance to herbicides, accelerated rates of weed dispersal through global trade...... to influence learning, decision-making, and actions by farmers and land managers. We offer examples of how these impediments are being addressed in different parts of the world, but note that there is no clear formula for determining which sets of policies, market mechanisms, and educational activities...... will be effective in various locations. Implementing new approaches for weed management will require multidisciplinary teams comprised of scientists, engineers, economists, sociologists, educators, farmers, land managers, industry personnel, policy makers, and others willing to focus on weeds within whole farming...

Annual warm-season grasses vary for forage yield, quality, and competitiveness with weeds

Science.gov (United States)

Warm-season annual grasses may be suitable as herbicide-free forage crops. A two-year field study was conducted to determine whether tillage system and nitrogen (N) fertilizer application method influenced crop and weed biomass, water use, water use efficiency (WUE), and forage quality of three war...

Evaluation of the Impact of Weed Control Methods on Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Moldavian Balm; A Medicinal Plant

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Janmohammadi Mohsen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Moldavian balm is an annual herbaceous plant and its lemon-scented leaves contain essential oil. However, weeds adversely affect its growth by release of allelochemicals, and/or direct competition for nutrient, moisture, light and space. Current experiment was conducted to evaluate the different weed control methods including preventive approach (soil pasteurization, mechanical methods (one hand weeding, two hand weeding, and successive hand weeding for weed free condition, and chemical control by synthetic herbicides (haloxyfop-R-methyl and trifluralin. Results revealed that stem diameter, quantity of secondary branches, flower-bearing branches and leaves were significantly affected by weed control treatments; the highest lateral growth was obtained by successive mechanical weed control and two hand weeding method, respectively. This trend was also observed in canopy spread and chlorophyll content. Pre-emergence control by trifluralin considerably accelerated the initiation of flowering in Moldavian balm. However, observation of qualitative traits showed that the highest essential oil content and oil yield was obtained when the plants grew in weed free soil which was pasteurized. Considering the recognized essential oils, the most responsive composition was including Geranial, Geranyl acetate, Neral and Geraniol. The lowest amount of Neral was recorded in postemergence control performed by means of haloxyfop-R-methyl herbicide.

Competitivity of the common-bean plant relative to the weed alexandergrass [Brachiaria plantaginea (link hitch.] Competitividade do feijoeiro-comum com o capim-marmelada [Brachiaria plantaginea (link hitch.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Telma Passini

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Methodologies of competitive interaction quantification between weeds and crops are not widely elucidated and compared in the literature. The competitive ability of common-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris relative to alexandergrass (Brachiaria plantaginea was assessed and two approaches of replacement series experiment analysis were compared. The response of the species to the presence of each other at different densities and proportion was evaluated. Replacement series at total densities of 625, 816 and 1,111 plants m-2 were performed at the proportions of common-bean:alexandergrass of 100:0 (pure stand of common-bean, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100% (pure stand of alexandergrass, at four replicates in a randomized block design. Data analyses were performed by the qualitative compared to the quantitative approach. The quantitative approach provided larger number of information than did the qualitative approach, and indicated that there was intraspecific competition among common-bean plants, and a minimum of interspecific competition from alexandergrass. There was no intraspecific competition among alexandergrass plants, being the crop effect on the weed larger than the effect among alexandergrass plants. The ecological niche differentiation was partial, since the crop intraspecific competition was larger than the interspecific, and the last one was negligible, at the same time that the weed interspecific competition was larger than the intraspecific. Common-bean, as a competitor species, is superior to alexandergrass.As metodologias de quantificação das interações competitivas entre plantas cultivadas e daninhas não estão amplamente elucidadas e comparadas na literatura. A competitividade da cultura de feijão-comum (Phaseolus vulgaris em relação ao capim-marmelada (Brachiaria plantaginea foi avaliada pela comparação entre o método qualitativo e um método quantitativo de análise de resultados. A resposta de cada espécie à presença da

Simulating changes in cropping practices in conventional and glyphosate-resistant maize. II. Weed impacts on crop production and biodiversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Colbach, Nathalie; Darmency, Henri; Fernier, Alice; Granger, Sylvie; Le Corre, Valérie; Messéan, Antoine

2017-05-01

Overreliance on the same herbicide mode of action leads to the spread of resistant weeds, which cancels the advantages of herbicide-tolerant (HT) crops. Here, the objective was to quantify, with simulations, the impact of glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds on crop production and weed-related wild biodiversity in HT maize-based cropping systems differing in terms of management practices. We (1) simulated current conventional and probable HT cropping systems in two European regions, Aquitaine and Catalonia, with the weed dynamics model FLORSYS; (2) quantified how much the presence of GR weeds contributed to weed impacts on crop production and biodiversity; (3) determined the effect of cultural practices on the impact of GR weeds and (4) identified which species traits most influence weed-impact indicators. The simulation study showed that during the analysed 28 years, the advent of glyphosate resistance had little effect on plant biodiversity. Glyphosate-susceptible populations and species were replaced by GR ones. Including GR weeds only affected functional biodiversity (food offer for birds, bees and carabids) and weed harmfulness when weed effect was initially low; when weed effect was initially high, including GR weeds had little effect. The GR effect also depended on cultural practices, e.g. GR weeds were most detrimental for species equitability when maize was sown late. Species traits most harmful for crop production and most beneficial for biodiversity were identified, using RLQ analyses. None of the species presenting these traits belonged to a family for which glyphosate resistance was reported. An advice table was built; the effects of cultural practices on crop production and biodiversity were synthesized, explained, quantified and ranked, and the optimal choices for each management technique were identified.

Density and relative frequency effects on competitive interactions and resource use in pea–barley intercrops

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hauggaard-Nielsen, H.; Andersen, H.K.; Jørnsgaard, B.

2006-01-01

or specific grain yield composition are wanted. Keywords: Competition dynamics; Grain quality; Hordeum vulgare; Intercropping; Nitrogen use; Organic farming; Pisum sativum; Weeds; Yield Abbreviations: IC, mixed intercropping; LER, land equivalent ratio; N, nitrogen; REIc, relative efficiency index; SC, sole...... not increase its reliance on atmospheric nitrogen fixation compared to the pea sole crop. With respect to soil nitrogen uptake there were no effect of plant density but a strong effect of the relative frequency of pea in the intercrop, the greater the proportion the lower the uptake. Changes in the competitive...... and tillering ability of barley are seen as likely explanations of lower weed load in the barley dominated crop treatments. This study points at the potential of employing density and relative crop frequency as "regulators" when specific intercrop objectives such as increased competitiveness towards weeds...

A network-based dynamical ranking system for competitive sports

Science.gov (United States)

Motegi, Shun; Masuda, Naoki

2012-12-01

From the viewpoint of networks, a ranking system for players or teams in sports is equivalent to a centrality measure for sports networks, whereby a directed link represents the result of a single game. Previously proposed network-based ranking systems are derived from static networks, i.e., aggregation of the results of games over time. However, the score of a player (or team) fluctuates over time. Defeating a renowned player in the peak performance is intuitively more rewarding than defeating the same player in other periods. To account for this factor, we propose a dynamic variant of such a network-based ranking system and apply it to professional men's tennis data. We derive a set of linear online update equations for the score of each player. The proposed ranking system predicts the outcome of the future games with a higher accuracy than the static counterparts.

Regional Competitiveness and Its Implications for Development

OpenAIRE

Daryono Soebagyo; Triyono Triyono; Yuli Tri Cahyono

2015-01-01

This study was conducted to identify regional competitiveness in some areas of Central Java. Regional competitiveness became one of the issues in regional development policy since the enactment of local autonomy.Measurement of regional competitiveness has been mostly done through ranking as a benchmark the competitiveness of the region. Mapping regional competitiveness in Indonesia has been made to all counties and cities, which shows the competitiveness ranking of each region. Competitivenes...

46 CFR 282.11 - Ranking of flags.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ranking of flags. 282.11 Section 282.11 Shipping... COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES Foreign-Flag Competition § 282.11 Ranking of flags. The operators under each... priority of costs which are representative of the flag. For liner cargo vessels, the ranking of operators...

Periods of weed interference in maize crops cultivated in the first and second cycles

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Caio Ferraz de Campos

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The interference of weeds in maize production may be reflected in grain yield losses that vary as a function of the density, stage and degree of aggressiveness of the species present. In the agricultural ecosystem, crops and weeds demand light, water, nutrients and space, which are frequently not available in sufficient quantities, leading to competition. The aim of this work was to determine the period of interference of weed plants, in particular of naked crabgrass (Digitaria nuda on maize crop in the first and second harvest. The treatments were defined as increasing periods of coexistence and increasing control of weed community (7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 days, two more controls, a control including one with weed control until the end of the culture cycle and another with coexistence until the harvest. For each period, were evaluated the stand of maize plants, length of ear, number of grains per row, number of rows per ear, cob, 100-grain weight, and grain productivity. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance using the F test, with average treatments compared using Tukey’s test at 5% probability. Crop productivity was evaluated by means of regressions, the critical periods of interference were estimated. The critical timing of weed removal was 25 days for both harvests. The critical weed free period was 54 and 27 days for the first and second harvest respectively. For the conditions of the first and second harvest, the critical period of weed control was of 29 and 2 days respectively.

Weed clearance in Hudiara Nallah by chemical weed control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhillon, G.S.

1981-01-01

Hudiara Nallah is a flood stream in West Punjab. It has a length of about 45km and breadth of nearly 25 metres. About 20 subsidiary drains join with the Nallah. These drains have a length of about 270km. The Nallah has a discharge capacity of 1248 cusecs. Most of the subsidiary drains start from ponds which are generally infected with Eichhornia plants. These plants enter into the subsidiary drains and finally into Hudiara Nallah. The plants float freely on the surface of water and multiply at a high rate. One plant of the weed propagates to 24 plants in a period of one month. The plants thus cover the whole drain in a few months. The weed also originates from seeds. Their heavy growth forms a mat-like surface. The weeds also choke bridges and sometimes cause damage to their structures. These obstruct the flow of water and decrease the carrying capacity of the drain. Their infestation thus causes floods and the very purpose of the drains gets lost. Thus the Nallah is heavily infested with Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth weed). Due to its fast propagation and heavy infestation it was not possible to clear the weed manually. The problem was, therefore, referred to the Chemistry Division of the Irrigation and Power Research Institute, Amritsar, by the Drainage Circle of the Irrigation Department in June 1978 when weed propagation was in full swing. A chemical treatment method of eradication was attempted

Linking Farmer Weed Management Behavior with Weed Pressure: More than Just Technology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Riemens, M.M.; Groeneveld, R.M.W.; Kropff, M.J.; Lotz, L.A.P.; Renes, R.J.; Sukkel, W.; Weide, van der R.Y.

2010-01-01

Most studies on weed population dynamics in farming systems have focused on the effects of different weed control strategies. Those studies usually assume that farmers, operating within a particular system, have a uniform management style. However, it is likely that weed management decision making

WEED INTERFERENCE IN EGGPLANT CROPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LUIZ JUNIOR PEREIRA MARQUES

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Uncontrolled weed growth interferes with the growth eggplants and crop yields. To control weeds, the main weed species must be identified in crop growing areas and during weed control periods, as weed species might vary in relation to management practices. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the main weed species and determine the periods of weed interference in the eggplant cultivar Nápoli when grown under certain cultural practices, including plant staking and sprout thinning. The experiment was carried out in 2014 using a randomized complete block design, with 3 replications. The treatments consisted of 11 periods of (1 increasing weed control and (2 increasing coexistence of eggplant with weeds from the first day of transplanting (0-14, 0-28, 0-42, 0-56, 0-70, 0-84, 0-98, 0-112, 0-126, 0-140, and up do day 154. Eggplant staking and sprout thinning were performed 42 days after transplanting (DAT. Weed identification and crop yield assessments were performed to determine the Period Before Interference (PBI, Total Period of Interference Prevention (TPIP, and the Critical Period of Interference Prevention (CPIP. The major weeds found in the eggplant cultivar Nápoli were Eleusine indica, Portulaca oleracea, and Cyperus rotundus. Coexistence between the weed community and the eggplant throughout the entire crop production cycle reduced eggplant fruit yield by 78%. The PBI was 29 DAT and the TPIP was 48 DAT, resulting in 19 days of CPIP.

Effect of weed management on weeds and grain yield of haricot bean

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Weeds are one of the major constraints limiting haricot bean productivity and production. Field experiments were conducted on the effect of weed managements on weeds and grain yield of haricot bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) at Melkassa Agricultural Research Center from 2011 - 2013. The objective was to determine the ...

Ranking sources of hospital quality information for orthopedic surgery patients: consequences for the system of managed competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Bes, Romy Evelien; van den Berg, Bernard

2013-01-01

Healthcare quality information is crucial for the system of managed competition. Within a system of managed competition, health insurers can selectively contract care providers and are allowed to channel patients towards contracted providers. The idea is that insurers have a stronger bargaining position compared to care providers when they are able to channel patients. In the Dutch system of managed competition that was implemented in 2006, channelling patients to preferred providers has not yet been very successful. Empirical knowledge of which sources of hospital quality information they find important may help us to understand how to channel patients to preferred providers. The objective of this survey was to measure how patients rank various sources of information when they compare hospital quality in a system of managed competition. A written survey was conducted among clients of a large Dutch health insurance company. These clients underwent orthopedic surgery on the hip or knee no longer than 12 months ago. Two major players within a system of managed competition-health insurers and the government-were not seen as important sources of hospital quality information. In contrast, own experience and general practitioners (GPs) were seen as the most important sources of hospital quality information within the Dutch system of managed competition. Health insurers should take the main finding-that GPs are the most important source of hospital quality information-into account when they contract care providers and develop strategies for channeling patients towards preferred providers. A well-functioning system of managed competition will benefit patients, as it involves incentives for care providers to increase healthcare quality and to produce at the lowest cost per unit of quality.

COMPETITIVE ABILITY OF BEAN CULTIVARS WITH HAIRY BEGGARTICKS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LEANDRO GALON

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Weed interference is a factor that limits the productivity of beans and, among these, hairy beggarticks is one of the main species competing with the crop for environmental resources. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the competitive ability of black bean cultivars (BRS Campeiro, IPR Uirapuru, SCS204 Predileto and BRS Supremo in the presence of a biotype of hairy beggarticks. The experimental design is a completely randomized block with four replications. Treatments were arranged in a replacement series, consisting of a proportion of the crop and the hairy beggarticks: 100:0; 75:25; 50:50: 24:75, and 0:100, which corresponds to 40:0, 30:10, 20:20, 10:30, and 0:40 plant pots1. We accomplished competitive analysis through diagrams applied to the replacement series, as well as using relative competitive indices. The leaf area and shoot dry mass were evaluated at 40 days after emergence of the species. There was competition between bean cultivars and hairy beggarticks for the same environmental resources, causing negative interference in the growth of the species, independent of the proportion of plants. Bean cultivars had a lower relative loss by reducing the morphological variables of the hairy beggarticks, thereby demonstrating superiority in its competitive ability in relation to the weed. Interspecific competition is less damaging than intraspecific competition for both species.

Spatial and temporal distribution of weeds in no-tillage system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo L. Bottega

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Brazil is one of the largest grain producers in the world, due to its extensive arable land and favorable climate for the cultivation of any species. The production could be higher, but problems such as competition between crops and weeds reduces crop yields. This study aimed to analyze the spatial distribution of weeds, especially milkweed (Sonchus oleraceus, horse weed (Conyza spp. and ‘maria-mole’ (Senecio brasiliensis in an area under no-tillage system for two harvests. The work was carried out during the 2013/14 and 2014/15 crop years in an area of 22.5 ha, where soybean is grown in the summer and oat in the winter. The weeds were mapped using a sampling grid of 85 points. The number of plants present in 0.25 m2 was recorded at each sampling point. The data collected in the field composed the information bank and were used for geostatistical analysis and production of maps. Using geostatistical analysis, it was possible to map the horseweed infestation in the studied area for the 2013/14 season. The species ‘maria-mole’ and milkweed did not show spatial dependence. During the 2014/2015 season, because of the management carried out in the off season, none of the studied species showed spatial dependence.

A Universal Rank-Size Law

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

A mere hyperbolic law, like the Zipf’s law power function, is often inadequate to describe rank-size relationships. An alternative theoretical distribution is proposed based on theoretical physics arguments starting from the Yule-Simon distribution. A modeling is proposed leading to a universal form. A theoretical suggestion for the “best (or optimal) distribution”, is provided through an entropy argument. The ranking of areas through the number of cities in various countries and some sport competition ranking serves for the present illustrations. PMID:27812192

INTEGRATED WEED CONTROL IN MAIZE.

Science.gov (United States)

Latré, J; Dewitte, K; Derycke, V; De Roo, B; Haesaert, G

2015-01-01

Integrated pest management has been implemented as a general practice by EU legislation. As weed control actually is the most important crop protection measure in maize for Western Europe, the new legislation will have its impact. The question is of course which systems can be successfully implemented in practice with respect to labour efficiency and economical parameters. During 3 successive growing seasons (2007, 2008, 2009) weed control in maize was evaluated, the main focus was put on different techniques of integrated weed control and was compared with chemical weed control. Additionally, during 4 successive growing seasons (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014) two objects based on integrated weed control and two objects based on mechanical weed control were compared to about twenty different objects of conventional chemical weed control. One of the objects based on mechanical weed control consisted of treatment with the flex-tine harrow before and after emergence in combination with chemical weed control at a reduced rate in 3-4 leave stage. The second one consisted of broadcast mechanical treatments before and after emergence followed by a final in-row application of herbicides and an inter-row cultivation at 6-7(8) leave stage. All trials were conducted on the Experimental farm of Bottelare HoGent-UGent on a sandy loam soil. Maize was growing in 1/3 crop rotation. The effect on weed growth as well as the economic impact of the different applications was evaluated. Combining chemical and mechanical weed control is a possible option in conventional farming but the disadvantages must be taken into account. A better planned weed control based on the real present weed-population in combination with a carefully thought-out choice of herbicides should also be considered as an IPM--approach.

Weed ecology and population dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

A global rise in herbicide resistant weed genotypes, coupled with a growing demand for food produced with minimal external synthetic inputs, is driving producer interest in reducing reliance on herbicides for weed management. An improved understanding of weed ecology can support the design of weed s...

Population dynamics of weeds in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) circle weeding area affected by herbicide application

Science.gov (United States)

Sidik, S.; Purba, E.; Yakub, E. N.

2018-02-01

Weed problems in oil palm field were mainly overcomed by herbicide application. The application certain herbicides may lead to rapid population dynamic of certain species due to their different response to herbicides. Some species may less susceptible to certain herbicide whereas other species more susceptible. The objective of this study was to determine the population dynamic of weed species in circle weeding of oil palm in Serdang Bedagai, North Sumatra. Six treatments using glyphosate singly and mixture compared with manual weeding were evaluated for weed control. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with four replicates. Each treatment consisted of four circle weedings. The results showed that glyphosate 720 g a.i/ha + indaziflam 50 g a.i/hareduced seedbank and regrowth of weeds. Up to 12 weeks after application glyphosate 720 g a.i/ha + indaziflam 50 g a.i/ha is 29.46% total weeds dry weight compared to manual weeding. The effect of herbicide application on changes on the weed composition and weed seedbank are affected by the characteristic of herbicides and weed response to herbicide application.

Ecologically sustainable weed management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liebman, Matt; Baraibar, Bàrbara; Buckley, Yvonne; Childs, Dylan; Christensen, Svend; Cousens, Roger; Eizenberg, Hanan; Heijting, Sanne; Loddo, Donato; Merotto, Aldo; Renton, Michael; Riemens, Marleen

2016-01-01

Weed management is a critically important activity on both agricultural and non-agricultural lands, but it is faced with a daunting set of challenges: environmental damage caused by control practices, weed resistance to herbicides, accelerated rates of weed dispersal through global trade, and

Weeds of onion fields and effects of some herbicides on weeds in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Weeds are one of the most important problems in onion (Allium cepa L.) production areas, since onion plants are poor competitors. This study was conducted in order to identify the weed species in onion fields in Cukurova Region, establish the effects of some herbicides on weeds and the yield of onion in reducing the ...

Predicting spring barley yield from variety-specific yield potential, disease resistance and straw length, and from environment-specific disease loads and weed pressure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergård, Hanne; Kristensen, Kristian; Pinnschmidt, Hans O.

2008-01-01

For low-input crop production, well-characterised varieties increase the possibilities of managing diseases and weeds. This analysis aims at developing a framework for analyzing grain yield using external varietal information about disease resistance, weed competitiveness and yield potential and ...... growth habit. Higher grain yield was thus predicted for taller plants under weed pressure. The results are discussed in relation to the model framework, impact of the considered traits and use of information from conventional variety testing in organic cropping systems....

Efficacy evaluation of selected herbicides on weed control and productivity evaluation of Bt cotton in Punjab.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Kulvir; Rathore, Pankaj

2015-07-01

Field experiments were conducted during Kharif 2012 and 2013 to evaluate the efficacy of different herbicides for weed management in cotton. Highest seed cotton yield (3537.3 kg ha(-1)) was recorded in weed free plots followed by pendimethalin @1.0 kg a.i ha(-1) as Pre.em.+quizalofopethyl @50 g a.i ha(-1) post-em at 2-4 weed leaf stage + one hoeing (3318.9 kg ha") owing to improved number of bolls per plant and boll weight. Statistically least yield was recorded underweedy check (1435.4 kg ha(-1)). Application of pyrithiobac sodium could not express any visible toxic effect on crop indicating its selectivity for cotton, although none of the tested new chemicals i.e., pyrithiobac sodium@ 62.5g a.i ha(-1) and quizalofopethyl @50g a.i ha(-1) when applied alone could not outperform the existing recommended chemicals for weed management. Yield losses to the extent of 6.2-59.4% were recorded due to weed competition. Weed control efficiency (WCE) was highest under weed free check (86.8%) followed by pendimethalin @1.0 kg a.i ha(-1) as Pre. em.+quizalofopethyl @50g a.i ha(-1), at 2-4 weed leaf stage + one hoeing (73.7%), whereas minimum values were for weedy check (24.7%). Though net returns (r94660 ha(-1)) were highest for weed free check but higher B:C ratio (2:11) was observed for pendimethalin @1.0 kg a.i ha(-1) as Pre em.+quizalofopethyl @50 g a.i ha(-1) post-em at 2-4 weed leaf stage+one hoeing. Therefore, for reasons such as labor shortage besides their timely availability, using these herbicides in combination with cultural practices could be the practical solution foreconomically efficient and effective weed management.

Relative competitiveness of soybean cultivars with barnyardgrass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marlon Ouriques Bastiani

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to evaluate the competitiveness between soybean cultivars and barnyardgrass, based on morphological and physiological characteristics of species. The experiments were conducted in completely randomized experimental design, with 4 replications. In the first study, for both soybean and barnyardgrass, it was determined the population of plants in which shoot dry matter became constant and independent of the population (16 plants∙pot−1 or 400 plants∙m−2. In the second study, 2 experiments were conducted to evaluate the competitiveness of BMX Apolo RR and BMX Potência RR soybean cultivars with barnyardgrass plants, both carried out in replacement series under different proportions of plants∙pot−1 (100:0; 75:25; 50:50; 25:75 and 0:100 between the crop and the weed. The analysis of the species competitiveness was determined through diagrams applied to replacement series experiments and use of relative competitiveness indexes. At 44 days after the emergence of species, the physiological and morphological parameters of the crop and the weed were evaluated. The BMX Apolo RR and BMX Potência RR soybean cultivars show similar competitiveness when competing with the barnyardgrass; therefore, the ability of one species to interfere on another is equivalent. For plant height, barnyardgrass displays higher competitiveness compared to BMX Apolo RR, with early cycle and short height. The intraspecific competition is more important to barnyardgrass than interspecific competition with soybean cultivars, resulting in negative effects on the morphological and physiological characteristics of species.

WEED SURVEYING OF PHACELIA (PHACELIA TANACETIFOLIA L.) AND EVALUATING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE WEED CONTROL.

Science.gov (United States)

Horváth, E; Szabó, R

2014-01-01

The experiment was set up in an area of 9 ha that was split into 4 plots: in plot 1 the row spacing was 12 cm and the seeding rate was 10 kg; in plot 2 the row spacing was 24 cm and the seeding rate was 10 kg; in plot 3 the row spacing was 24 cm and the seeding rate was 8 kg; in plot 4 the row spacing was 12 cm and the seeding rate was 8 kg. After the weed surveying, the total weed coverage was established as follows: in plot 1 the total weed coverage was 11.34%, in plot 2 it was 12.3%, in plot 3 it was 18%, and in plot 4 the total weed coverage was 15%. Based on the weed survey, on the test area the following dicotyledon weeds belonging to the T4 Raunkiaer plant life-form category occupied the highest percentage: heal-all, black-bindweed, goosefoot. The proportion of the perennial dicotyledons: field bindweed (G3), tuberous pea (G1), white campion (H3) was negligible. In all four cases the weed control was executed using the same herbicide in the same doses and with regard to the weed species it showed the same level of efficiency. The smaller row spacing and higher seeding rate has a beneficial effect on the weed suppressing capacity of the crop, the crop's weed suppressing capacity is better and the development of the weeds becomes worse.

The Competitive Response Investigation of Eighteen Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Cultivars with Wild Mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

fatemeh abdolahi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The crop competitive ability is an important and profitable factor for increment impact on the weeds, and decreasing their yield loss. Characteristics such as height, leaf area, growth rate and tillering ability could be effective on competitive ability of cultivar ability. Primary growth rate is important on competitiveness, and any other factors that provides fast establishment of crops growth can be effective too. Thus, utilization of cultivars with height competitiveness ability is one of the considerable strategies for integrated weed managements. Many studies had shown that there are high correlation between crop height and its competitiveness ability. Asef et al (2 reported that tall cultivars reduced weed biomass more than dwarf cultivars due to light intercept and shading. Safahani- langrodi et al (32 in competition condition tall cultivars had high weed tolerance and cause to decrease weed biomass and set seed. There are an important relationship between LAI and weed competition. Hiffle et al. (13 showed cultivars with higher leaf area index had a greater yield stability. Dianat et al. (10 reported that in weed competitive conditions, there are significant difference in the number of tillers among wheat cultivars, while competitor and non-competitor cultivars have most and lowest tiller numbers respectively. Nadery and Ghadiri (25 showed that increasing wild mustard density decreased tiller number and more yield loss in weed competition have caused by decreased number of tillers. Materials and Methods: Experiment was conducted in order to study morphological characteristics and yield of wheat (T. aestivum cultivars in wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L. competition in greenhouse, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, during 2013-2014. Treatments were 18 wheat cultivars [Karkheh, Alborz, Azadi, Shahpasand, Sepahan, Flat, Ghods, Roshan, Sorkh¬tokhm, Moghan3, Alvand, MS-81-14, Yarvarus, Shahriyar, Golestn, Bam, Niknajad, Karaj3

Effect of Weed Interference on Yield and Agronomical Characteristics of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum gracum in Different Plant Density under Birjand Conditions

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R Baradaran

2016-02-01

grain yield, plant height, biological yield, number of branches per plant and harvest index were measured. Ultimate performance were measured when the plant pods were yellow and dried. At the beginning of each plot five plants randomly chosen to measure the morphological characteristics and traits in yield components were recorded and then removed 50 cm of the margins of the plot, the rest were taken to determine the function. Analysis of variance and statistical analysis was performed using SAS and Excel softwares, Mean comparison was done by Duncan test at 5 percent. Results and Discussion Analysis of variance showed that the density and weed interference were significant at 1 and 5 percent, respectively. The interaction between density and weed interference on yield was significant at 5% level too. By prolonging the period of weed interference, the yield fell to the lowest amount of weeding treatments. The significance of the interaction between density and weed interference represents different responses in different levels of compression performance is to weed competition. In general, the choice of planting density and suitable crop can reduce weeds, increase competitive ability of the crop and increase its performance. Biological yield was significantly affected by the plant density. The density of planting, the maximum density of 40 plants (325.56 grams per square meter and the lowest density of 10 plants (232.66 grams per square meter and biomass production. Biological yield was not affected significantly by weed interference. Although by increasing time interval of weeding time (up to 20 days biological yield decreased from 280.49 to 257.49, but this reduction was not significant. The interaction between planting density and weed interference on biological performance was not significant. Most biological yield was achieved in the absence of weeds. This is not unexpected because the availability of a large part of the resources cause more shoots in plant during

A combined flamer-cultivator for weed control during the harvesting season of asparagus green spears

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martelloni, L.; Fontanelli, M.; Frasconi, C.; Raffaelli, M.; Pirchio, M.; Peruzzi, A.

2017-07-01

Weed competition during spears harvesting reduces asparagus yields. The application of herbicides during this period is illegal, and alternative non-chemical practices are needed. This research tested the effectiveness and efficiency of a custom-built combined flamer-cultivator to control weeds (both in the inter- and intra- spears production bands) during the spears harvest season. It also analysed the effects of various liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) doses on total asparagus yield, mean spear weight, and total number of marketable spears. In both years, the asparagus spears were generally not damaged by flame weeding using LPG doses of between 43 to 87 kg/ha. The same LPG doses were effective in controlling weeds, showing the same total marketable yields as the weed-free control. At high LPG doses (e.g. 130 and 260 kg/ha), yields decreased as a consequence of the damage caused to the spears, resulting in a lower number of marketable spears. Flaming did not affect the mean spear weight, and can be applied repeatedly during harvesting to maintain the weeds at a level that does not lead to a yield reduction. The repeated use of the combined flamer-cultivator (every seven days) led to higher yields than plots where weed control was not conducted. The new machine can be used in a period when herbicides are not possible. Flaming could be introduced by asparagus producers as an alternative, or in addition to herbicides applied in the pre-emergence and post-harvest of spears.

A combined flamer-cultivator for weed control during the harvesting season of asparagus green spears

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martelloni, L.; Fontanelli, M.; Frasconi, C.; Raffaelli, M.; Pirchio, M.; Peruzzi, A.

2017-01-01

Weed competition during spears harvesting reduces asparagus yields. The application of herbicides during this period is illegal, and alternative non-chemical practices are needed. This research tested the effectiveness and efficiency of a custom-built combined flamer-cultivator to control weeds (both in the inter- and intra- spears production bands) during the spears harvest season. It also analysed the effects of various liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) doses on total asparagus yield, mean spear weight, and total number of marketable spears. In both years, the asparagus spears were generally not damaged by flame weeding using LPG doses of between 43 to 87 kg/ha. The same LPG doses were effective in controlling weeds, showing the same total marketable yields as the weed-free control. At high LPG doses (e.g. 130 and 260 kg/ha), yields decreased as a consequence of the damage caused to the spears, resulting in a lower number of marketable spears. Flaming did not affect the mean spear weight, and can be applied repeatedly during harvesting to maintain the weeds at a level that does not lead to a yield reduction. The repeated use of the combined flamer-cultivator (every seven days) led to higher yields than plots where weed control was not conducted. The new machine can be used in a period when herbicides are not possible. Flaming could be introduced by asparagus producers as an alternative, or in addition to herbicides applied in the pre-emergence and post-harvest of spears.

Can global weed assemblages be used to predict future weeds?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louise Morin

Full Text Available Predicting which plant taxa are more likely to become weeds in a region presents significant challenges to both researchers and government agencies. Often it is done in a qualitative or semi-quantitative way. In this study, we explored the potential of using the quantitative self-organising map (SOM approach to analyse global weed assemblages and estimate likelihoods of plant taxa becoming weeds before and after they have been moved to a new region. The SOM approach examines plant taxa associations by analysing where a taxon is recorded as a weed and what other taxa are recorded as weeds in those regions. The dataset analysed was extracted from a pre-existing, extensive worldwide database of plant taxa recorded as weeds or other related status and, following reformatting, included 187 regions and 6690 plant taxa. To assess the value of the SOM approach we selected Australia as a case study. We found that the key and most important limitation in using such analytical approach lies with the dataset used. The classification of a taxon as a weed in the literature is not often based on actual data that document the economic, environmental and/or social impact of the taxon, but mostly based on human perceptions that the taxon is troublesome or simply not wanted in a particular situation. The adoption of consistent and objective criteria that incorporate a standardized approach for impact assessment of plant taxa will be necessary to develop a new global database suitable to make predictions regarding weediness using methods like SOM. It may however, be more realistic to opt for a classification system that focuses on the invasive characteristics of plant taxa without any inference to impacts, which to be defined would require some level of research to avoid bias from human perceptions and value systems.

Ecological Intensification Through Pesticide Reduction: Weed Control, Weed Biodiversity and Sustainability in Arable Farming.

Science.gov (United States)

Petit, Sandrine; Munier-Jolain, Nicolas; Bretagnolle, Vincent; Bockstaller, Christian; Gaba, Sabrina; Cordeau, Stéphane; Lechenet, Martin; Mézière, Delphine; Colbach, Nathalie

2015-11-01

Amongst the biodiversity components of agriculture, weeds are an interesting model for exploring management options relying on the principle of ecological intensification in arable farming. Weeds can cause severe crop yield losses, contribute to farmland functional biodiversity and are strongly associated with the generic issue of pesticide use. In this paper, we address the impacts of herbicide reduction following a causal framework starting with herbicide reduction and triggering changes in (i) the management options required to control weeds, (ii) the weed communities and functions they provide and (iii) the overall performance and sustainability of the implemented land management options. The three components of this framework were analysed in a multidisciplinary project that was conducted on 55 experimental and farmer's fields that included conventional, integrated and organic cropping systems. Our results indicate that the reduction of herbicide use is not antagonistic with crop production, provided that alternative practices are put into place. Herbicide reduction and associated land management modified the composition of in-field weed communities and thus the functions of weeds related to biodiversity and production. Through a long-term simulation of weed communities based on alternative (?) cropping systems, some specific management pathways were identified that delivered high biodiversity gains and limited the negative impacts of weeds on crop production. Finally, the multi-criteria assessment of the environmental, economic and societal sustainability of the 55 systems suggests that integrated weed management systems fared better than their conventional and organic counterparts. These outcomes suggest that sustainable management could possibly be achieved through changes in weed management, along a pathway starting with herbicide reduction.

Weed Dynamics and Management in Wheat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jabran, Khawar; Mahmood, Khalid; Melander, Bo

2017-01-01

) chemical weed control; and (vi) integrated weed management strategy in wheat. A critical analysis of recent literature indicated that broadleaved weeds are the most common group of weeds in wheat fields followed by grass weeds, while sedges were rarely noted in wheat fields. Across the globe, the most...

Efeitos dos períodos de competição do mato na cultura do amendoim: II. Safra das águas Effects of weed competition periods on peanut: II. Wet season crop

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

EDISON MARTINS PAULO

2001-01-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho foi realizado na safra das águas de 1989, no Núcleo de Agronomia da Alta Paulista, em Adamantina (SP para estudar o efeito de diferentes períodos de competição do mato no amendoim. Adotou-se o delineamento estatístico de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições e 22 tratamentos. Os tratamentos resultaram da combinação da presença e da ausência do mato a partir do início da cultura, com as seguintes épocas de remoção da flora infestante: 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 e 100 dias após a semeadura. As parcelas foram constituídas por quatro linhas de amendoim, perfazendo 6 m² de área útil. As principais plantas daninhas encontradas na área experimental foram: Cyperus lanceolatus Poir, Commelina benghalensis L., Brachiaria decumbens Stapf., Amaranthus viridis L., Eleusine indica (L. Gaertn., Portulaca oleracea L., Digitaria horizontalis Willd. e Solanum americanum Mill. A convivência do mato diminuiu a produção de vagens, de grãos e a população do amendoim na colheita. Não se observou efeito do mato sobre o rendimento de grãos e sobre a matéria seca acumulada pela parte aérea do amendoim. Capinas aplicadas aos 13 e 67 dias após a semeadura, respectivamente para os sistemas sem e com mato a partir da semeadura, foram suficientes para a obtenção de produção de vagens de amendoim estatisticamente igual à obtida pela cultura mantida sem competição, durante todo o ciclo. Os componentes da produção do amendoim foram favorecidos com a aplicação do sistema sem mato, a partir do início da cultura.The present research was carried out at the Núcleo de Agronomia da Alta Paulista, in Adamantina, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to study the effects of different periods of weed competition with peanut.The treatments were all possible combinations among the presence/absence of weeds (at the sowing time and the following periods of weed removal: 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 days

CRITICAL COMPETITION PERIOD BETWEEN COTTON AND (Gossypium hirsutum L. HARMFUL WEED COMMUNITIES IN THE GOIÁS STATE PERÍODO CRÍTICO DE COMPETIÇÃO ENTRE COMUNIDADES DE PLANTAS DANINHAS E O ALGODOEIRO (Gossypium hirsutum L. NO ESTADO DE GOIÁS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Armando M. Macêdo

2007-09-01

Full Text Available

In order to study the critical time that weeds compete with the cotton plant, five trial experiments were conducted from 1978-1981. Two of the trials were carried out in a dark red latosoil with 4.70% organic matter and 10.73% clay, at the Rio Verde Agricultural School in the state of Goiás, during the 1978—79 and 1979—80 planting seasons. The other three were carried out in dark red latosoil, with a loam clay texture, moderate acidity and a low proportion of organic matter, at the Experimental station in Goiânia, Goiás during the 1978—79, 1979—80 and 1980—81 planting seasons. The treatments designed were: weeding up to 2, 4, 6, 8 first weeks, and weeding during the whole cycle ,and weeding after the 2, 4, 6, 8 first weeks and no weeding at all during the cycle. The results showed that weed competition , when not controlled, determined a yield loss of 88.75% in Goiânia and 90.65% in Rio Verde. Regarding the group control, which was maintained without weed competition, the best yield was obtained when the cotton was maintained without competition during eight weeks after the emergence in Rio Verde and during 4, 6, 8 weeks in Goiânia. The critical competition period occurred between the fourth and sixth weeks after the emergence in Rio Verde and in the fourth week after the emergence in Goiânia.

Com a finalidade de estudar as épocas críticas de competição de plantas daninhas com o algodoeiro (Gossipium hirsutum L. , foram instalados cinco ensaios em área do Colégio Agrícola de Rio Verde — Goiás, no período de 1978 a 1981, sendo dois ensaios nos anos agrícolas de 1978/79 e 1979/80 em latossolo vermelho—escuro com 4,71% de matéria orgânica e 10,73% de argila. Os outros três ensaios foram instalados nos anos agrícolas 1978/79, 1979/80 e 1980/81, em área da Estação Experimental de

Selective weed control using laser techniques

OpenAIRE

Marx, Christian; Pastrana-Perez, Julio; Hustedt, Michael; Barcikowski, Stephan; Haferkamp, Heinz; Rath, Thomas

2012-01-01

This contribution discusses technical and growth relevant aspects of using laser techniques for weed control. The research on thermal weed control via laser first focused on the interaction of laser beams and weed plants. Due to preliminary studies, a CO2-laser was selected for further studies with regard to the process factors laser energy, laser spot area, coverage of the weeds meristem, weed species (Amaranthus retroflexus), and weed growth stage. Thereby, the laser damage was modeled in o...

SHIFTING WEED COMPOSITIONS AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION IN SWEET CORN FIELD TREATED WITH ORGANIC COMPOSTS AND CHEMICAL WEED CONTROLS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marulak Simarmata

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The objectives of the research were to study the shift of weed compositions in sweet corn field treated with organic compost and chemical weed controls and to compare the effect of treatment combinations on weed growth, weed biomass and sweet corn biomass. The research was conducted in Bengkulu, Indonesia, from April to July 2014. Results showed that the number of weed species decreased after the trials from 14 to 13. There was a shift in weed compositions because 5 species of weeds did not emerge after the trials, but 4 new species were found. Chemical weed control used a herbiside mixture of atrazine and mesotrione applied during postemergence was the most effective method to control weeds, which was observed on decreased weed emergence and weed biomass down to 22.33 and 25.00 percent of control, respectively. Subsequently, biomass production of sweet corn increased up to 195.64 percent at the same trials. Biomass of weeds and sweet corn were also affected by the organic composts. Weed biomass was inhibited by treatment of composted empty fruith bunches of oil palm, whereas significantly increased of sweet corn biomass were observed in the plots of organic manure.

Characterisation of the weed suppressive potential of winter cereal cultivars: the role of above-ground competition versus allelopathy in wheat, triticale and rye

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reiss, Antje; Fomsgaard, Inge S.; Mathiassen, Solvejg Kopp

2016-01-01

Current weed management practices in Northern Europe are based primarily on the use of effective herbicides but an increase in the number of herbicide resistant weed phenotypes and a complete lack of new modes of action have led to an urgent need for more integrated weed management tactics. A bet...

Weed infestation of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. depending on the cover crop and weed control method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota Gawęda

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this 3-year field study was to evaluate the effect of some stubble crops and weed control methods on the species composition, number and air-dry weight of weeds in a spring barley crop grown in short-term monoculture. The study was conducted in the period 2009–2011 at the Uhrusk Experimental Farm, on mixed rendzina soil classified as very good rye soil complex. It included stubble crops which were ploughed under in each year (control treatment without cover crop, white mustard, lacy phacelia, a mixture of legumes – narrow-leaf lupin + field pea and 3 weed control methods used in spring barley crops (mechanical, mechanical and chemical, chemical weed control. Veronica persica was the weed species that occurred in greatest numbers in the spring barley crop sown after stubble crops. All cover crops reduced the numbers of Avena fatua which was the dominant species in the control treatment. Chemical as well as chemical and mechanical weed control significantly reduced the numbers of Avena fatua compared to the treatment where only double harrowing was used for weed control. The stubble crops did not reduce weed infestation of spring barley. Compared to the control treatment, the ploughing-in of white mustard and the mixture of legumes reduced the dry weight of weeds by 49.1 and 22.7%, respectively. Mechanical weed management proved to be less effective in reducing the number and dry weight of weeds compared to the other weed control methods. A significant negative correlation was found between the dry weight of weeds in the spring barley crop and the dry weight of the ploughed-in white mustard cover crop under the conditions of chemical weed control as well as in the case of the mixture of legumes when complete mechanical and chemical weed control was used.

Weed Control in Soybean (Glycine max)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kipkemoi, P.L.

2002-01-01

Weed Compete for limited growth factors with crop plants. This result in loss of crop vigour and hence reduces crop yields. A study was conducted in 1997 and 2001 to evaluate the use of herbicides and hand hoeing for weed control in soybeans. Crop establishment was by hand planting. The herbicides were applied using CP3 Knap sack sprayer calibrated to deliver a spray volume of 150l/ha. Hand weeding treatment were done as appropriate. The trial layout was randomised complete block design with four replications in both years. The tested herbicides did not satisfactorily control the weeds present at the experimental site in both years. Hand weeding on the other hand gave good control of the weeds which were reflected in high soybean yields. In these trials yields were negatively correlated with the number of weeds present. The tested herbicides alone appeared to be inadequate in controlling weeds in soybean. Compared with the weed-free treatment a single application of soil-applied or post-emergence herbicides did not control a broad spectrum of weeds and reduced soybean yields. It can also be inferred that soybean yield losses are minimised if they are kept weed free for at most 6 weeks after emergence

Manejo de plantas daninhas na cultura da mandioca Weed management in cassava

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.V. Silva

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A mandioca (Manihot esculenta é cultivada em vários países, sendo de grande importância como fonte de energia para alimentação humana e animal e na geração de empregos e renda. No Brasil, apesar de essa cultura apresentar alto potencial produtivo - em alguns estudos alcançando valores superiores a 100 t ha-1 de raízes - , a produtividade nacional é baixa, atribuída em grande parte ao manejo inadequado das plantas daninhas. A interferência dessas plantas resulta em competição pelos recursos essenciais, como nutrientes, água e luz. Além disso, o controle realizado de maneira incorreta das plantas daninhas nos mandiocais dificulta outros tratos culturais e aumenta os custos de produção. Nesta revisão são abordados os aspectos relativos ao manejo das plantas daninhas na cultura, descrevendo, de forma detalhada, os principais componentes de interferência. Discute-se, em várias situações, o período crítico de competição. Por fim, são apresentados os principais métodos de controle visando à utilização do manejo integrado como forma sustentável do controle de plantas daninhas nessa cultura.Cassava (Manihot esculenta is grown in many countries, being of great importance as an energy source for food, generating jobs and income. Although this crop has been proved to have high yield potential in some studies, reaching values above 100 t ha-1 roots, its national productivity in Brazil is low, being largely attributed to inadequate weed management. The interference of weeds results in competition for essential resources, such as nutrients, water, and light. In addition, incorrectly performed control of weeds in cassava can complicate management and increase production costs. In this review, aspects related to weed management in the culture are described, detailing the main components of interference. The critical period of competition, in many situations, is also discussed. Finally, the main methods of control aimed at the

Ecological weed management by cover cropping : effects on weed growth in autumn and weed establishment in spring

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruidhof, H.M.; Bastiaans, L.; Kropff, M.J.

2008-01-01

Cover crops grown in the period between two main crops have potential as an important component of a system-oriented ecological weed management strategy. In late summer and autumn, the cover crop can suppress growth and seed production of weeds, whereas the incorporation of cover crop residues in

Industrial Competitiveness of Pakistan (2000-10)

OpenAIRE

A. R. Kemal

2007-01-01

Though Pakistan’s exports have increased significantly, analyses have shown that Pakistan’s industrial competitiveness is limited to a narrow range of products. This paper looks at the factors affecting Pakistan’s competitiveness ranking and relates these various factors to trends in Pakistan’s total factor productivity. In addition to looking at the components of Pakistan’s competitiveness ranking, this paper details the steps required for Pakistan to increase its global industrial competiti...

A combined flamer-cultivator for weed control during the harvesting season of asparagus green spears

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Martelloni

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Weed competition during spears harvesting reduces asparagus yields. The application of herbicides during this period is illegal, and alternative non-chemical practices are needed. This research tested the effectiveness and efficiency of a custom-built combined flamer-cultivator to control weeds (both in the inter- and intra- spears production bands during the spears harvest season. It also analysed the effects of various liquefied petroleum gas (LPG doses on total asparagus yield, mean spear weight, and total number of marketable spears. In both years, the asparagus spears were generally not damaged by flame weeding using LPG doses of between 43 to 87 kg/ha. The same LPG doses were effective in controlling weeds, showing the same total marketable yields as the weed-free control. At high LPG doses (e.g. 130 and 260 kg/ha, yields decreased as a consequence of the damage caused to the spears, resulting in a lower number of marketable spears. Flaming did not affect the mean spear weight, and can be applied repeatedly during harvesting to maintain the weeds at a level that does not lead to a yield reduction. The repeated use of the combined flamer-cultivator (every seven days led to higher yields than plots where weed control was not conducted. The new machine can be used in a period when herbicides are not possible. Flaming could be introduced by asparagus producers as an alternative, or in addition to herbicides applied in the pre-emergence and post-harvest of spears.

Morphological responses of crop and weed species of different growth forms to ultraviolet-B radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, P.W.; Flint, S.D.; Caldwell, M.M.

1990-01-01

The influence of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation (280-320 nanometers) on the morphology of 12 common dicot and monocot crop or weed species was examined to determine whether any common responses could be found that might, in turn, be useful in predicting possible changes in competitive balance under solar UV-B enhancement. Under glasshouse conditions, UV-B exposure (simulating a 20% reduction in stratospheric ozone at Logan, Utah) was found to reduce leaf blade and internode lengths and increase leaf and axillary shoot production in several species. Overall, the directions of these trends were similar in the majority of species that exhibited a significant response. These morphological changes occurred without any significant reduction in total shoot dry matter production. There was no clear distinction in the response of crops and weeds, though monocots were found to be generally more responsive than dicots. Previous work in dense canopies has shown that the photomorphogenetic effects of UV-B alter leaf placement and thereby influence competition for light. Our results suggest that, under these conditions, changes in competitive balance resulting from increased UV-B might be expected more frequently when monocots are involved in mixtures, rather than mixtures of only dicots

Grain yield and competitive ability against weeds in modern and heritage common wheat cultivars are differently influenced by sowing density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariateresa Lazzaro

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Sowing density can have a strong impact on crop stand development during wheat growing cycle. In organic and low-input agriculture, and therefore with minimum or nil use of chemical herbicides, increased sowing density is expected to affect not only grain yield but also weed suppression. In this study we tested, under Mediterranean conditions, six common wheat cultivars (three modern and three heritage and two three-component mixtures (arranged by combining the three modern or the three heritage cultivars. The different crop stands were tested at sowing densities of 250 (low and 400 (high, similar to standard sowing density used by local farmers viable seeds m–2 for two growing seasons. We did not detect a significant effect of crop stand diversity (single cultivars vs mixtures on grain yield and weed suppression. Differences were ascribed to type of cultivars used (heritage vs modern. Compared to high sowing density, in modern cultivars grain yield did not decrease significantly with low sowing density, whereas in heritage cultivars it increased by 15.6%, possibly also because of 21.5% lower plant lodging. Weed biomass increased with low sowing density both in heritage and modern cultivar crop stand types. However, heritage crop stands had, on average, a lower weed biomass (56% than modern crop stands. Moreover, weed biomass in heritage crop stands at low density (6.82±1.50 g m–2 was lower than that of modern cultivars at the same sowing density (15.54±3.35 g m–2, confirming the higher suppressive potential of the former. We can conclude that lower sowing density can be advisable when using heritage crop stands as it keeps productivity while decreasing plant lodging and maintaining weeds under control.

Validation of models for analysis of ranks in horse breeding evaluation

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Ricard Anne

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ranks have been used as phenotypes in the genetic evaluation of horses for a long time through the use of earnings, normal score or raw ranks. A model, ("underlying model" of an unobservable underlying variable responsible for ranks exists. Recently, a full Bayesian analysis using this model was developed. In addition, in reality, competitions are structured into categories according to the technical level of difficulty linked to the technical ability of horses (horses considered to be the "best" meet their peers. The aim of this article was to validate the underlying model through simulations and to propose a more appropriate model with a mixture distribution of horses in the case of a structured competition. The simulations involved 1000 horses with 10 to 50 performances per horse and 4 to 20 horses per event with unstructured and structured competitions. Results The underlying model responsible for ranks performed well with unstructured competitions by drawing liabilities in the Gibbs sampler according to the following rule: the liability of each horse must be drawn in the interval formed by the liabilities of horses ranked before and after the particular horse. The estimated repeatability was the simulated one (0.25 and regression between estimated competing ability of horses and true ability was close to 1. Underestimations of repeatability (0.07 to 0.22 were obtained with other traditional criteria (normal score or raw ranks, but in the case of a structured competition, repeatability was underestimated (0.18 to 0.22. Our results show that the effect of an event, or category of event, is irrelevant in such a situation because ranks are independent of such an effect. The proposed mixture model pools horses according to their participation in different categories of competition during the period observed. This last model gave better results (repeatability 0.25, in particular, it provided an improved estimation of average

Multispecies weed competition and their economic threshold on the wheat crop Interferência e nível de dano econômico de várias espécies infestantes na cultura de trigo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Gherekhloo

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Two field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of multispecies weed competition on wheat grain yield and to determine their economic threshold on the crop. The experiments were conducted in 2002, on two sites in Iran: at the Agricultural Research Station on Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (E1 and on the fields of Shirvan's Agricultural College (E2. A 15 x 50 m area of a 15 ha wheat field in E1 and a 15 x 50 m area of a 28 ha wheat field in E2 were selected as experimental sites. These areas were managed like other parts of the fields, except for the use of herbicides. At the beginning of the shooting stage, 30 points were randomly selected by dropping a 50 x 50 cm square marker on each site. The weeds present in E1 were: Avena ludoviciana, Chenopodium album, Solanum nigrum, Stellaria holostea, Convolvulus spp., Fumaria spp., Sonchus spp., and Polygonum aviculare. In E2 the weeds were A. ludoviciana, Erysimum sp., P. aviculare, Rapistrum rugosum, C. album, Salsola kali, and Sonchus sp. The data obtained within the sampled squares were submitted to regression equations and weeds densities were calculated in terms of TCL (Total Competitive Load. The regression analysis model indicated that only A. ludoviciana, Convolvulus spp. and C. album, in E1; and A. ludoviciana, S. kali, and R. rugosum, in E2 had a significant effect on the wheat yield reduction. Weed economic thresholds were 5.23 TCL in E1 and 6.16 TCL in E2; which were equivalent to 5 plants m-2 of A. ludoviciana or 12 plants m-2 of Convolvulus spp. or 19 plants m-2 of C. album in E1; and 6 plants m-2 A. ludoviciana, 13 plants m-2 S. kali and 27 plants m-2 R. rugosum in E2. Simulations of economic weed thresholds using several wheat grain prices and weed control costs allowed a better comparison of the experiments, suggesting that a more competitive crop at location E1 than at E2 was the cause of a lower weed competitive ability at the first location.Foram realizados dois

Biological weed control with soil fungi? Antagonistic effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the growth of weeds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veiga, R.

2012-01-01

Excessive weed growth represents one of the major threats to crop production especially when reliance on herbicides is reduced. Biological weed control is an alternative, environmentally-sound method that, combined with other weed control practices, can contribute to an effective weed management in

Effect of Plant Density, Rate and Split Application of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Quality Characteristics and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Safflower under Weed Competition

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M Fuladvand

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluation of plant density, rate and method of nitrogen fertilizer split application on quality characteristics and nitrogen use efficiency of safflower (Sofeh variety under weed competition a field experiment was carried out in field research Yasouj University in 2013. This experiment was a factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications. First factor was a two levels plant density (20 and 40 plants m-2 and second factor was nitrogen rate application on nine levels. That included; non nitrogen application and 75 and 150 kgN ha-1 nitrogen application that both used with four split method. Split methods were included; S1 (%50 in pre planting stage - %50 in stem elongation stage, S2 (%25 in pre planting stage - %75 in stem elongation stage, S3 (%25 in pre planting stage - %50 in stem elongation stage -%25 in flowering stage and S4 (%25 in pre planting stage - %25 in stem elongation stage - %25 in flowering stage. Also in this experiment, weed did not control. Results showed that whit increasing crop density, oil yield and protein grain yield increased by 20 percent and nitrogen utilization efficiency increased by 10 percent. The highest oil yield (50.25 g m-2 was obtained from 75 kg ha-1 nitrogen with three-stage split application (S4. Finally, results showed that increasing nitrogen fertilizer application decreased nitrogen utilization efficiency but three-stage split method application increased this trait.

7 CFR 201.15 - Weed seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Weed seeds. 201.15 Section 201.15 Agriculture... REGULATIONS Labeling Agricultural Seeds § 201.15 Weed seeds. The percentage of weed seeds shall include seeds of plants considered weeds in the State into which the seed is offered for transportation or...

RNAseq reveals weed-induced PIF3-like as a candidate target to manipulate weed stress response in soybean.

Science.gov (United States)

Horvath, David P; Hansen, Stephanie A; Moriles-Miller, Janet P; Pierik, Ronald; Yan, Changhui; Clay, David E; Scheffler, Brian; Clay, Sharon A

2015-07-01

Weeds reduce yield in soybeans (Glycine max) through incompletely defined mechanisms. The effects of weeds on the soybean transcriptome were evaluated in field conditions during four separate growing seasons. RNASeq data were collected from six biological samples of soybeans growing with or without weeds. Weed species and the methods to maintain weed-free controls varied between years to mitigate treatment effects, and to allow detection of general soybean weed responses. Soybean plants were not visibly nutrient- or water-stressed. We identified 55 consistently downregulated genes in weedy plots. Many of the downregulated genes were heat shock genes. Fourteen genes were consistently upregulated. Several transcription factors including a PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 3-like gene (PIF3) were included among the upregulated genes. Gene set enrichment analysis indicated roles for increased oxidative stress and jasmonic acid signaling responses during weed stress. The relationship of this weed-induced PIF3 gene to genes involved in shade avoidance responses in Arabidopsis provide evidence that this gene may be important in the response of soybean to weeds. These results suggest that the weed-induced PIF3 gene will be a target for manipulating weed tolerance in soybean. No claim to original US government works New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Weed Identification and Control in Vegetable Crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferretti, Peter A., Comp.

This agriculture extension service publication from Pennsylvania State University examines weed control and identification in vegetable crops. Contents include: (1) Types of weeds; (2) Reducing losses caused by weeds, general control methods and home garden weed control; (3) How herbicides are used; (4) Specific weeds in vegetable plantings; and…

Combining a weed traits database with a population dynamics model predicts shifts in weed communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storkey, Jonathan; Holst, Niels; Bøjer, Ole Mission

2015-01-01

A functional approach to predicting shifts in weed floras in response to management or environmental change requires the combination of data on weed traits with analytical frameworks that capture the filtering effect of selection pressures on traits. A weed traits database (WTDB) was designed, po...

Combining a weed traits database with a population dynamics model predicts shifts in weed communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Storkey, J; Holst, N; Bøjer, O Q; Bigongiali, F; Bocci, G; Colbach, N; Dorner, Z; Riemens, M M; Sartorato, I; Sønderskov, M; Verschwele, A

2015-04-01

A functional approach to predicting shifts in weed floras in response to management or environmental change requires the combination of data on weed traits with analytical frameworks that capture the filtering effect of selection pressures on traits. A weed traits database (WTDB) was designed, populated and analysed, initially using data for 19 common European weeds, to begin to consolidate trait data in a single repository. The initial choice of traits was driven by the requirements of empirical models of weed population dynamics to identify correlations between traits and model parameters. These relationships were used to build a generic model, operating at the level of functional traits, to simulate the impact of increasing herbicide and fertiliser use on virtual weeds along gradients of seed weight and maximum height. The model generated 'fitness contours' (defined as population growth rates) within this trait space in different scenarios, onto which two sets of weed species, defined as common or declining in the UK, were mapped. The effect of increasing inputs on the weed flora was successfully simulated; 77% of common species were predicted to have stable or increasing populations under high fertiliser and herbicide use, in contrast with only 29% of the species that have declined. Future development of the WTDB will aim to increase the number of species covered, incorporate a wider range of traits and analyse intraspecific variability under contrasting management and environments.

Effect of ploughing frequency and weeding methods on weeds and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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Five tillage practices ... 2.5 l ha-1, Duplosan plus one hand weeding at 30 days after emergence (DAE); ... weed on time, is one of the major constraints in wheat ... management factors and soil type (Yohannes, 1982). .... The finding at ICARDA (1984) shows that ..... selling price of the crop changes, the farmer can still get a.

Overview of glyphosate-resistant weeds worldwide.

Science.gov (United States)

Heap, Ian; Duke, Stephen O

2018-05-01

Glyphosate is the most widely used and successful herbicide discovered to date, but its utility is now threatened by the occurrence of several glyphosate-resistant weed species. Glyphosate resistance first appeared in Lolium rigidum in an apple orchard in Australia in 1996, ironically the year that the first glyphosate-resistant crop (soybean) was introduced in the USA. Thirty-eight weed species have now evolved resistance to glyphosate, distributed across 37 countries and in 34 different crops and six non-crop situations. Although glyphosate-resistant weeds have been identified in orchards, vineyards, plantations, cereals, fallow and non-crop situations, it is the glyphosate-resistant weeds in glyphosate-resistant crop systems that dominate the area infested and growing economic impact. Glyphosate-resistant weeds present the greatest threat to sustained weed control in major agronomic crops because this herbicide is used to control weeds with resistance to herbicides with other sites of action, and no new herbicide sites of action have been introduced for over 30 years. Industry has responded by developing herbicide resistance traits in major crops that allow existing herbicides to be used in a new way. However, over reliance on these traits will result in multiple-resistance in weeds. Weed control in major crops is at a precarious point, where we must maintain the utility of the herbicides we have until we can transition to new weed management technologies. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Weed control in rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium spp).

Science.gov (United States)

Kothari, Sushil K; Singh, Chandra P; Singh, Kamla

2002-12-01

Abstract: Field investigations were carried out during 1999 and 2000 to identify effective chemical/ cultural methods of weed control in rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium spp). The treatments comprised pre-emergence applications of oxyfluorfen (0.15, 0.20 and 0.25 kg AI ha(-1)) and pendimethalin (0.50, 0.75 and 1.00kg AI ha(-1)), successive hand weeding, hoeing and mulching using spent of lemon grass (at 5 tonnes ha(-1)) 45 days after planting (DAP), three hand-weedings 30, 60 and 90 DAP, weed-free (frequent manual weeding) and weedy control. Broad-leaf weeds were more predominant than grass and sedge weeds, accounting for 85.8% weed density and 93.0% weed dry weight in 1999 and 77.2% weed density and 93.9% weed dry weight in 2000. Unrestricted weed growth significantly reduced geranium oil yield, by 61.6% and 70.6% in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Pre-emergence application of pendimethalin (0.75-1.00 kgAI ha(-1)) or oxyfluorfen (0.25 kg AI ha(-1)), successive hand-weeding, hoeing and mulching and three hand-weedings were highly effective in reducing weed density and dry weight and gave oil yield comparable to the weed-free check. Application of oxyfluorfen (0.15 or 0.20 kg AI ha(-1)) and pendimethalin (0.50 kg AI ha(-1)) were less effective in controlling the weed species in geranium. None of the herbicides impaired the quality of rose-scented geranium oil measured in terms of citronellol and geraniol content.

The effect of sowing strategy, row distance and mechanical weed control on weeds and yield in organic winter wheat

OpenAIRE

Rasmussen, Ilse A.

2002-01-01

A series of field experiments were carried out in winter wheat grown under organic conditions in Denmark on fields with different weed pressure. The treatments were sowing strategy (normal sowing time, late sowing and false seedbed), row distance (12 cm and 24 cm row distance) and weed control method (untreated, mechanical weed control (weed harrowing at 12 cm supplemented with row hoeing at 24 cm), and herbicide weed control). Weed biomass was largest at the normal sowing time and was reduce...

Changes in weed infestation of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. under conditions of strip intercropping and different weed control methods

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Aleksandra Głowacka

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The experiment was conducted in the years 2004-2006 in a private farm in the village of Frankamionka in Zamość district. There were two experimental factors: I. Cultivation methods - sole cropping and strip intercropping; and II. Tending methods - mechanical, mechanical-chemical, and chemical weed control. The subject of the study was weed infestation of the Mela variety of common bean. Beans were sown between 30 April and 5 May. Weed infestation was assessed in the last week before harvesting by determining its floristic composition and the frequency of occurrence of particular weed species, as well as the air-dry weight of weeds. The dominant weed species were Galinsoga parviflora, Echinochloa crus-galli, Chenopodium album, and Amaranthus retroflexus, which comprised 84.7% of the total number of weeds. Strip intercropping markedly reduced the number of weeds per unit area (by 50%, as well as the dry weight of their aerial parts. The most effective method of weed control was the mechanical-chemical method, which resulted in the lowest occurrence of weeds. It also significantly reduced the weight of weeds.

Optimization of foramsulfuron doses for post-emergence weed control in maize (Zea mays L.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pannacci, E.

2016-11-01

Four field experiments were carried out from 2011 to 2014 in order to evaluate the effects of foramsulfuron, applied at the recommended (60.8 g a.i./ha) and reduced doses (1/3 and 2/3), on the efficacy against several of the most important weeds in maize. For each “year-weed” combination, dose-response curves were applied to estimate the dose of foramsulfuron required to obtain 90% and 95% weed control (ED90 and ED95). Foramsulfuron phytotoxicity on maize and crop yield were assessed. Foramsulfuron at 1/3 of the recommended dose (20.3 g a.i./ha) provided 95% efficacy against redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), green foxtail (Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv.), wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.) and black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.). Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik.), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.) and barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.) were satisfactorily controlled (95% weed efficacy) with ED95 ranged from 20 to 50 g/ha of foramsulfuron (about from 1/3 to 5/6 of the recommended dose) depending on growth stage. The recommended dose was effective against pale smartweed (Polygonum lapathifolium L.) at 2-4 true leaves (12-14 BBCH scale), but this dose did not kill plants larger than 2-4 true leaves. The ranking among weed species based on their susceptibility to foramsulfuron was: redroot pigweed = green foxtail = wild mustard = black nightshade > velvetleaf = common lambsquarters = barnyardgrass > pale smartweed. Dose of foramsulfuron can be reduced below recommended dose depending on weed species and growth stage. Foramsulfuron showed a good crop selectivity and had no negative effect on maize yield. (Author)

Determining treatment frequency for controlling weeds on traffic islands using chemical and non-chemical weed control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rask, Anne Merete; Larsen, S.U.; Andreasen, Christian

2013-01-01

Many public authorities rely on the use of non-chemical weed control methods, due to stringent restrictions on herbicide use in urban areas. However, these methods usually require more repeated treatments than chemical weed management, resulting in increased costs of weed management. In order...... of treatments per year were required: glyphosate 2.5, hot water 3, flames 5, hot air/flames 5.5 and steam 5.5 treatments. The results demonstrate that the weed control should be adjusted to the prescribed quality for the traffic islands by regularly assessing the need for weed control. They also show...... to investigate the efficacy of four non-chemical weed control methods and glyphosate treatment, experiments were carried out on traffic islands in the growing seasons 2005 and 2006. Three trial sites were each divided into six treatment areas, which were either treated with glyphosate, flame, steam, hot air...

Weed Control Efficiency of wild Safflower (Carthamus oxyacanthus M. Bieb in Replacement Series Technique of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. and Common Vetch (Vicia sativa L.

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abdolreza ahmadi

2017-08-01

significant 1% and 5%. Results and discussion There was significant difference between minimum and maximum dry weight of weeds, the results showed that barley have important role in weed control wild safflower. Therefore, weed control efficiency in 15 plant in m2 was higher than two 10 and 20 plant in m2. The lowest WCE (161.27% was found at 15-35-65 treatment, but, the highest WCE (51.99 was obtained from 15-65-35 (Wild safflower-common vetch-barley treatment. Computes showed that WCE, in 15 plants of wild safflower/m2, was more than 10 and 20 p/m2. The reduction in weed population and biomass in intercropping systems with barley may be attributed to shading effect and competition stress created by the canopy. Thus, result showed that reduction rate of common vetch in intercropping, with bearing compatibility power to weeds reduced LER. CR for common vetch intercropping component in comparison with barley in total treatments was>1. The highest CR, for vetch obtained from treatment 45-55-control (2.64 and for barley from seed ratio 65-35-control (1.83. Conclusion The results in this study showed various seed rate had noticeable effect on forage yield, LER and weed control. In this experiment changing seed rate in two tested plants (barly- commen vetch changed the number and weed species, as a result noticeable changing was created in their competitive power. Result showed that seed rate (35% barley-65% common vetch was better than other treatment, not only in use efficiency of environment, but also it had more dry forage yield. Also, former seed rate had effective role in decreasing the weed biomass. This important result was related to reduced light penetrate at the bottom of cover crop and probably lack of competition in access to environmental resources was also affected. So using this seed density for mentioned area is recommended for reducing weed competition and improving the quality and quantity of dry forage. Acknowledgments The authors gratefully acknowledge the

THE EFFECT OF WINTER CATCH CROPS ON WEED INFESTATION IN SWEET CORN DEPENDING ON THE WEED CONTROL METHODS

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Robert Rosa

2015-02-01

Full Text Available An experiment was carried out in east-central Poland (52°06’ N, 22°55’ E over 2008–2011 to study the effect of winter catch crops on the weed infestation, number, and fresh matter of weeds in sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. saccharata. The following winter catch crops were grown: hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth., white clover (Trifolium repens L., winter rye (Secale cereale L., Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L. and winter turnip rape (Brassica rapa var. typica Posp.. The catch crops were sown in early September and incorporated in early May. The effect of the catch crops was compared to the effect of FYM (30 t·ha-1 and control without organic manuring (NOM. Three methods of weed control were used: HW – hand weeding, twice during the growing period, GCM – the herbicide Guardian Complete Mix 664 SE, immediately after sowing of corn seeds, Z+T – a mixture of the herbicides Zeagran 340 SE and Titus 25 WG applied at the 3–4-leaf stage of sweet corn growth. Rye and turnip rape catch crops had least weeds in their fresh matter. Sweet corn following winter catch crops was less infested by weeds than corn following farmyard manure and non-manured corn. Least weeds and their lowest weight were found after SC, BRT and VV. LM and BRT reduced weed species numbers compared with FYM and NOM. The greatest weed species diversity, determined at the corn flowering stage, was determined after SC and FYM. The number and weight of weeds were significantly lower when chemically controlled compared with hand weeding. The best results were observed after a post-emergent application of the mixture Z+T. The weed species diversity on Z+T-treated plots was clearly lower compared with GCM and HW.

WEED CONTROL EFFECTS ON SOIL CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Sérgio Lima e Silva

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The weed control procedures are known to affect the soil physical attributes and the nutrient amount taken up by weed roots. This work hypothesis is that weed control methods might also affect soil chemical attributes. Four experiments were carried out, three with maize (E-1, E-2 and E-3 and one with cotton (E-4, in randomized complete blocks design arranged in split-plots, with five replications. In E-1 experiment, the plots consisted of two weed control treatments: no-weed control and weed shovel-digging at 20 and 40 days after sowing; and the subplots consisted of six maize cultivars. In the three other experiments, the plots consisted of plant cultivars: four maize cultivars (E-2 and E-3 and four cotton cultivars (E-4. And, the subplots consisted of three weed control treatments: (1 no-weed control; (2 weed shovel-digging at 20 and 40 days after sowing; and (3 intercropping with cowpea (E-2 or Gliricidia sepium (Jacq. Walp. (E-3 and E-4. In all experiments, after harvest, eight soil samples were collected from each subplot (0-20 cm depth and composed in one sample. Soil chemical analysis results indicated that the weed control by shovel-digging or intercropping may increase or decrease some soil element concentrations and the alterations depend on the element and experiment considered. In E-2, the weed shovel-dug plots showed intermediate soil pH, lower S (sum of bases values and higher soil P concentrations than the other plots. In E-4, soil K and Na concentrations in plots without weed control did not differ from plots with intercropping, and in both, K and Na values were higher than in weed shovel-dug plots. Maize and cotton cultivars did not affect soil chemical characteristics.

Applicator Training Manual for: Aquatic Weed Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Herron, James W.

The aquatic weeds discussed in this manual include algae, floating weeds, emersed weeds, and submerged weeds. Specific requirements for pesticide application are given for static water, limited flow, and moving water situations. Secondary effects of improper application rates and faulty application are described. Finally, techniques of limited…

2013 Annual Global Tax Competitiveness Ranking: Corporate Tax Policy at a Crossroads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duanjie Chen

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Canada is losing its appeal as a destination for business investment. Its ability to compete against other countries for investment slipped considerably this year in our global tax competitiveness ranking, down six spots among OECD countries, and down 11 spots among the 90 countries. While many governments around the world responded to the fallout of the global recession by significantly reducing corporate tax rates, certain policy moves in Canada have us headed in the opposite direction. Canada is in danger of repelling business investment, which can only worsen current economic and fiscal challenges. Canada’s fading advantage is the result of recent anti-competitive provincial tax policies that increased the cost of investment. This includes, most notably, British Columbia’s decision to reverse the harmonization of its provincial sales tax with the federal GST, as well as recent corporate income tax rate hikes in B.C. and New Brunswick. When economic calamity strikes, and workers and their families feel the pain of lost jobs and lost wealth, politicians know they can score populist points by targeting the corporate sector. After all, corporations do not vote and they do not have a human face. News stories about major multinational corporations using tax-avoidance techniques to minimize their tax bills, only feed the populism, leaving voters believing that companies are getting away without paying a “fair share” of taxes. But when the corporate sector is targeted, it is not only supposedly wealthy capitalists who pay, but also employees, through lost wages and jobs, and working-class people who have a stake in companies through pension plans and mutual funds. On a larger scale, it is the economy that suffers. The same profit-maximizing imperative that leads companies to seek ways to reduce their tax liabilities also motivates firms to redirect investment to competing, lower-tax jurisdictions. Populist policies aimed at squeezing

Effect of stale seedbed preparations and subsequent weed control in lettuce (cv. Iceboll) on weed densities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Riemens, M.M.; Weide, van der R.Y.; Bleeker, P.O.; Lotz, L.A.P.

2007-01-01

The effects of stale seedbed preparations and several weed control methods on the emergence of weeds in lettuce were studied. The specific goal was to evaluate the use of a stale seedbed in combination with chemical or mechanical weed control methods in the field. Depending on location and year,

Weed-cover versus weed-removal management in olive orchards: influence on the carbon balance at the ecosystem scale

Science.gov (United States)

Chamizo, Sonia; Serrano-Ortiz, Penélope; Vicente-Vicente, José Luis; Sánchez-Cañete, Enrique P.; López-Ballesteros, Ana; Kowalski, Andrew S.

2016-04-01

Agriculture plays an important role in the C budget at the global scale. Traditional practices based on soil tillage and applying herbicides to remove weeds have caused damage to soils and led to important losses of soil organic C and increased CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. Changing trends from traditional agriculture to conservation agriculture practices may have an important role in both C and water budgets and the transformation of agriculture from C source to C sink. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of two treatments, weed removal by herbicides versus weed cover conservation, on the C balance in an irrigated olive orchard in SE Spain. Measurements of CO2 exchange were made from October 2014 to September 2015 using two eddy covariance towers, one for each olive crop treatment. Results show that CO2 fluxes at the ecosystem scale were similar in the two treatments during initial conditions, prior to weed growth in the soils without herbicide application (October). During the first week, daily net ecosystem exchange (NEE) was close to zero in both treatments, with values ranging from 1.06 to -0.41 g C m-2 in the weed cover treatment, and from 0.76 to -0.69 g C m-2 in the weed removal treatment. As weed growth increased, higher net CO2 assimilation was found in the treatment with weed cover. In both treatments, maximum net CO2 assimilation was found in March, with a monthly NEE of -72 and -28 g C m-2 in the treatment with and without weed cover, respectively. In May, after the weeds were cut and left on the soil, a strong increase was observed in NEE in the treatment with weed cover due to decreased CO2 assimilation and increased respiration compared to the treatment without weed cover. Therefore, soil chamber measurements showed average respiration rates of 2.57 and 1.57 μmol m-2 s-2 in the weed cover and weed removal treatment, respectively. Finally, the highest monthly NEE was registered during July, with both treatments showing a similar

Microarray and growth analyses identify differences and similarities of early corn response to weeds, shade, and nitrogen stress

Science.gov (United States)

Weed interference with crop growth is often attributed to water, nutrient, or light competition; however, specific physiological responses to these stresses are not well described. This study’s objective was to compare growth, yield, and gene expression responses of corn to nitrogen (N), low light (...

The future for weed control and technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaner, Dale L; Beckie, Hugh J

2014-09-01

This review is both a retrospective (what have we missed?) and prospective (where are we going?) examination of weed control and technology, particularly as it applies to herbicide-resistant weed management (RWM). Major obstacles to RWM are discussed, including lack of diversity in weed management, unwillingness of many weed researchers to conduct real integrated weed management research or growers to accept recommendations, influence or role of agrichemical marketing and governmental policy and lack of multidisciplinary research. We then look ahead to new technologies that are needed for future weed control in general and RWM in particular, in areas such as non-chemical and chemical weed management, novel herbicides, site-specific weed management, drones for monitoring large areas, wider application of 'omics' and simulation model development. Finally, we discuss implementation strategies for integrated weed management to achieve RWM, development of RWM for developing countries, a new classification of herbicides based on mode of metabolism to facilitate greater stewardship and greater global exchange of information to focus efforts on areas that maximize progress in weed control and RWM. There is little doubt that new or emerging technologies will provide novel tools for RMW in the future, but will they arrive in time? © 2013 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Pest Management Science © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Prospects for site specific weed management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Svend; Rasmussen, Jesper; Pedersen, Søren Marcus

2014-01-01

Research on Site Specific Weed Management (SSWM) started in the late 80's. Since that moment, considerable research has been conducted on different aspects of SSWM, from fundamental studies on the spatial ecology of weeds to the applied development and testing of new technologies for weed detection...

Accelerated development in Johnsongrass seedlings (Sorghum halepense suppresses the growth of native grasses through size-asymmetric competition.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanne Schwinning

Full Text Available Invasive plant species often dominate native species in competition, augmenting other potential advantages such as release from natural enemies. Resource pre-emption may be a particularly important mechanism for establishing dominance over competitors of the same functional type. We hypothesized that competitive success of an exotic grass against native grasses is mediated by establishing an early size advantage. We tested this prediction among four perennial C4 warm-season grasses: the exotic weed Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense, big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii, little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparius and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum. We predicted that a the competitive effect of Johnsongrass on target species would be proportional to their initial biomass difference, b competitive effect and response would be negatively correlated and c soil fertility would have little effect on competitive relationships. In a greenhouse, plants of the four species were grown from seed either alone or with one Johnsongrass neighbor at two fertilizer levels and periodically harvested. The first two hypotheses were supported: The seedling biomass of single plants at first harvest (50 days after seeding ranked the same way as the competitive effect of Johnsongrass on target species: Johnsongrass < big bluestem < little bluestem/switchgrass, while Johnsongrass responded more strongly to competition from Johnsongrass than from native species. At final harvest, native plants growing with Johnsongrass attained between 2-5% of their single-plant non-root biomass, while Johnsongrass growing with native species attained 89% of single-plant non-root biomass. Fertilization enhanced Johnsongrass' competitive effects on native species, but added little to the already severe competitive suppression. Accelerated early growth of Johnsongrass seedlings relative to native seedlings appeared to enable subsequent resource pre-emption. Size-asymmetric competition and resource

Herbicide-resistant weed management: focus on glyphosate.

Science.gov (United States)

Beckie, Hugh J

2011-09-01

This review focuses on proactive and reactive management of glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds. Glyphosate resistance in weeds has evolved under recurrent glyphosate usage, with little or no diversity in weed management practices. The main herbicide strategy for proactively or reactively managing GR weeds is to supplement glyphosate with herbicides of alternative modes of action and with soil-residual activity. These herbicides can be applied in sequences or mixtures. Proactive or reactive GR weed management can be aided by crop cultivars with alternative single or stacked herbicide-resistance traits, which will become increasingly available to growers in the future. Many growers with GR weeds continue to use glyphosate because of its economical broad-spectrum weed control. Government farm policies, pesticide regulatory policies and industry actions should encourage growers to adopt a more proactive approach to GR weed management by providing the best information and training on management practices, information on the benefits of proactive management and voluntary incentives, as appropriate. Results from recent surveys in the United States indicate that such a change in grower attitudes may be occurring because of enhanced awareness of the benefits of proactive management and the relative cost of the reactive management of GR weeds. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of Row Intercropping Patterns on Yield, Yield Components, and Weed Control of Fenugreek (Trigonellafoenumgreacum L. and Anise (Pimpinellaanisum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F Mardani

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Due to population growth and food shortage agricultural production is on increasing demand. In this order increasing cultivation area and yield per unit area are two ways of obtaining higheragricultural production (20. There is another important way that without incurring additional costs and use of water and fertilizer could result in higher production. This approach is increasing agricultural production per unit area by growing more than one crop in a year. Intercropping will be successful when competition for sources issless than competition within a species. Plants in the mixture can be chosen in a way that a species benefits from environmental changes caused by other species in mixed cultures directly (7, 15. Intercropping inhibits the growth and development of weeds and leads to increased production. Since the system will reduce the pesticide use, environmental pollution will be also less proportionally (37. Materials and Methods In order to evaluate the yield, yield components and potential weeds control under intercropping fenugreek and anise, an experiment was carried out based on a randomized complete block design with three replicationsat the Agricultural Research Field of Yasouj University during growing season of 2012-2013. Treatments included pure cultures of fenugreek and anise, single-row, double-row and three-tier intercropping of fenugreek and anise at no weed control and weed control conditions. Results and Discussion The results showed that different intercropping treatments had significant effects on pod number per plant, grain weight and grain and biological yield of fenugreek and also, on number of lateral branches, number of grains per plant and grain and biological yield of anise. There were nosignificant effects on plant height, number of lateral branches, number of grain per pod, harvest index of fenugreek, as well as plant height, number of umbel let per plant, seed weight and harvest index of anise. The

Weed infestation of spring common wheat (Triticum aestivum L. grown in monoculture depending on the cover crop and weed control method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota Gawęda

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this 3-year field study was to evaluate the effect of some stubble crops and in-crop weed control methods on the species composition, number and air-dry weight of weeds in a wheat crop grown in short-term monoculture. The study was conducted in the period 2009-2011 in the Uhrusk Experimental Farm on mixed rendzina soil classified as very good rye soil complex. It included various types of stubble crops ploughed in each year (control treatment without cover crop, white mustard, lacy phacelia, a mixture of legumes – narrow-leaf lupin + field pea and methods of weed control in spring wheat (mechanical, mechanical and chemical, chemical weed control. On average during the study period, all stubble crops used reduced the air-dry weight of weds in the treatments with mechanical weed management relative to the control treatment. Irrespective of the weed control method, the number of weeds in the wheat crop was significantly lower only after the ploughing in of white mustard. Mechanical weed management proved to be less effective in reducing the number and dry weight of weeds compared to other weed control methods. The white mustard and legume mixture cover crops had a reducing effect on the number of weed species in relation to the treatment without cover crops. The highest floristic diversity of weed communities was found in the spring wheat crop in which only mechanical weeding alone was used.

Bioherbicides: Current knowledge on weed control mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam; Alqarawi, Abdulaziz A; Abd Allah, Elsayed Fathi

2018-04-17

Weed control is a challenging event during crop cultivation. Integrated management, including the application of bioherbicides, is an emerging method for weed control in sustainable agriculture. Plant extracts, allelochemicals and some microbes are utilized as bioherbicides to control weed populations. Bioherbicides based on plants and microbes inhibit the germination and growth of weeds; however,few studies conducted in weed physiology. This review ascribes the current knowledge of the physiological changes in weeds that occur during the exposure to bioherbicides. Plant extracts or metabolites are absorbed by weed seeds, which initiates damage to the cell membrane, DNA, mitosis, amylase activity and other biochemical processes and delays or inhibits seed germination. The growth of weeds is also retarded due to low rates of root-cell division, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic pigment synthesis, and plant growth hormone synthesis, while the productions of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and stress-mediated hormones increase, including irregular antioxidant activity. However, lytic enzymes and toxic substances secreted from microbes degrade the weed seed coat and utilize the endosperm for survival, which inhibits seed germination. The microbes grow through the intercellular spaces to reach the root core, and the deposition of toxins in the cells affects cell division and cellular functions. Some of the metabolites of deleterious microbes cause disease, necrosis and chlorosis,which inhibit the germination and growth of weed seeds by suppressing photosynthesis and gibberellin activities and enhancing ROS, abscisic acid and ethylene. This review explains the effects of bioherbicides (derived from plants and microbes) on weed-plant physiology to elucidate their modes of action. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Universal scaling in sports ranking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng Weibing; Li Wei; Cai Xu; Bulou, Alain; Wang Qiuping A

2012-01-01

Ranking is a ubiquitous phenomenon in human society. On the web pages of Forbes, one may find all kinds of rankings, such as the world's most powerful people, the world's richest people, the highest-earning tennis players, and so on and so forth. Herewith, we study a specific kind—sports ranking systems in which players' scores and/or prize money are accrued based on their performances in different matches. By investigating 40 data samples which span 12 different sports, we find that the distributions of scores and/or prize money follow universal power laws, with exponents nearly identical for most sports. In order to understand the origin of this universal scaling we focus on the tennis ranking systems. By checking the data we find that, for any pair of players, the probability that the higher-ranked player tops the lower-ranked opponent is proportional to the rank difference between the pair. Such a dependence can be well fitted to a sigmoidal function. By using this feature, we propose a simple toy model which can simulate the competition of players in different matches. The simulations yield results consistent with the empirical findings. Extensive simulation studies indicate that the model is quite robust with respect to the modifications of some parameters. (paper)

An ultrasonic system for weed detection in cereal crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Andújar, Dionisio; Weis, Martin; Gerhards, Roland

2012-12-13

Site-specific weed management requires sensing of the actual weed infestation levels in agricultural fields to adapt the management accordingly. However, sophisticated sensor systems are not yet in wider practical use, since they are not easily available for the farmers and their handling as well as the management practice requires additional efforts. A new sensor-based weed detection method is presented in this paper and its applicability to cereal crops is evaluated. An ultrasonic distance sensor for the determination of plant heights was used for weed detection. It was hypothesised that the weed infested zones have a higher amount of biomass than non-infested areas and that this can be determined by plant height measurements. Ultrasonic distance measurements were taken in a winter wheat field infested by grass weeds and broad-leaved weeds. A total of 80 and 40 circular-shaped samples of different weed densities and compositions were assessed at two different dates. The sensor was pointed directly to the ground for height determination. In the following, weeds were counted and then removed from the sample locations. Grass weeds and broad-leaved weeds were separately removed. Differences between weed infested and weed-free measurements were determined. Dry-matter of weeds and crop was assessed and evaluated together with the sensor measurements. RGB images were taken prior and after weed removal to determine the coverage percentages of weeds and crop per sampling point. Image processing steps included EGI (excess green index) computation and thresholding to separate plants and background. The relationship between ultrasonic readings and the corresponding coverage of the crop and weeds were assessed using multiple regression analysis. Results revealed a height difference between infested and non-infested sample locations. Density and biomass of weeds present in the sample influenced the ultrasonic readings. The possibilities of weed group discrimination were

Extreme learning machine for ranking: generalization analysis and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hong; Peng, Jiangtao; Zhou, Yicong; Li, Luoqing; Pan, Zhibin

2014-05-01

The extreme learning machine (ELM) has attracted increasing attention recently with its successful applications in classification and regression. In this paper, we investigate the generalization performance of ELM-based ranking. A new regularized ranking algorithm is proposed based on the combinations of activation functions in ELM. The generalization analysis is established for the ELM-based ranking (ELMRank) in terms of the covering numbers of hypothesis space. Empirical results on the benchmark datasets show the competitive performance of the ELMRank over the state-of-the-art ranking methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developments in physical weed control in Northwest Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riemens, Marieen

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In North West Europe there is an increasing need for advanced weed control methods. This paper gives an overview of the developments in physical weed control methods. Current innovations in interrow weeding focus on systems that take over the steering function of the driver in order to make them more precise and reduce crop losses. The latest developments in intrarow weeding techniques involve technologies that automatically detect and classify crop and weed plants and use this information to guide a weeding device. Several commercially available examples are presented.

Grass and weed killer poisoning

Science.gov (United States)

... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002838.htm Grass and weed killer poisoning To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Many weed killers contain dangerous chemicals that are harmful if ...

Weed supression by smother crops and selective herbicides

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Severino Francisco José

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Using a smother crop is thought to suppress weed density and to add other beneficial effects in sustainable agricultural systems. Weed suppression ought to be considered an essential component of integrated weed management. However, very little is known about the effects of green manure plants on weeds. This study evaluated the influence of three green manure species on weed suppression and selectivity of herbicides. A field experiment was designed to determine the effect of the green manure species Crotalaria juncea, Arachis pintoi and pigeon pea on the weeds Brachiaria decumbens, guineagrass and hairy beggarticks, and on the natural weed infestation in the inter rows area of an avocado orchard. The weed species were suppressed differently by each green manure species. Soil samples collected from the field experiment presented a residual effect, of at least 30 d, in suppressing weed seed bank recruitment; this residual effect was caused by the residues of the green manure present in the soil. When the green manure was incorporated into the top 5 cm of soil or left on the surface, in a greenhouse experiment, the emergence of weed seeds was significantly inhibited, depending on the species, and on the amount and depth of green manure incorporation. Greenhouse experiments indicate that pre-emergence herbicides cause lower phytotoxicity than post-emergence Arachis pintoi. Smother crops using green manure species, when well established in an area, provide additional weed control to the cropping system and are effective and valuable tools in integrated weed management.

A non-chemical system for online weed control.

Science.gov (United States)

Rueda-Ayala, Victor; Peteinatos, Gerassimos; Gerhards, Roland; Andújar, Dionisio

2015-03-30

Non-chemical weed control methods need to be directed towards a site-specific weeding approach, in order to be able to compete the conventional herbicide equivalents. A system for online weed control was developed. It automatically adjusts the tine angle of a harrow and creates different levels of intensity: from gentle to aggressive. Two experimental plots in a maize field were harrowed with two consecutive passes. The plots presented from low to high weed infestation levels. Discriminant capabilities of an ultrasonic sensor were used to determine the crop and weed variability of the field. A controlling unit used ultrasonic readings to adjust the tine angle, producing an appropriate harrowing intensity. Thus, areas with high crop and weed densities were more aggressively harrowed, while areas with lower densities were cultivated with a gentler treatment; areas with very low densities or without weeds were not treated. Although the weed development was relatively advanced and the soil surface was hard, the weed control achieved by the system reached an average of 51% (20%-91%), without causing significant crop damage as a result of harrowing. This system is proposed as a relatively low cost, online, and real-time automatic harrow that improves the weed control efficacy, reduces energy consumption, and avoids the usage of herbicide.

Competitive intelligence: An instrument to enhance South Africa’s competitiveness

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Wilma Viviers

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The case for Competitive Intelligence (CI as an instrument that can enhance the competitiveness of South African companies and South Africa as a country is strong. Various global competitive rankings measurements have indicated over a number of years the areas in which competitiveness is lacking. Moreover, these rankings have indicated that South Africa has failed to improve its position year on year. The fact that the world is becoming increasingly competitive for South African entities is undisputed. Coupled with a fluctuating exchange rate and the country’s geographical proximity, this poses unique challenges facing South African managers who have to deal with various regulations and legislative matters. In order to create and sustain an effective knowledge economy and to enhance global competitiveness, South Africa however has to put appropriate strategies/measures in place to stimulate, encourage and grow knowledge practices. Competitive Intelligence (CI as a means of making more sense of the competitive business environment and to identify opportunities and risks in time to act upon can be effectively used as a means to enhance competitiveness. Valuable lessons from successful CI practices in the business sector and government can be learnt from elsewhere in the world. CI should be investigated and adapted for South Africa’s business environment. It is therefore the aim of this article to first attempt to describe the role of CI in enhancing competitiveness, specifically in South Africa and secondly, to stimulate thought on how to secure momentum in enhancing CI as an academic field by developing relevant CI courses as well as demonstrating the value of CI to companies in South Africa through research and collaboration between academics and the private and public sectors.

Weed Garden: An Effective Tool for Extension Education

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Leslie; Patton, Aaron J.

2015-01-01

A weed garden was constructed to quantify and improve identification skills among clientele. The garden was planted with over 100 weed species based on surveys on problematic weeds. The weed garden proved useful for introducing additional hands-on learning activities into traditional lecture-based seminars. Through seminar and field day attendee…

WEED MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL IN POTATOES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Cleón de Castro Silva

2011-07-01

Full Text Available This review shows instructions to potatoes' farmer about behavior of the weeds and how to manage them so as to minimize loss of productivity through the use of control strategies for potato crop. The prevention consists in adoption of practices that prevents entry of unwanted species of weeds in the planting site. The control reduces the infestation of these species, but this practice does not eradicate them completely. However, it needs to control the weeds before the area preparation for planting the tubers until complete closure of the soil by shoots of potatoes during the critical period. After covering the soil, the potato crop does not suffer negative interference caused by weeds. The cultural practices include a good plane for harvest, plant crop rotation, the planting of appropriate plants for covering the soil, the ideal space to the planting and the correct time to potato planting. The control must be efficient to reduce the number of weeds in the area to avoid economic losses to farmers. It is necessary to establish weed management strategies in order to maintain sustainable farming systems, preserving the environment and quality of life of the farmer.

INFLUENCE OF CROPPING SYSTEM AND WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICE ON EMERGENCE, GROWTH OF WEEDS, YIELD OF MAIZE (Zea mays L. AND COWPEA (Vigna unguiculata L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felix Ogar Takim

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The effects of cropping system and weed management practice on weed seedling emergence, weed biomass production and yield of maize and cowpea were examined at Ilorin, in the southern Guinea savanna (9°29' N, 4°35' E and 307 m ASL of Nigeria. Weed emergence occurred throughout the 3-15 weeks after planting (WAP. Forty-three weed species belonging to 38 genera within 20 families were encountered. Fimbristylis littoralis Gaudet, Tridax procumbens L and Eleusine indica Gaertn were the most prevalent weed species. Cropping system and weed management practice significantly affected weed emergence. Significantly (p≤0.05 lower number of weeds emerged in the intercropped and herbicide treated plots while higher weed densities and weed biomass were recorded in the uncropped and unweeded control plots than in the other plots. While aggregate crop yields were significantly higher in the intercropped than in the sole plots, component crop yields were higher under the sole cropping than in the intercrop. The implication of the results on weed management is discussed.

Effects of different cropping systems and weed management methods on free energy and content of pigments in maize

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Igor Spasojević

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Rotation is a cropping system that has many advantages and ensures better crop growth and yielding. Its combinination with other cropping measures can ensure optimal crop density for maximal growth and photosynthesis efficiency. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different cropping systems: monoculture and two rotations, including maize, wheat and soybean (MSW and MWS, and different weed management methods (weed removal by hoeing, application of a full recommended herbicide dose (RD and half that dose (0.5 RD, and weedy check on weed biomass and maize growth parameters - leaf area index (LAI, free energy, contents of chlorophyll and carotenoids, grain yield, and their possible relationships in two fields of the maize hybrids ZP 677 (H1 and ZP 606 (H2. The lowest LAI and grain yield were found in monoculture, particularly in weedy check, which had relatively high weed infestation. Higher weed biomass was also observed in herbicide treated plots in monoculture. Such high competition pressure indicates a stress reflected on reduced LAI and chlorophyll content, and increased free energy and content of carotenoids. On the other hand, rotation, particularly if it is combined with the application of herbicides or hoeing, had a positive impact on yielding potential by increasing LAI and the contents of chlorophyll and carotenoids, and decreasing free energy.

Rankings of International Achievement Test Performance and Economic Strength: Correlation or Conjecture?

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CHRISTOPHER H. TIENKEN

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Examining a popular political notion, this article presents results from a series of Spearman Rho calculations conducted to investigate relationships between countries’ rankings on international tests of mathematics and science and future economic competitiveness as measured by the 2006 World Economic Forum’s Growth Competitiveness Index (GCI. The study investigated the existence of relationships between international test rankings from three different time periods during the last 50 years of U.S. education policy development (i.e., 1957–1982, 1983–2000, and 2001–2006 and 2006 GCI ranks. It extends previous research on the topic by investigating how GCI rankings in the top 50 percent and bottom 50 percent relate to rankings on international tests for the countries that participated in each test. The study found that the relationship between ranks on international tests of mathematics and science and future economic strength is stronger among nations with lower-performing economies. Nations with strong economies, such as the United States, demonstrate a weaker, nonsignificant relationship.

Weed management strategies for castor bean crops

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Augusto Guerreiro Fontoura Costa

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Castor bean crops are agriculturally relevant due to the quality and versatility of their oil, both for the chemical industry and for biodiesel production. Proper weed management is important for both the cultivation and the yield of castor bean crops; therefore, the intention of the present work is to review pertinent information regarding weed management, including the studies regarding weed interference periods, chemical controls for use in different crop production systems and herbicide selectivity, for castor bean crops. Weed science research for castor bean crops is scarce. One of the main weed management challenges for castor bean crops is the absence of herbicides registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MALFS. Research for viable herbicides for weed control in castor bean crops should be directed by research and/or rural extension institutions, associations and farmers cooperatives, as well as by manufactures, for the registration of these selective herbicides, which would be primarily used to control eudicotyledons in castor bean crops. New studies involving the integration of weed control methods in castor bean also may increase the efficiency of weed management, for both small farmers using traditional crop methods in the Brazilian Northeast region, as well as for areas with the potential for large scale production, using conservation tillage systems, such as the no-tillage crop production system.

Weed Biomass and Weed Species Diversity of Juvenile Citrus Trees Intercrop with some Arable Crops

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patience Mojibade OLORUNMAIYE

2012-02-01

Full Text Available A preliminary study was carried out to evaluate the performances of eight crops in the intercrop of citrus with arable crops at the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT Ibadan, Nigeria. Eight arable crops: maize, cucumber, sweet potato, Corchorus olitorius, large green, grain amaranth, Mucuna pruriens var. utilis, and groundnut were intercropped with young citrus trees in the early planting season of 2010 with sole citrus as control. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized block design with three replicates. Data were collected on weed flora, weed density and weed dry weight. Results showed that the relative frequencies of weeds in all the plots were less than 4% at both 6 and 9WAP. Gomphrena celosoides, Oldenlandia corymbosa and Tridax procumbens were most preponderant in appearing in all the plots. Tridax procumbens had a consistent relative frequency (2.34% in all the plots except in citrus/maize plot (0.78% at 9 WAP. Significantly lower broadleaf weed densities were obtained in citrus/sweet potato, citrus/large green, control plot and citrus/cucumber (28.67, 45.00, 50.00 and 76.33 m-2 respectively than in citrus/groundnut plot (143.00 m-2. Similarly, significantly lower grass weed densities were produced in citrus/Mucuna and citrus/sweet potato (0.33 m-2 each plots than the control plot (11.33 m-2. Whereas citrus/corchorus plot produced significantly lower broadleaf weed dry weight (37.59 g m-2 than citrus/Mucuna plot (126.47 g m-2 at 3WAP, citrus/large green plot (16.15 g m-2 and citrus/groundnut plot (123.25 g m-2 followed the same trend at 6 WAP. Sedges dry weights were less than 7 g m-2 in all the plots compared with control plot.

Effect of Plant Density and Weed Interference on Yield and Yied Components of Grain Sorghum

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S. Sarani

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction Weed control is an essential part of all crop production systems. Weeds reduce yields by competing with crops for water, nutrients, and sunlight. Weeds also directly reduce profits by hindering harvest operations, lowering crop quality, and producing chemicals which are harmful to crop plants. Plant density is an efficient management tool for maximizing grain yield by increasing the capture of solar radiation within the canopy, which can significantly affect development of crop-weed association. The response of yield and yield components to weed competition varies by crop and weeds species and weeds interference duration. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of weed interference periods and plant density on the yield and yield components of sorghum. Materials and Methods In order to study the effect of plant density and weeds interference on weeds traits, yield and yield components of sorghum (Var. Saravan, an experiment was conducted as in factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the research field of Islamic Azad University, Birjand Branch in South Khorasan province during year of 2013. Experimental treatments consisted of three plant density (10, 20 and 30 plants m-2 and four weeds interference (weed free until end of growth season, interference until 6-8 leaf stage, interference until stage of panicle emergence, interference until end of growth season. Measuring traits included the panicle length, number of panicle per plant, number of panicle per m2, number of seed per panicle, 1000-seed weight, seed yield, biological yield, number and weight of weeds per m2. Weed sampling in each plot have done manually from a square meter and different weed species counted and oven dried at 72 °C for 48 hours. MSTAT-C statistical software used for data analysis and means compared with Duncan multiple range test at 5% probability level. Results and Discussion Results showed that

Genetic analysis on the competitive ability of barley ( Hordeum ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Genetic analysis on the competitive ability of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) recombinant inbred lines intercropped with oat ( Avena sativa L.) weeds. ... Furthermore, the commonly used herbicide price is soaring from time to time and out of the reach of the poor farmers in the developing countries. Therefore, this method is an ...

The Role of Global University Rankings in the Process of Increasing the Competitiveness of Russian Education in the Context of Globalization and the Export of Educational Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Avralev, Nikita; Efimova, Irina

2015-01-01

Article is devoted to the new conditions for the development of society characterized by the reconstruction of the course of higher education by increasing the competitiveness of Russian universities in the world scientific and educational space and the global university rankings as indicators of the implementation of the integration process and…

Critical Period of Weed Control in Aerobic Rice

Science.gov (United States)

Anwar, M. P.; Juraimi, A. S.; Samedani, B.; Puteh, A.; Man, A.

2012-01-01

Critical period of weed control is the foundation of integrated weed management and, hence, can be considered the first step to design weed control strategy. To determine critical period of weed control of aerobic rice, field trials were conducted during 2010/2011 at Universiti Putra Malaysia. A quantitative series of treatments comprising two components, (a) increasing duration of weed interference and (b) increasing length of weed-free period, were imposed. Critical period was determined through Logistic and Gompertz equations. Critical period varied between seasons; in main season, it started earlier and lasted longer, as compared to off-season. The onset of the critical period was found relatively stable between seasons, while the end was more variable. Critical period was determined as 7–49 days after seeding in off-season and 7–53 days in main season to achieve 95% of weed-free yield, and 23–40 days in off-season and 21–43 days in main season to achieve 90% of weed-free yield. Since 5% yield loss level is not practical from economic view point, a 10% yield loss may be considered excellent from economic view point. Therefore, aerobic rice should be kept weed-free during 21–43 days for better yield and higher economic return. PMID:22778701

Weed Recognition Framework for Robotic Precision Farming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kounalakis, Tsampikos; Triantafyllidis, Georgios; Nalpantidis, Lazaros

2016-01-01

using advanced encoding and machine learning algorithms. The resulting system can be applied in a variety of environments, plantation or weed types. This results in a novel and generic weed control approach, that in our knowledge is unique among weed recognition methods and systems. For the experimental...

Weeds optimally grow in peat swamp after burning

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P.D. Susanti

2014-07-01

Full Text Available After clearing land by burning the peat, then the weeds and undergrowth will flourish. Even sometimes, the weeds are eventually burned again. Weed is known as a destroyer plant that has to be controlled. Through proper treatment, the existing weeds in peatlands can be potentiallly exploited. The purpose of this study was to determine the calorific value of briquettes as one of peatland weeds utilization. The results showed that the calorific value ranged from 2,492 cal/g to 5,230 cal/g. The lowest calorific value was on ‘teki kecil’ grass (Scirpus grossus Lf, while the highest calorific value was observed for ‘bantalaki grass’ (Hymenachne amplexicaulis Nees. The high calorific value of the peat weeds are potential for biomass briquettes raw materials. The utilization and use of peat weed briquettes as a raw materials expected can reduce land degradation due to peat swamp burning

Spatial analysis of weed patterns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijting, S.

2007-01-01

Keywords: Spatial analysis, weed patterns, Mead’s test, space-time correlograms, 2-D correlograms, dispersal, Generalized Linear Models, heterogeneity, soil, Taylor’s power law. Weeds in agriculture occur in patches. This thesis is a contribution to the characterization of this patchiness, to its

Weed vegetation ecology of arable land in Salalah, Southern Oman.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Sheikh, Mohamed A

2013-07-01

This paper applies multivariate statistical methods to a data set of weed relevés from arable fields in two different habitat types of coastal and mountainous escarpments in Southern Oman. The objectives were to test the effect of environmental gradients, crop plants and time on weed species composition, to rank the importance of these particular factors, and to describe the patterns of species composition and diversity associated with these factors. Through the application of TWINSPAN, DCA and CCA programs on data relating to 102 species recorded in 28 plots and farms distributed in the study area, six plant communities were identified: I- Dichanthium micranthum, II- Cynodon dactylon-D. micranthum, III- Convolvulus arvensis, IV- C. dactylon-Sonchus oleraceus, V- Amaranthus viridis and VI- Suaeda aegyptiaca-Achyranthes aspera. The ordination process (CCA) provided a sequence of plant communities and species diversity that correlated with some anthropogenic factors, physiographic variables and crop types. Therefore, length of time since farm construction, disturbance levels and altitude are the most important factors related to the occurrence of the species. The perennial species correlated with the more degraded mountain areas of new farm stands, whereas most of the annuals correlated with old lowland and less disturbed farms.

The Effect of Crop Seed Rate and Post Emergence Herbicide Application on Weed control and grain yield of Wheat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Babaei

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction Interference weed with crop is a major concern for production in croplands particularly where modern agricultural practices such as mechanical weeding and the application of herbicides are limited. At present, the aim of weed management is to keep weed population at an acceptable level rather than to keep crop totally free of weeds. Among the weed control methods, the chemical control is the easiest one of the recent origins, as well the most successful alternative method. Materials and methods Field experiments were conducted at Shoushtar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Iran (32 0 3´ N, 480 50´ E during winters of 2012-2013 in order to evaluate the effect of sulfosulfuron and sulfosulfuron plus metsulfuron-methyl at 30 and 45 g a.i. ha-1, respectively, and wheat seed rate at 180, 200 and 220 kg ha-1 on weed control. Experiments were carry out in a randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement and four replicates. The plot size was 6 m × 2 m. The soil was a clay loam texture, pH 7.4 and 0.6 % organic matter content. In the experimental site, the 30-year average annual rainfall is 321.4 mm, daily average annual air temperature is minimum and maximum 9.5 °C and 46.3 °C, respectively. Wheat cv. Chamran was planted in the first fortnight of November. Seedbed preparation consisted of moldboard plowing, disking and leveling. A basal fertilizer rate of 125 kg ha-1 N (form of urea (46% N, 75 kg ha-1 P2O5 (diammonium phosphate (18% N; 46% P2O5, and 60 kg K2O ha-1 (sulfate of potash (50% K2O was applied. The whole P and K and half of N were applied at sowing. The remaining half of N was top dressed with the irrigation at the booting stage. Results and Discussion As the crop population brings competition for limited resources with the weeds, we tested different seeding rates to increase crop plant density as a measure to control weeds. The weed population was significantly affected by seed rate. In general, there was an

Weed detection using unmanned aircraft vehicles

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Pflanz, Michael

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In contrast to agricultural remote sensing technologies, which are based on images from satellites or manned aircrafts, photogrammetry at low altitude from unmanned aircraft vehicles lead to higher spatial resolution, real-time processing and lower costs. Moreover multicopter aircrafts are suitable vehicles to perform precise path or stationary flights. In terms of vegetation photogrammetry this minimises motion blur and provide better image overlapping for stitching and mapping procedures. Through improved image analyses and through the recent increase in the availability of powerful batteries, microcontrollers and multispectral cameras, it can be expected in future that spatial mapping of weeds from low altitudes will be promoted. A small unmanned aircraft vehicle with a modified RGB camera was tested taking images from agricultural fields. A microcopter with six rotors was applied. The hexacopter in particular is GPS controlled and operates within predefined areas at given altitudes (from 5 to 10 m. Different scenarios of photogrammetrically weed detection have been carried out regarding to variable altitude, image resolution, weed and crop growth stages. First experiences with microcopter showed a high potential for site-specific weed control. Images analyses with regards to recognition of weed patches can be used to adapt herbicide applications to varying weed occurrence across a field.

Interferência de plantas daninhas na cultura do quiabo Weed interference in okra crop

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J.B. Santos

2010-06-01

for Period Previous to Interference (PPI, Critical Prevention Period of Interference (CPPI and Total Period of Interference Prevention (TPIP were determined, considering 5% loss. Plants from the species studied were placed in the plots, isolated or in competition with A. esculentus, aiming to to evaluate the competitive capacity of the main weeds. Area, number of leaves and plant height of A. esculentus were evaluated.Yield and number of fruit presented a similar behavior. The estimated PPI was 25 days, indicating when to start weed control. The CPPI observed was 75 days, indicating 100 days for TPIP. Among the weeds evaluated, Eleusine indica showed the highest competitive capacity against the the crop.

Effect of Different Methods of Chemical Weed Control Irrigation Regimes on Weed Biomass and Safflower Yield

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M. Matinfar

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effects of different weed control methods and moisture regimes on safflower (Carthamus tinctorius, a field split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with 4 replications was conducted in Takestan Iran, during growing seasons of 2007-8. Three irrigations regimes (normal irrigation, restricted irrigation at stem elongation and restricted irrigation at  flowering stage were assigned to the main plots and nine chemical weed control method (complete hand weeding, treflan with 2 L/ha as pre plant herbicide, sonalan with 3 L/ha ad pre plant herbicide, estomp with 3 L/ha as pre plant herbicide, gallant super with 0/75 L/ha as post emergence herbicide, treflan with 2 L/ha as pre plant herbicide+ gallant super with 0/75 L/ha as post emergence herbicide, sonalan with 3 L/ha as pre plant herbicide + gallant super with 0/75 L/ha as post emergence herbicide estomp with 3 L/ha as pre plant herbicide + gallant super with 0/75 L/ha as post emergence herbicide and without hand weeding to sub- plots. At the end of growing period traits like number of head   per plant, number of seed per head, 1000 grain weight, percent of seed oil, yield of seed oil and grain yield were measured. Results indicated that treflan + gallant super treatment in restricted irrigation at stem elongation stage had the lowest dry weight of weeds. In this study maximum grain yield (2927 Kg/ha was achieved from hand weeding + usual irrigation treatments. In general treflan + gallant super treatment was the most effective treatment on safflower yield and weed control.

Weed infestation of onion in soil reduced cultivation system

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Marzena Błażej-Woźniak

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Field experiment was conducted in the years 1998-2000 in GD Felin. The influence of no-tillage cultivation and conventional tillage with spring ploughing on weed infestation of onion was compared. In experiment four cover crop mulches (Sinapis alba L., Vicia sativa L., Phacelia tanacetifolia B., Avena sativa L. were applied. From annual weeds in weed infestation of onion in great number Matricaria chamomilla L., and Senecio vulgaris L. stepped out. and from perennial - Agropyron repens (L.P.B. Reduced soil cultivation system (no-tillage caused the significant growth of primary weed infestation of onion in comparison with conventional tillage. In all years of investigations the executed pre-sowing ploughing limited significantly the annual weeds' number in primary weed infestation. The applied mulches from cover plants limited in considerable degree the number of primary weed infestation. In all years of investigations the most weeds stepped out on control object. Among investigated cover crop mulches Vicia sativa L. and Avena sativa L. had a profitable effect on decrease of onion`s primary weed infestation. Soil cultivation system and cover crop mulches had no signi ficant residual influence on the secondary weed infestation of onion.

Virus infection of a weed increases vector attraction to and vector fitness on the weed.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Gong; Pan, Huipeng; Xie, Wen; Wang, Shaoli; Wu, Qingjun; Fang, Yong; Shi, Xiaobin; Zhang, Youjun

2013-01-01

Weeds are important in the ecology of field crops, and when crops are harvested, weeds often become the main hosts for plant viruses and their insect vectors. Few studies, however, have examined the relationships between plant viruses, vectors, and weeds. Here, we investigated how infection of the weed Datura stramonium L. by tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) affects the host preference and performance of the TYLCV vector, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) Q. The results of a choice experiment indicated that B. tabaci Q preferentially settled and oviposited on TYLCV-infected plants rather than on healthy plants. In addition, B. tabaci Q performed better on TYLCV-infected plants than on healthy plants. These results demonstrate that TYLCV is indirectly mutualistic to B. tabaci Q. The mutually beneficial interaction between TYLCV and B. tabaci Q may help explain the concurrent outbreaks of TYLCV and B. tabaci Q in China.

Integrated weed management in wheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marwat, K.B.; Khan, M.A.; Nawab, K.; Khattak, A.M.

2011-01-01

The paper summarizes the results of an experiment conducted on wheat at Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan during winter 2004-05. Randomized complete block design with split-split-plot arrangement was used where wheat line and broadcast sowing were kept in main plots. Seed rates (100 and 150 kg ha-1) were assigned as sub-plots, while four herbicides (Topik, Isoproturon, Puma super and Buctril super) and weed check were assigned to sub-sub-plots. Results revealed that higher biological yield was recorded in line sowing. However, higher wheat seed rate decreased weed biomass and increased biological yield. Herbicides proved to be effective in decreasing weed biomass and enhancing grain yield and its contributing traits. It was suggested that line sowing in combination with higher seeding rate and Buctril super should be used in an integrated weed management fashion. However further studies are required to investigate various ranges of seeding rate and herbicides doses. (author)

Weed Identification Distribution and Mapping at Njoro and Katumani

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mwangi, H; Alembi, D.K

1999-01-01

The study was a response to the need from Katumani DFRC and Njoro (NPBC) Crop protection team request for support service in identification of weed spp. in their mandated areas. From their ongoing adaptive research they encountered ceratin weed spp. which were troublesome and they could not identify and their contact farmers had expressed concern over the weed constraint. A survey in the mentioned areas were carried out in the long/short rains 1997. In the fields, the sites were selected after every 10 km. The field selected was traversed and a quadrat measuring 1m 2 was placed randomly and weeds identified. General Position System (GPS) recorded the position. Two methods of identifying weeds thus on the spot in the field in situ and unidentified weed samples were carefully collected, labelled and preserved for identification in the laboratory of NARL herbarium. Weed distribution was determined using scale 1-4 where 1=1 plant/M 2 , 2=2-5 plants/m 2 , 3=6-20 plants/m 2 ,4=>20 plants m /2. The results show identified weeds in different categories; dominant, troublesome, indigenous and weed introduced within the ten years as percieved by farmers. Developed weed maps are presented for specific districts

Use of rhizobacteria and endophytes for biological control of weeds

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Trognitz, Friederike

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Weeds cause severe yield losses in agriculture, with a maximum estimate of 34% of yield loss worldwide due to competition between the crops and the weeds for nutrition, light and humidity (OERKE, 2006. Invasive plants contribute partially to other problems. The pollen of common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., for example, is five times more allergenic than grass pollen; already ten pollen grains per m3 air can trigger allergy in sensitized patients, including rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma. This neophyte from America has extended the season of allergy in European patients to October. Common ragweed is currently most frequent in Hungary, France and Italy. In Austria, ragweed populations along roads have increased dramatically since 2000. The effective means to control this weed of the Asteraceae family are limited; a single plant can produce up to 6000 seeds which stay in the soil for 40 years. Control using selective herbicides is not possible within stands of the Asteraceae member sunflower. Efforts to use herbivore insects as biological control agents also failed due to the unavailability of insects specializing on this ragweed. The use of plant-associated rhizobacteria and endophytes as bio-herbicides offers a novel alternative to conventional methods. By analogy to experiences from other plant-microbe systems, the chances to find microbes of the desired characteristics are highest when isolating and testing specimens directly from ragweed plants. These organisms often have an extremely narrow host range that permits their use for the control of among several even closely related plant species growing together in a field.

THE STATE OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM IN UKRAINE AND ITS IMPACT ON COMPETITIVENESS

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S. Mytsiuk

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The place of Ukraine in the world rankings, the level of economic freedom in Ukraine and its impact on competitiveness are considered in the article. The analysis of tendencies of development of Ukraine in the international arena is carried and competitiveness of the national economy is defined. The indices of global competitiveness and economic freedom are investigated. The basic components of these ratings are analyzed and correlation between economic freedom of the country and its competitiveness is proved. The macroeconomic and institutional factors of Ukraine's competitiveness increase on the world stage are identified. It has been found out that reduction of the competitiveness of Ukraine in the international rankings is connected with the political instability and foreign aggression. Since military confrontation in the Donbas region lead to a steady decline in general economic indicators, destruction of infrastructure, lower production, it has a negative impact on future international competitiveness ranking of Ukraine.

Factores biológicos que determinan la competencia de Commelina erecta con otras malezas en sistemas de cultivo Biological factors determining Commelina erecta competition with other weeds in cultivated systems

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L. Nisensohn

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Se estudió la competencia de Commelina erecta originada de semilla y de rizoma con Digitaria sanguinalis y Amaranthus quitensis. Los objetivos del trabajo fueron: 1 estudiar la dinámica del crecimiento de plantas de estas malezas en mezclas binarias y en monoculturas; 2 estimar el rendimiento relativo de cada especie (RR y el rendimiento relativo total (RRT de las distintas mezclas y 3 utilizar un modelo dinámico para analizar la importancia de distintos atributos específicos sobre el resultado de la competencia. El crecimiento de las monoculturas de todas las especies ajustó a un modelo sigmoide. Los RR de las distintas malezas variaron en función de la especie acompañante, de la fecha de muestreo y del año. La competencia fue parcial (RRT > 1 únicamente en mezclas que incluyeron plantas de C. erecta originadas de rizomas. A partir de las simulaciones con el modelo, se determinó que el resultado de la competencia depende del tamaño inicial (BI de rizomas de C. erecta, por otro lado, el análisis de sensibilidad señala la gravitación de la tasa intrínseca de crecimiento (r en la definición de RR. Bajo condiciones de competencia, los parámetros biológicos que definieron el crecimiento de las especies estudiadas fueron especialmente r y BI. Los resultados destacan la compleja interacción de factores que determinan el balance competitivo, tanto entre ambas formas de propagación de C. erecta, como entre ellas y otras malezas.Competition of C. erecta from seed and rhizome origin with Digitaria sanguinalis and Amaranthus quitensis was studied. The objectives of the study were: 1 determine growth dynamics of plants of these weed species in binary mixtures and in monocultures; 2 estimate the relative yield of each species (RY and relative yield total (RYT of the different mixtures, and 3 to use a dynamic model to analyze the importance of different specific attributes on the result of the competition. The growth of the monoculture of

Soil solarization for weed control in carrot

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MARENCO RICARDO ANTONIO

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Soil solarization is a technique used for weed and plant disease control in regions with high levels of solar radiation. The effect of solarization (0, 3, 6, and 9 weeks upon weed populations, carrot (Daucus carota L. cv. Brasília yield and nematode infestation in carrot roots was studied in São Luís (2º35' S; 44º10' W, MA, Brazil, using transparent polyethylene films (100 and 150 mm of thickness. The maximum temperature at 5 cm of depth was about 10ºC warmer in solarized soil than in control plots. In the study 20 weed types were recorded. Solarization reduced weed biomass and density in about 50% of weed species, including Cyperus spp., Chamaecrista nictans var. paraguariensis (Chod & Hassl. Irwin & Barneby, Marsypianthes chamaedrys (Vahl O. Kuntze, Mitracarpus sp., Mollugo verticillata L., Sebastiania corniculata M. Arg., and Spigelia anthelmia L. Approximately 40% of species in the weed flora were not affected by soil mulching. Furthermore, seed germination of Commelina benghalensis L. was increased by soil solarization. Marketable yield of carrots was greater in solarized soil than in the unsolarized one. It was concluded that solarization for nine weeks increases carrot yield and is effective for controlling more than half of the weed species recorded. Mulching was not effective for controlling root-knot nematodes in carrot.

7 CFR 201.50 - Weed seed.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... REGULATIONS Purity Analysis in the Administration of the Act § 201.50 Weed seed. Seeds (including bulblets or... sieve are considered weed seeds. For wild onion and wild garlic (Allium spp.) bulblets classed as inert...

Assessment of Changes in Weed Dry Weight and some Characteristics of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius under Different Sources of Fertilizer and Intercropping

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Saeid Heydarzadeh

2017-04-01

Full Text Available To study the effect of different organic and chemical fertilizers on weed biomass and some characteristics of safflower, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was done at the Urmia University Reaearch Farm in 2013. Treatments consisted of growing of cover crops (red clover, grass pea, hairy, bitter vetch along with the safflower rows and two weed control treatments (with and without weed as a first factor and application of organic manure (cattle manure+biofertilizer and the different nitrogen and phosphuros fertilizer levels (100 % of recommended chemical fertilizer, 67 and 63 % of recommended N and P, 50 and 40 % of recommended N and P as second factor. Results showed that the biomass yield of broad and narrow leaf weeds affected by the combined treatments of cover crops and use of fertilizers. The biomass yield of broad and narrow leaf weeds were redused by 74.78, 82.22% under vetch cover crop when 50 and 40% of recommended N and P fertilizers were used, in comparison with sole culture of safflower and use of 100% of recommended chemical fertilizers. The maximum of seed yield (3431 kg.ha-1 and biological yield (8239 kg.ha-1 of safflower obtained from using 100% of recommended chemical fertilizers and without growing cover crops. Results, as a whole, showed that at higher levels of chemical fertilizers the competitive effects of weeds on safflower were higher than lower levels of fertilizers.

IMPACT OF TRIBE TRITICEAE VARIETIES ON STRUCTURE AND COMPETITIVENESS OF SEGETAL GROUP

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T. Z. Moskalets

2016-03-01

Full Text Available We studied the influence of varieties of tribe Triticeae (Soft Wheat, Winter Rye and Winter Triticale on the structure and competitiveness of segetal vegetation. It is shown that in the conditions of Polissya, Forest-Steppe Polissya, and Forest-Steppe ecotopes the coenotic composition of plant communities was represented mostly by annual plants and at some extent by hemycryptophytes, cryptophytes, and geophytes. The dominant weed associations of Polissya are: Erodium-Neslia; Chenopodiu-Sonchus; Galium-Setaria; Elytrigia-Convolvulus; Apera-Polygonum and Apera-Convolvulus; Polissia-steppe: Viola-Capsella; Matricaria-Galium; Elytrigia-Galeopsis; Chenopodiu-Sonchus; Thlaspi-Euphorbia; Forest-Steppe: Elytrigia-Viola; Matricaria-Taraxacum; Consolida-Convolvulus; Cirsium-Taraxacum; Galium-Stellaria; Thlaspi-Plantago, Linaria-Conyza. In terms of the Central Forest-Steppe and Eastern Polisya the medium-grown and medium ripe Wheat (Yuvivata 60 and Poliska 90, Rye (Borotba, Triticale (Slavetne, Slavetne Polipshene. and AD 256 is the most competitive towards segetal vegetation than other medium-grown and semi-dwarf varieties of such cultures. The introduction of Triticale and Rye in the structure of sown areas are an effective biological control towards segetal vegetation, particularly perennial weeds. We revealed that increasing doses of fertilizers on crops of the tribe Triticeae stimulates the growth of weeds, but the specific weight per unit area does not always correlate with density concerning cultural species. We registered the dominant competitive weeds associations in winter crops, regardless of grade, but their differentiation by population strategy and specific weight per unit area depends on the type and conditions of the specific ecotypes. We selected some six associations for the Polissya: Erodium-Neslia; Chenopodiu-Sonchus; Galium-Setaria; Elytrigia-Convolvulus; Apera-Polygonum and Apera-Convolvulus; five for Polissya Steppe

Image analysis as a non-destructive method to assess regrowth of weeds after repeated flame weeding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rask, Anne Merete; Kristoffersen, Palle; Andreasen, Christian

2013-01-01

picture of the long-term effect of repeated treatments. Image analysis was most useful for assessing the effect of repeated treatments when weed cover was relatively low (below 40%) and when plots contained relatively much withered plant material. However, when weed cover is close to 100%, dry weight......, and therefore it may influence the long-term effect of repeated treatments. Visual assessment of weed cover or image analysis do not affect the remaining parts of the weed plants after treatment, but the methods may have other disadvantages. In order to evaluate and compare three methods we measured changes...... in vegetation cover of perennial ryegrass after flaming by (1) a simple image analysis programme counting green pixels, (2) visual assessment of images and (3) by taking biomass samples. Plants were flame treated with eight different dosages (0, 20, 30, 35, 45, 60, 90 and 180 kg propane ha-1) and with various...

Bioenergy potential of eight common aquatic weeds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abbasi, S.A.; Nipaney, P.C.; Schaumberg, G.D. (Pondicherry (Central) Univ. (IN). Salim Ali School of Ecology)

1990-01-01

Eight common aquatic weeds Salvinia molesta, Hydrilla verticillata, Nymphaea stellata, Azolla pinnata, Ceratopteris sp. Scirpus sp. Cyperus sp, and Utricularia reticulata were digested anaerobically to produce methane. The carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, carbon to phosphorus (C/P) ratio, and the volatile solids (VS) content of the weeds varied widely. No trend between these factors and the methane yield was discernable; the possible reasons are discussed. The energy potential of the weeds per unit area of the weed crop was worked out. Natural stands of salvinia, such as the one employed in the present investigation, would yield energy (methane) of the order of 10{sup 8} Kcal/ha/yr. (author).

A STUDY ON WEED CONTROL IN SOYBEAN

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S. TJITROSEMITO

1991-01-01

Full Text Available Two field experiments on weed control in soybeans were carried out at BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia from February to June, 1989. The critical period for weed control was found to be between 20 - 40 days after planting of soybean (c. v. Wilis grown at a planting distance of 40 x 10 cm. It did not coincide with the fastest growth in terms of trifoliate leaf number. Further studies were suggested to understand the physiological growth of soybean related to weed control. Pendimethalin at 660- 1320 g a.e./ha applied one day after sowing did not cause any phytotoxic effect to soybean and had good weed control performance.

Conservation implications of weed management of lake reservoirs ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Management of weeds around lake reservoirs is often implemented to reduce any possibility of siltation. However, machineries used in weed management have resulted in habitat degradation and geometrical multiplication of weeds by chopping rhizomes and scattering seeds. In general, the removal offers some feedbacks ...

WHITE BLISTER SPECIES (Albuginaceae ON WEEDS

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Karolina Vrandečić

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The obligate fungi inside the family Albuginaceae are widespread world wide and cause white rust or white blister disease. Mycopopulation of weeds has been researched within the project „The role of weeds in epidemiology of row-crop diseases“. The aim of this research was to identify white blister species occurring on weeds in Eastern Croatia. Weed plants with disease symptoms characteristic for white blister species have been collected since 2001 on location Slavonia and Baranja country. Determination of white blister species was based on morphological characters of pathogen and the host. Wilsoniana bliti was determined on Amaranthus retroflexus and Amaranthus hybridus leaves. Capsella bursa pastoris is a host for Albugo candida. Ambrosia artemisiifolia is a host for Pustula sp. and Cirsium arvense was found to be host for Pustula spinulosa. Wilsoniana portulaceae was determined on Portulaca oleracea.

Guidelines for management of noxious weeds at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roos, R.C.; Malady, M.B.

1995-01-01

Integrated Pest Management Services is responsible for management and control of noxious weeds on the Hanford Site. Weed species and populations are prioritized and objective defined, according to potential site and regional impact. Population controls are implemented according to priority. An integrated approach is planned for noxious weed control in which several management options are considered and implemented separately or in coordination to best meet management objectives. Noxious weeds are inventories and monitored to provide information for planning and program review

Statistical optimization of process parameters for inulinase production from Tithonia weed by Arthrobacter mysorens strain no.1.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamble, Prajakta P; Kore, Maheshkumar V; Patil, Sushama A; Jadhav, Jyoti P; Attar, Yasmin C

2018-06-01

Tithonia rotundifolia is an easily available and abundant inulin rich weed reported to be competitive and allelopathic. This weed inulin is hydrolyzed by inulinase into fructose. Response surface methodology was employed to optimize culture conditions for the inulinase production from Arthrobacter mysorens strain no.1 isolated from rhizospheric area of Tithonia weed. Initially, Plackett- Burman design was used for screening 11 nutritional parameters for inulinase production including inulin containing weeds as cost effective substrate. The experiment shows that amongst the 11 parameters studied, K 2 HPO 4 , Inulin, Agave sisalana extract and Tithonia rotundifolia were the most significant variables for inulinase production. Quantitative effects of these 4 factors were further investigated using Box Behnken design. The medium having 0.27% K 2 HPO 4 , 2.54% Inulin, 6.57% Agave sisalana extract and 7.27% Tithonia rotundifolia extract were found to be optimum for maximum inulinase production. The optimization strategies used showed 2.12 fold increase in inulinase yield (1669.45 EU/ml) compared to non-optimized medium (787 EU/ml). Fructose produced by the action of inulinase was further confirmed by spectrophotometer, osazone, HPTLC and FTIR methods. Thus Tithonia rotundifolia can be used as an eco-friendly, economically feasible and promising alternative substrate for commercial inulinase production yielding fructose from Arthrobacter mysorens strain no.1. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crop characteristics and weed Interactions of diverse Rrecurrent Inbred Lines (RILs) from a weed-suppressive x non-suppressive rice mapping population

Science.gov (United States)

ndica rice genotypes with enhanced weed suppression traits have been previously identified as potentially useful in supplementing weed control efforts in drill-seeded systems in the southern USA. A particularly weed-suppressive indica genotype (PI 312777) that was also high tillering and high yield...

Weed seed germination in winter cereals under contrasting tillage systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scherner, Ananda

2015-01-01

to accumulate in the top soil layer and timing of herbicide applications sometimes seems to target the emergence pattern of these weeds poorly. In contrast to the management of most diseases and pests, weed management should be considered in a time frame. The abilities to produce above and below ground...... of weeds. An important component in IWM is to understand and ultimately predict weed emergence patterns in relation to the cropping system and the tillage method applied. A better understanding of the cumulative emergence patterns of weed species in winter crops under different tillage regimes will help......Grass weeds and Gallium aparine are major weed problems in North European arable cropping systems with high proportions of winter crops, especially winter wheat (Clarke et al., 2000; Melander et al., 2008). Problems are accentuated where inverting tillage is omitted, as weed seeds tend...

Emerging Challenges and Opportunities for Education and Research in Weed Science

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Bhagirath S. Chauhan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In modern agriculture, with more emphasis on high input systems, weed problems are likely to increase and become more complex. With heightened awareness of adverse effects of herbicide residues on human health and environment and the evolution of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes, a significant focus within weed science has now shifted to the development of eco-friendly technologies with reduced reliance on herbicides. Further, with the large-scale adoption of herbicide-resistant crops, and uncertain climatic optima under climate change, the problems for weed science have become multi-faceted. To handle these complex weed problems, a holistic line of action with multi-disciplinary approaches is required, including adjustments to technology, management practices, and legislation. Improved knowledge of weed ecology, biology, genetics, and molecular biology is essential for developing sustainable weed control practices. Additionally, judicious use of advanced technologies, such as site-specific weed management systems and decision support modeling, will play a significant role in reducing costs associated with weed control. Further, effective linkages between farmers and weed researchers will be necessary to facilitate the adoption of technological developments. To meet these challenges, priorities in research need to be determined and the education system for weed science needs to be reoriented. In respect of the latter imperative, closer collaboration between weed scientists and other disciplines can help in defining and solving the complex weed management challenges of the 21st century. This consensus will provide more versatile and diverse approaches to innovative teaching and training practices, which will be needed to prepare future weed science graduates who are capable of handling the anticipated challenges of weed science facing in contemporary agriculture. To build this capacity, mobilizing additional funding for both weed research and

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE

OpenAIRE

PRUNEA Ana Daniela

2014-01-01

Rapid changes in market characteristics and the technological innovations are common and faster challenges, resulting in products, processes and technologies. The competitive advantage is volatile, difficult to obtain and more difficult to maintain and strengthened with consumers who through their individual choices polarization confirms the recognition performance and award competitive advantages, thus causing the competitive ranking of companies present in a particular market. The competiti...

Weed flora in organically grown spring cereals in Finland

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J. SALONEN

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The weed flora in organically grown spring cereals was investigated in southern and central Finland in 1997-1999 with the primary purpose of determining the species composition and the level of weed infestation. Altogether 165 fields were surveyed in the middle of the growing season. A total of 126 weed species were found, of which 42 exceeded the frequency level of 10%. The most frequent weed species were Chenopodium album, Stellaria media, Galeopsis spp. and Viola arvensis. Elymus repens was the most frequent grass species. The average density of weeds was 469 plants m-2 (median 395, and the air-dry biomass was 678 kg ha-1 (median 567 which accounted for 17% of the total biomass of the crop stand. Infestation by Chenopodium album and the perennial species Elymus repens, Cirsium arvense and Sonchus arvensis is of major concern. Weed control strategies should include direct control measures to overcome weed problems related to the conversion period from conventional to organic growing.

Weeds as important vegetables for farmers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cruz Garcia, G.S.; Price, L.L.

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the multiple uses and cognitive importance of edible weeds in Northeast Thailand. Research methods included focus group discussions and freelistings. A total of 43 weeds consumed as vegetable were reported, including economic, naturalized, agricultural

Mechanical weed control in organic winter wheat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Euro Pannacci

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Three field experiments were carried out in organic winter wheat in three consecutive years (exp. 1, 2005-06; exp. 2, 2006- 07; exp. 3, 2007-08 in central Italy (42°57’ N - 12°22’ E, 165 m a.s.l. in order to evaluate the efficacy against weeds and the effects on winter wheat of two main mechanical weed control strategies: i spring tine harrowing used at three different application times (1 passage at T1, 2 passages at the time T1, 1 passage at T1 followed by 1 passage at T1 + 14 days in the crop sowed at narrow (traditional row spacing (0.15 m; and ii split-hoeing and finger-weeder, alone and combined at T1, in the crop sowed at wider row spacing (0.30 m. At the time T1 winter wheat was at tillering and weeds were at the cotyledons-2 true leaves growth stage. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replicates. Six weeks after mechanical treatments, weed ground cover (% was rated visually using the Braun-Blanquet coverabundance scale; weeds on three squares (0.6×0.5 m each one per plot were collected, counted, weighed, dried in oven at 105°C to determine weed density and weed above-ground dry biomass. At harvest, wheat ears density, grain yield, weight of 1000 seeds and hectolitre weight were recorded. Total weed flora was quite different in the three experiments. The main weed species were: Polygonum aviculare L. (exp. 1 and 2, Fallopia convolvulus (L. Á. Löve (exp. 1 and 3, Stachys annua (L. L. (exp. 1, Anagallis arvensis L. (exp. 2, Papaver rhoeas L. (exp.3, Veronica hederifolia L. (exp. 3. In the winter wheat sowed at narrow rows, 2 passages with spring-tine harrowing at the same time seems to be the best option in order to reconcile a good efficacy with the feasibility of treatment. In wider rows spacing the best weed control was obtained by split hoeing alone or combined with finger-weeder. The grain yield, on average 10% higher in narrow rows, the lower costs and the good selectivity of spring-tine harrowing

Interactions between pre- and post-emergence weed harrowing in spring cereals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandsæter, L.O.; Mangerud, K.; Rasmussen, Jesper

2012-01-01

that pre- and post-emergence harrowing interact positively, that a combination gives more stable weed control effects than pre- and post-emergence weed harrowing used alone, and that a harrow type with bent tines is more aggressive and suitable on hard-packed soils than a harrow with strait tines...... the average effect of post-emergence harrowing was 47% on weed density and 41% on weed biomass. The combined effect of pre- and post-emergence weed harrowing was 61% on weed density and 54% on weed biomass. The combination did not give more stable weed control effects than pre- and post-emergence weed...... harrowing used alone. Pre-emergence harrowing increased the average crop yield by 6.2%, post-emergence harrowing by 4.0% and the combined effect was 10%. Crop yield was mainly increased on hard-packed soils. Weed and crop responses varied strongly among experiments, but the efficacy of pre- and post...

Team-up Crop Diversification and Weed Management: PRODIVA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerowitt, B.; Melander, B.; Krawczyk, R.

2015-01-01

The research-network PRODIVA focuses on a better utilization of crop diversification for weed management in North European arable cropping systems. The goal is to maintain diverse arable weed vegetation that is manageable in the long-term and could fulfil other necessary systemfunctions including...... support of beneficial organisms. The partners in PRODIVA will synthesize knowledge from terminated and running research projects and set-up selected new experiments on cover crops and variety resp. crop mixtures. Moreover, we will interact with partners from farming practice and extension services...... in organic agriculture. Regional fields will be surveyed for weeds to safeguard the relevance of the experimental research. Current cropping practices and their influence on weed pressure and weed diversity will be identified. The project will involve relevant stakeholders from the participating countries...

Determination of Cardinal Temperatures for Cool Season Turfgrass and Two Common Weed Species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjan Diayanat

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction The presence of broadleaf weeds not only reduces the aesthetic quality of the turfgrass, but more importantly they compete with desired turfgrass for water, nutrients, and light. Weed management after seeding is an important component to successfully establishing a healthy stand of cool season turfgrass. Weed seed germination is a key process because determines both the number of weeds that could potentially emerge and the timing of their appearance in the turfgrass. Temperature is of the most important factor regulating germination of non-dormant seeds in irrigated, annual agroecosystems at the beginning of the growth season where light, nutrients, and moisture are typically not growth limiting. Also prostrate knotweed (Polygonum aviculare L. and annual sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L. are two annual common broad leaf weeds in cool season turfgrass. Prostrate knotweed is very competitive in infertile and compacted soils and often invades turfgrasses along driveways, sidewalks, and beaten paths across lawns. Annual sowthistle is found in open habitats that include waste areas, turf, and roadsides. The aim of this study was to evaluate different nonlinear regression models to describe response of germination rate to different temperatures in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L., fescue (Festuca rubra L., prostrate knotweed and annual sowthistle. Materials and Methods This experiment was based on completely randomized design with 4 replications at Islamic Azad University in the laboratory of Science Research Branch in 2015. The seeds were treated with different temperatures (2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45oC Twenty five seeds were placed in each petri dish for each species in per replication. Ten milliliters of distilled water were added to each petri dish and the filter papers were regularly moistened to ensure saturation throughout the germination tests. Petri dishes were placed in germinator with 16 hour day, 8 hour night

Technological Innovation and Competitiveness in The Global Economy: India's Changing Status and Its Implications

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Bala Subrahmanya Mungila Hillemane

2013-09-01

Full Text Available   This paper probes the changing innovation status and resultant competitiveness in the context of global economy and questions the recent ranking improvements of India on the basis of hard economic facts. This paper has made use of secondary data comprising innovation indices and competitiveness rankings published by international organizations and reputed business schools from time to time since 1996 to analyze the changing status of India internationally. Later, using secondary data on key macro-economic variables published by the Government of India, the recent ranking of India is closely examined as well as recent steps taken by the government of India to improve competitiveness is elaborated. The study throws light on the changing but improving innovation dimensions and competitiveness ranking of India since 1996 till 2010. From nowhere India emerges and occupies the second slot, after China, in the global competitiveness ranking. But hard core macro-economic variables do not justify India’s elevation to the top in any way. Given this, the study throws light on the recent policy measures announced by the Government of India and its implications as well as policy imperatives.

The changing role of agriculture and tomorrow's weed research agenda

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kropff, M.J.; Bastiaans, L.; Kempenaar, C.; Weide, van der R.Y.

2008-01-01

With the changing position of agriculture in the world the challenges for weed management and weed science are changing as well. In this paper recent developments in weed science with respect to several aspects of weed management are discussed in relation to those changes. Developments in cultural

Rounding Up the Astrophysical Weeds

Science.gov (United States)

McMillan, James P.

2016-09-01

New instruments used for astronomy such as ALMA, Herschel, and SOFIA have greatly increased the quality of available astrophysical data. These improved data contain spectral lines and features which are not accounted for in the quantum mechanical (QM) catalogs. A class of molecules has been identified as being particularly problematic, the so-called "weeds". These molecules have numerous transitions, of non-trivial intensity, which are difficult to model due to highly perturbed low lying vibrational states. The inability to properly describe the complete contribution of these weeds to the astrophysical data has led directly to the misidentification of other target molecules. Ohio State's Microwave Laboratory has developed an alternative approach to this problem. Rather than relying on complex QM calculations, we have developed a temperature dependent approach to laboratory based terahertz spectroscopy. We have developed a set of simple packages, in addition to traditional line list catalogs, that enable astronomers to successfully remove the weed signals from their data. This dissertation will detail my laboratory work and analysis of three keys weeds: methanol, methyl formate and methyl cyanide. Also, discussed will be the analytical technique I used to apply these laboratory results to astrophysical data.

The Power and Potential of Genomics in Weed Biology and Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravet, Karl; Patterson, Eric L; Krähmer, Hansjörg; Hamouzová, Kateřina; Fan, Longjiang; Jasieniuk, Marie; Lawton-Rauh, Amy; Malone, Jenna M; Scott McElroy, J; Merotto, Aldo; Westra, Philip; Preston, Christopher; Vila-Aiub, Martin M; Busi, Roberto; Tranel, Patrick J; Reinhardt, Carl; Saski, Christopher; Beffa, Roland; Neve, Paul; Gaines, Todd A

2018-04-24

There have been previous calls for, and efforts focused on, realizing the power and potential of weed genomics for better understanding of weeds. Sustained advances in genome sequencing and assembly technologies now make it possible for individual research groups to generate reference genomes for multiple weed species at reasonable costs. Here, we present the outcomes from several meetings, discussions, and workshops focused on establishing an International Weed Genomics Consortium (IWGC) for a coordinated international effort in weed genomics. We review the 'state of the art' in genomics and weed genomics, including technologies, applications, and on-going weed genome projects. We also report the outcomes from a workshop and a global survey of the weed science community to identify priority species, key biological questions, and weed management applications that can be addressed through greater availability of, and access to, genomic resources. Major focus areas include the evolution of herbicide resistance and weedy traits, the development of molecular diagnostics, and the identification of novel targets and approaches for weed management. There is increasing interest in, and need for, weed genomics, and the establishment of the IWGC will provide the necessary global platform for communication and coordination of weed genomics research. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Weed hosts of cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Vennila, S; Prasad, Y G; Prabhakar, M; Agarwal, Meenu; Sreedevi, G; Bambawale, O M

2013-03-01

The exotic cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) invaded India during 2006, and caused widespread infestation across all nine cotton growing states. P. solenopsis also infested weeds that aided its faster spread and increased severity across cotton fields. Two year survey carried out to document host plants of P. solenopsis between 2008 and 2010 revealed 27, 83, 59 and 108 weeds belonging to 8, 18, 10 and 32 families serving as alternate hosts at North, Central, South and All India cotton growing zones, respectively. Plant species of four families viz., Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae, Malvaceae and Lamiaceae constituted almost 50% of the weed hosts. While 39 weed species supported P. solenopsis multiplication during the cotton season, 37 were hosts during off season. Higher number of weeds as off season hosts (17) outnumbering cotton season (13) at Central over other zones indicated the strong carryover of the pest aided by weeds between two cotton seasons. Six, two and seven weed hosts had the extreme severity of Grade 4 during cotton, off and cotton + off seasons, respectively. Higher number of weed hosts of P. solenopsis were located at roadside: South (12) > Central (8) > North (3) zones. Commonality of weed hosts was higher between C+S zones, while no weed host was common between N+S zones. Paper furnishes the wide range of weed hosts of P. solenopsis, discusses their significance, and formulated general and specific cultural management strategies for nationwide implementation to prevent its outbreaks.

Image-based thresholds for weeds in maize fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asif, Ali; Streibig, Jens Carl; Christensen, Svend

2015-01-01

in some parts of the field and if late germinating weeds do not affect yield, it may not be necessary the spray such places from an economic point of view. Consequently, it makes sense to develop weed control thresholds for patch spraying, based on weed cover early in the growing season. In Danish maize...

Competição de plantas daninhas com a cultura do café em duas épocas de infestação Competition of weeds with coffee plants, in two times of infestation

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C.M.T. Fialho

2010-01-01

³ of substrate. The experiment was arranged in a randomized blocs, with four replications, in factorial design (2 x 4 x 2, with two weed species (Brachiaria decumbens and Brachiaria plantaginea, cultured per 90 days, in four densities (zero, two, four and six plants per pot, together with coffee seedlings of different ages: 60 and 180 days after transplanted. In the moment of the experiment harvest was evaluated the increment in plant height, in leaf area and in girth diameter of the coffee, dry matter of weeds and coffee, and coffee root density. It also estimated the leaf mass ratio, stem mass ratio, root mass ratio, root system/shoot ratio of coffee plants. The weeds provided negative interference in the characteristics evaluated. Verified was smaller increase of height, leaf area and total dry matter of coffee plants with the increase of weed density. The effects of plants interference were bigger when the interference was installed sooner. In this case smaller occurred accumulation of growth variables; however both grasses behaved of similar way not differing for the most variables. When the competition was installed later the coffee plants were more sensible to competition the B. plantaginea in relation to B. decumbens. The increase of weed densities promoted bigger allocation of photoassimilates for the shoot part in detriment to coffee root system.

Block models and personalized PageRank.

Science.gov (United States)

Kloumann, Isabel M; Ugander, Johan; Kleinberg, Jon

2017-01-03

Methods for ranking the importance of nodes in a network have a rich history in machine learning and across domains that analyze structured data. Recent work has evaluated these methods through the "seed set expansion problem": given a subset [Formula: see text] of nodes from a community of interest in an underlying graph, can we reliably identify the rest of the community? We start from the observation that the most widely used techniques for this problem, personalized PageRank and heat kernel methods, operate in the space of "landing probabilities" of a random walk rooted at the seed set, ranking nodes according to weighted sums of landing probabilities of different length walks. Both schemes, however, lack an a priori relationship to the seed set objective. In this work, we develop a principled framework for evaluating ranking methods by studying seed set expansion applied to the stochastic block model. We derive the optimal gradient for separating the landing probabilities of two classes in a stochastic block model and find, surprisingly, that under reasonable assumptions the gradient is asymptotically equivalent to personalized PageRank for a specific choice of the PageRank parameter [Formula: see text] that depends on the block model parameters. This connection provides a formal motivation for the success of personalized PageRank in seed set expansion and node ranking generally. We use this connection to propose more advanced techniques incorporating higher moments of landing probabilities; our advanced methods exhibit greatly improved performance, despite being simple linear classification rules, and are even competitive with belief propagation.

Effect of spatial arrangement and density on weed infestation and yield of maize (zea mays l.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saeed, M.; Huang, Z.; Huang, H.; Wei, S.

2016-01-01

Field experiments were conducted during summer season 2012 and consequently repeated in 2013 to assess the efficacy of row and plant spacing on weed infestation and yield of maize crop. The experiments were carried out in Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design with split plot arrangements. Three row spacings i.e. 60, 75 and 90 cm were assigned to main plots while different plant spacings i.e. 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm were allotted to subplots, respectively. The results showed that for both the years narrow row and plant spacing effectively suppressed weeds while wider row and plant spacing resulted in higher weed density. The data showed that the maximum weed density (202.07 and 218.70 m-2) was recorded in 90 cm row spacing in 2012 and 2013, respectively. However, among plant spacing highest weed density of 214.89 m-2 and 219.83 m-2 was recorded in 30 cm plant spacing during 2012 and 2013, respectively. The data regarding biological yield showed maximum biological yield in 60 cm row spacing while among plant spacing the highest biological yield was resulted in narrow plant spacing of 10 cm during both years. Furthermore, highest grain yield of 4928.9 kg ha-1 in 2012 and 5063.9 kg ha-1 in 2013 was recorded in 75 cm row spacing while lowest grain yield of 3026 kg ha-1 in 2012 and 3989 kg ha-1 in 2013 was observed for 90 cm row spacing. Among plant spacing highest grain yield of 4474.8 kg ha-1 and 5228.5 kg ha-1 was recorded in 15 cm plant spacing whereas lowest grain yield of 3554 kg ha-1 and 4010.6 kg ha-1 was observed for 30 cm row spacing in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The regression analysis also showed highest grain yield form 15-20 cm plant spacing during both years. Similarly the correlation data showed that with increase in weed density the grain yield decreases accordingly. The two years of research showed that narrow spacing (15-20 x 75 cm) enhanced the competitive ability of maize crop and suppressed weed growth. (author)

of different weed control methods on Weed infestation, growth

African Journals Online (AJOL)

thinkexploitsint'l

This weed control method also resulted in significantly better growth and ... proper management, it is possible to obtain 2,500 kg ha-1 (Onwueme and Sinha, 1991). ... however, time consuming, labour – intensive, strenuous and generally ...

Rankings of International Achievement Test Performance and Economic Strength: Correlation or Conjecture?

Science.gov (United States)

Tienken, Christopher H.

2008-01-01

Examining a popular political notion, this article presents results from a series of Spearman Rho calculations conducted to investigate relationships between countries' rankings on international tests of mathematics and science and future economic competitiveness as measured by the 2006 World Economic Forum's Growth Competitiveness Index (GCI).…

Evaluation of yield quality and weed infestation of common valerian (Valeriana officinalis L. in dependence on weed control method and forecrop.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cezary Kwiatkowski

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A field experiment involving the cultivation of common valerian was conducted on loess soil in Abramów (Lublin region in the period 2007-2009. Qualitative parameters of herbal raw material obtained from this plant as well as in-crop weed infestation were evaluated depending on the protection method and forecrop. Hand-weeded plots, in which a hand hoe was used, were the control. In the other treatments, weeds were controlled using various herbicides and a mechanical implement (brush weeder. Potato and winter wheat + field pea cover crop were the forecrops for common valerian crops. A hypothesis was made that the use of a brush weeder and herbicides not registered for application in valerian crops would have a positive effect on this plant's productivity and weed infestation in its crops. It was also assumed that the introduction of a cover crop would allow the elimination of differences in the forecrop value of the crop stands in question. The best quantitative and qualitative parameters of common valerian raw material as well as the largest reduction of incrop weed infestation were recorded after the application of the herbicides which were not type approved. The use of the brush weeder in the interrows also had a beneficial effect on productivity of the plant in question, but secondary weed infestation at the end of the growing season of common valerian turned out to be its disadvantage. Traditional crop protection methods used in common valerian crops were less effective in weed infestation reduction and they resulted in lower plant productivity and raw material quality. Potato proved to be a better forecrop for common valerian than winter wheat + field pea; however, this positive effect was not confirmed statistically. The following annual weeds: Chenopodium album, Galinsoga parviflora, Stellaria media, were predominant in the common valerian crop. Traditional weed control methods resulted in the dominance of some dicotyledonous weeds, such

Weed identification using an automated active shape matching (AASM) technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

C. Swain, Kishore; Nørremark, Michael; Jørgensen, Rasmus Nyholm

2011-01-01

Weed identification and control is a challenge for intercultural operations in agriculture. As an alternative to chemical pest control, a smart weed identification technique followed by mechanical weed control system could be developed. The proposed smart identification technique works on the con......Weed identification and control is a challenge for intercultural operations in agriculture. As an alternative to chemical pest control, a smart weed identification technique followed by mechanical weed control system could be developed. The proposed smart identification technique works...... on the concept of ‘active shape modelling’ to identify weed and crop plants based on their morphology. The automated active shape matching system (AASM) technique consisted of, i) a Pixelink camera ii) an LTI (Lehrstuhlfuer technische informatik) image processing library, iii) a laptop pc with the Linux OS. A 2...

Precise tillage systems for enhanced non-chemical weed management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kurstjens, D.A.G.

2007-01-01

Soil and residue manipulation can assist weed management by killing weeds mechanically, interfering in weed lifecycles, facilitating operations and enhancing crop establishment and growth. Current tillage systems often compromise these functions, resulting in heavy reliance on herbicides,

Seeding method and rate influence on weed suppression in aerobic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

High weed pressure is amongst the major constraints to the extensive adoption of aerobic rice system as a water-wise technique. Towards developing a sustainable weed management strategy, seeding method and rate may substantially contribute to weed suppression and reduce herbicide use and weeding cost. A trough ...

Wallowa Canyonlands Weed Partnership : Completion Report November 19, 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Porter, Mark C.; Ketchum, Sarah

2008-12-30

Noxious weeds threaten fish and wildlife habitat by contributing to increased sedimentation rates, diminishing riparian structure and function, and reducing forage quality and quantity. Wallowa Resources Wallowa Canyonlands Partnership (WCP) protects the unique ecological and economic values of the Hells Canyon grasslands along lower Joseph Creek, the lower Grande Ronde and Imnaha Rivers from invasion and degradation by noxious weeds using Integrated Weed Management techniques. Objectives of this grant were to inventory and map high priority weeds, coordinate treatment of those weeds, release and monitor bio-control agents, educate the public as to the dangers of noxious weeds and how to deal with them, and restore lands to productive plant communities after treatment. With collaborative help from partners, WCP inventoried {approx} 215,000 upland acres and 52.2 miles of riparian habitat, released bio-controls at 23 sites, and educated the public through posters, weed profiles, newspaper articles, and radio advertisements. Additionally, WCP used other sources of funding to finance the treatment of 1,802 acres during the course of this grant.

An exploration of competitiveness and caring in relation to psychopathology.

Science.gov (United States)

McEwan, Kirsten; Gilbert, Paul; Duarte, Joana

2012-03-01

Social mentality theory outlines how specialist systems have evolved to facilitate different types of social behaviour such as caring for offspring, forming alliances, and competing for resources. This research explored how different types of self-experience are linked to the different social mentalities of competitive social ranking (focusing on gaining and defending one's social position/status/rank) in contrast to caring (being helpful to others). Perceived low social rank (with feelings of being inferior and unfavourable social comparison, SC) has been linked to depression, but a caring sense of self has less so. We hypothesized therefore that depression, in both clinical and non-clinical populations, would be primarily linked to competitive and rank focused sense of self rather than a caring sense of self. Students (N = 312) and patients with depression (N = 48) completed self-report scales measuring: self-experience related to competitiveness and caring; social rank; social safeness; and depression, anxiety, and stress. The data suggest that in students, and particularly in patients, competitiveness (and feeling unsuccessful in competing for resources) is strongly associated with depression. Although caring shares a small correlation with depression in students, and with depression, anxiety, and stress in patients, when controlling for the rank variable of submissive behaviour this relationship ceases to be significant. Submissive behaviour was found to be a full mediator between caring and depression. We also found that how safe and comfortable one feels in one's social relationships (social safeness), was a full mediator between competitiveness and depression. So, it is the feeling of being unable to compete where one does not feel secure in one's social environment that is particularly linked to depression. The results of this study suggest that self-experience is complex and multifaceted and is linked to different social roles that are socially

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF WEEDS BY MEANS OF PLANT PATHOGENS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marija Ravlić

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Biological control is the use of live beneficial organisms and products of their metabolism in the pests control. Plant pathogens can be used for weed control in three different ways: as classical, conservation and augmentative (inoculative and inundated biological control. Inundated biological control involves the use of bioherbicides (mycoherbicides or artificial breeding of pathogens and application in specific stages of crops and weeds. Biological control of weeds can be used where chemical herbicides are not allowed, if resistant weed species are present or in the integrated pest management against weeds with reduced herbicides doses and other non-chemical measures, but it has certain limitations and disadvantages.

Cover crop-based ecological weed management: exploration and optimization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruidhof, H.M.

2008-01-01

Keywords: organic farming, ecologically-based weed management, cover crops, green manure, allelopathy, Secale cereale, Brassica napus, Medicago sativa

Cover crop-based ecological weed management: exploration and optimization. In organic farming systems, weed control is recognized as one

Estimating economic thresholds for site-specific weed control using manual weed counts and sensor technology: an example based on three winter wheat trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Martina; Gutjahr, Christoph; Möhring, Jens; Weis, Martin; Sökefeld, Markus; Gerhards, Roland

2014-02-01

Precision experimental design uses the natural heterogeneity of agricultural fields and combines sensor technology with linear mixed models to estimate the effect of weeds, soil properties and herbicide on yield. These estimates can be used to derive economic thresholds. Three field trials are presented using the precision experimental design in winter wheat. Weed densities were determined by manual sampling and bi-spectral cameras, yield and soil properties were mapped. Galium aparine, other broad-leaved weeds and Alopecurus myosuroides reduced yield by 17.5, 1.2 and 12.4 kg ha(-1) plant(-1)  m(2) in one trial. The determined thresholds for site-specific weed control with independently applied herbicides were 4, 48 and 12 plants m(-2), respectively. Spring drought reduced yield effects of weeds considerably in one trial, since water became yield limiting. A negative herbicide effect on the crop was negligible, except in one trial, in which the herbicide mixture tended to reduce yield by 0.6 t ha(-1). Bi-spectral cameras for weed counting were of limited use and still need improvement. Nevertheless, large weed patches were correctly identified. The current paper presents a new approach to conducting field trials and deriving decision rules for weed control in farmers' fields. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of cowpea and melon populations on weed infestation and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Small farmers in the humid regions of tropical Africa spend 30–42% of their total farm labour input in controlling weeds. Chemical weed control is normally recommended but high cost of herbicides and environmental pollution are specific problems with chemical weed control. A three year bio-weed control system with three ...

Chemical Weed Control in Saffron (Crocus sativus Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

majid abbaspoor

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction Saffron is derived from the stigmas of the saffron (Crocus sativus L. It is the world’s most expensive spice and has been widely used in many countries. It is also increasingly used for medicinal purposes. Weed control in this perennial, small and low growing crop, needs a lot of labor work. Chemical approach is one of the most effective methods for weed control in saffron. Currently, some herbicide options are available for applications in saffron. For example, satisfactory broadleaved weed control would be achieved by post-emergence application of metribuzin and ioxynil after harvesting saffron flowers. Application of glyphosate and/or 2, 4-D / 2, 4-DB are used to clean up the beds prior to the new season’s flowering and growth of saffron in New Zealand. The selective weed control of weeds in saffron has not been widely reported elsewhere but some in Iran. The choice of herbicide(s depends on the kind of weeds present. In some literatures metribuzin showed promising results for weed control in saffron fields. It is selectively used for control of annual grasses and numerous broad-leaved weeds. The objective of this study was the evaluation of the efficacy of 15 herbicides with different mode of actions, selected on the basis of dominant weed flora and previous studies, on weeds grown in saffron fields. Materials and Methods A field study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of herbicides for weed control in saffron (Crocus sativus in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Khorasan Razavi Province, Mashhad, in 2014-2015 growing season. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with three replications. Treatments were consisted of metsulfuron-methyl + sulfosulfuron (Total® at dose of 40 g ha-1, sulfosulfuron (Apirus® at dose of 26.6 g ha-1, oxadiazon (Ronestar® at dose of 2 l ha-1, oxyflurofen (Goal® at dose of 2 l ha-1, mesosulfuron + idosulfuron + diflufenican

Dinamica y manejo de poblaciones de malas hierbas Dynamics and management of weed populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milagros S. Saavedra

1994-01-01

Full Text Available El presente trabajo es una revisión de la modelización de estudios de dinámica de poblaciones de malas hierbas, que fue presentada como ponencia en el XVIII Congresso Brasile iro de Herbicida s e Plant as Daninh as en 1991, Brasília. Partiendo de la población, como unidad básica de los ecosistemas agrarios, se relacionan diferentes modelos de dinámica incluyendo el fenómeno de competencia intra específica, la evolución del banco de semillas y aplicaciones a la asociación cultivo y mala hierba. A través de los diagramas de ciclos vitales, que relacionan los estados funcionales y los procesos demográficos, se llega al establecimiento del modelo matricial.This literature review is a report about the study model of weed population dynamics, which was presented at the XVIII Congress of the Brazilian Weed Science Society, held in Brasilia, Brazil, 1991. Starting from population as the basic block of farm ecosystems, different models of dynamics are related, including the phenomenon of intraspecific competition, the evolution of seed banks, and applications to the weed/crop asso ciation. Through life cycle diagrams, which relates the functional status and the demographic processes, it is possible to achieve a matricial model.

Can Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Reduce the Growth of Agricultural Weeds?

Science.gov (United States)

Veiga, Rita S. L.; Jansa, Jan; Frossard, Emmanuel; van der Heijden, Marcel G. A.

2011-01-01

Background Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known for their beneficial effects on plants. However, there is increasing evidence that some ruderal plants, including several agricultural weeds, respond negatively to AMF colonization. Here, we investigated the effect of AMF on the growth of individual weed species and on weed-crop interactions. Methodology/Principal Findings First, under controlled glasshouse conditions, we screened growth responses of nine weed species and three crops to a widespread AMF, Glomus intraradices. None of the weeds screened showed a significant positive mycorrhizal growth response and four weed species were significantly reduced by the AMF (growth responses between −22 and −35%). In a subsequent experiment, we selected three of the negatively responding weed species – Echinochloa crus-galli, Setaria viridis and Solanum nigrum – and analyzed their responses to a combination of three AMF (Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae and Glomus claroideum). Finally, we tested whether the presence of a crop (maize) enhanced the suppressive effect of AMF on weeds. We found that the growth of the three selected weed species was also reduced by a combination of AMF and that the presence of maize amplified the negative effect of AMF on the growth of E. crus-galli. Conclusions/Significance Our results show that AMF can negatively influence the growth of some weed species indicating that AMF have the potential to act as determinants of weed community structure. Furthermore, mycorrhizal weed growth reductions can be amplified in the presence of a crop. Previous studies have shown that AMF provide a number of beneficial ecosystem services. Taken together with our current results, the maintenance and promotion of AMF activity may thereby contribute to sustainable management of agroecosystems. However, in order to further the practical and ecological relevance of our findings, additional experiments should be performed under field conditions. PMID

Focus on ecological weed management : what is hindering adoption?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bastiaans, L.; Paolini, R.; Baumann, D.T.

2008-01-01

Despite increased concerns regarding the heavy reliance of many cropping systems on chemical weed control, adoption of ecological weed management practices is only steadily progressing. For this reason, this paper reflects on both the possibilities and limitations of cultural weed control practices.

Biological Efficacy of Herbicides for Weed Control in Noncropped Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsvetanka Dimitrova

2009-01-01

Full Text Available An increasing problem facing agricultural producers is the invasion of weeds, perennial in particular, so that implementation of industrial technologies is impossible without their highly efficient and rational control. For the purpose of studying efficient herbicides for weed control in noncropped areas (stubbles, a biological study of five total systemic herbicides was conducted in areas under natural weed infestation and pressure from othersurrounding weeds at the Institute of Forage Crops in Pleven in 2005-2007. The trials were carried out in field conditions using the block method with plot size of 20 m². Treatment was conducted at the predominant stage of budding of perennial dicotyledonous weeds and earing of monocotyledonous weeds. Herbicidal efficacy was recorded on the EWRS 9-score scale (0-100% killed weeds = score 9-1. It was found that treatment of noncropped areas (stubbles with the total systemic herbicides Touchdown System 4 (360 g/l glyphosate; Cosmic (360 g/l glyphosate; Roundup Plus (441 g/l glyphosate potassium salt; Leon 36 SL (360 g/l glyphosate and Glyphos Super 45 SL (450 g/l glyphosate was highly efficient, so that it was a successful element of a strategy for controlling weeds of different biological groups, and was especially effective against perennial weeds.

RELATIVE COMPETITIVENESS OF GOOSEGRASS BIOTYPES AND SOYBEAN CROPS

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JADER JOB FRANCO

2017-01-01

Full Text Available he goosegrass ( Eleusine indica (L. Gaertn is an annual plant that has a low - level resistance to glyphosate (LLRG, resulting in control failure in genetically modified soybean crops for resistance to this herbicide. Alleles related to resistance may cause changes in the plant biotype, such as inferior competitive ability. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluated the competitive ability of soybean crops and susceptible and resistant (LLRG goosegrass biotypes. Replacement series experiments were conducted with soybean crops and goosegrass biotypes. The ratios of soybean to susceptible or resistant (LLRG goosegrass plants were 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100, with a total population of 481 plants m - 2 . The leaf area, plant height and shoot dry weight were evaluated at 40 days after emergence of the soybean crops and weeds. The soybean crop had superior competitive ability to the susceptible and resistant (LLRG goosegrass biotypes. The soybean crop showed similar competitive ability in both competitions, either with the susceptible or resistant (LLRG goosegrass biotypes. The intraspecific competition was more harmful to the soybean crop, while the interspecific competition caused greater damage to the goosegrass biotypes competing with the soybean crop

Weeds and ground-dwelling predators' response to two different weed management systems in glyphosate-tolerant cotton: A farm-scale study.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Ruiz, Esteban; Loureiro, Íñigo; Farinós, Gema P; Gómez, Pablo; Gutiérrez, Elena; Sánchez, Francisco Javier; Escorial, María Concepción; Ortego, Félix; Chueca, María Cristina; Castañera, Pedro

2018-01-01

The use of glyphosate, as a post-emergence broad-spectrum herbicide in genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant (GT) cotton, supposes a big change in weed management programs with respect to a conventional regime. Thus, alterations in arable flora and arthropod fauna must be considered when evaluating their potential impacts. A 3-year farm-scale study was conducted in a 2-ha GT cotton crop, in southern Spain, to compare the effects of conventional and glyphosate herbicide regimes on weed abundance and diversity and their consequences for ground-dwelling predators. Surveys reveal that weed density was relatively low within all treatments with a few dominant species, with significantly higher weed densities and modifications of the floristic composition in glyphosate-treated plots that led to an increase in the abundance of Portulaca oleracea and to a reduction in plant diversity. The activity-density of the main predatory arthropod taxa (spiders, ground beetles, rove beetles and earwigs) varied among years, but no significant differences were obtained between conventional and glyphosate herbicide regimes. However, significant differences between treatments were obtained for ground beetles species richness and diversity, being higher under the glyphosate herbicide regime, and a positive correlation with weed density could be established for both parameters. The implications of these findings to weed control in GT cotton are discussed.

RNAseq reveals weed-induced PIF3-like as a candidate target to manipulate weed stress response in soybean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Horvath, David P; Hansen, Stephanie A; Moriles-Miller, Janet P; Pierik, Ronald; Yan, Changhui; Clay, David E; Scheffler, Brian; Clay, Sharon A

Weeds reduce yield in soybeans (Glycine max) through incompletely defined mechanisms. The effects of weeds on the soybean transcriptome were evaluated in field conditions during four separate growing seasons. RNASeq data were collected from six biological samples of soybeans growing with or without

Evaluation of mulching materials as integrated weed management component in maize crop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, F.U.

2014-01-01

Yield losses by weeds in maize crop and demonstrated efficacy of various mulches in weed management led to check the efficacy of various available mulches for suppressing weeds in maize crop at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad during kharif (autumn) season 2011. The experiment was laid in Randomized Complete Block Design, (RBCD) having eight treatments and four replications. The treatments were black plastic, white plastic, sugarcane straw, wheat straw, live mulch, weeds as mulch, hand weeding and weedy check. Weed data included weed density m, fresh and dry weight g m, while crop data included crop density m, fresh and dry weight g m, number of plant plot, stover yield (g), plant height (cm), number of cobs plant, number of leaves plant, average grain number of five cobs and grain yield (t ha). With the exception of hand weeding, minimum number of weeds 128 m and 164 m were recorded in black plastic and weeds as mulch, respectively, compared to 595 min weedy check. Similarly, maximum grain yields (1.91 and 1.85 tha) were recorded in black plastic and weeds as mulch, while minimum grain yield (0.64 t ha) was recorded in weedy check plots. The economic net returns of black plastic mulch and weeds as mulch were Rs. 39,824 and Rs. 38,291, respectively as compared to Rs. 21431 for weedy check. Yield increased by 21.1 and 16.5% over hand weeding by plastic mulch and weeds as mulch, respectively. Black plastic followed by weeds as mulch, are recommended to control weeds and get maximum yield as well as net economic return. (author)

College Rankings Inflation: Are You Overpaying for Prestige? Education Outlook. No. 3

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Frederick M.; Hochleitner, Taryn

2012-01-01

College ranking guides such as Barron's "Profiles of American Colleges" and "US News and World Report" serve as bibles for college applicants and their families. The schools they proclaim as most competitive or elite receive a flood of applications, despite their often-hefty price tags. However, the ranks of the top-tier schools are growing,…

The weeding handbook a shelf-by-shelf guide

CERN Document Server

Vnuk, Rebecca

2015-01-01

"No! We can't rid of that!" Vnuk, author of the popular "Weeding Tips" column on Booklist Online, is here to show you that yes, you can. A library is an ever-changing organism; when done the right way, weeding helps a library thrive by focusing its resources on those parts of the collection that are the most useful to its users. Her handbook takes the guesswork out of this delicate but necessary process, giving public and school library staff the knowledge and the confidence to effectively weed any collection, of any size. Going through the proverbial stacks shelf by shelf, Vnuk: Explains why weeding is important for a healthy library, demonstrating that a vibrant collection leads to robust circulation, which in turn affects library budgets Walks readers through a library's shelves by Dewey area, with recommended weeding criteria and call-outs in each area for the different considerations of large collections and smaller collections Features a chapter addressing reference, media, magazines and newspapers, e-b...

Weed Mapping with Co-Kriging Using Soil Properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heisel, Torben; Ersbøll, Annette Kjær; Andreasen, Christian

1999-01-01

Our aim is to build reliable weed maps to control weeds in patches. Weed sampling is time consuming but there are some shortcuts. If an intensively sampled variable (e.g. soil property) can be used to improve estimation of a sparsely sampled variable (e.g. weed distribution), one can reduce weed...... sampling. The geostatistical estimation method co-kriging uses two or more sampled variables, which are correlated, to improve the estimation of one of the variables at locations where it was not sampled. We did an experiment on a 2.1 ha winter wheat field to compare co-kriging using soil properties......, with kriging based only on one variable. The results showed that co-kriging Lamium spp. from 96 0.25m2 sample plots ha-1 with silt content improved the prediction variance by 11% compared to kriging. With 51 or 18 sample plots ha-1 the prediction variance was improved by 21 and 15%....

Problems and achievements of cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L. weeds control

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T. Barakova

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Weed control in the cultivation of cotton is critical to the yield and quality of production. The influence of economically important weeds was studied. Chemical control is the most effective method of weed control in cotton but much of the information on it relates to primary weed infestation. Problems with primary weed infestation in cotton have been solved to a significant extent. The question of secondary weed infestation with annual and perennial graminaceous weeds during the period of cotton vegetation is also determined largely by the use of antigraminaceous herbicides. The data related to herbicides to effectively control secondary germinated broadleaf weeds in conventional technology for cotton growing are quite scarce, even globally. We are still seeking effective herbicides for control of these weeds in cotton crops. Studies on their influence on the sowing characteristics of cotton seed and the quality of cotton fiber are still insufficient. In the scientific literature there is not enough information on these questions. The combinations of herbicides, as well as their tank mixtures with fertilizers or plant growth regulators are more efficient than autonomous application. Often during their combined application higher synergistic effect on yield is produced. There is information about cotton cultivars resistant to glyphosate. These cultivars are GMO and they are banned within the European Union, including Bulgaria.

Dynamics of weed populations : spatial pattern formation and implications for control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wallinga, J.

1998-01-01

Modelling studies were carried out to analyse spatio-temporal dynamics of annual weed populations and to identify the key factors that determine the long-term herbicide use of weed control programmes. Three different weed control programmes were studied.

In the first weed

Analysis of the Heterogeneity of Weed Infestation in Cereal Stands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Winkler

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the heterogeneity of the incidence of individual weed species on a selected experimental field. This field was situated in the cadastre of the village Žabčice (South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. To evaluate the intensity of weed infestation, a field experiment was established. In 2011, altogether 33 weed species were identified in a stand of spring barley. In the next year, the total number of weeds in a stand of winter wheat was 22. Basing on results of the evaluation of infestation heterogeneity it was possible to detect the following trends: The first one concerned the incidence of significantly dominant species Chenopodium album and Veronica hederifolia in stands of spring barley and winter wheat, respectively. The second one expressed the incidence of the so-called sub-dominant species. Regarding the character of the incidence of these weed species it would be suitable to kill them by means of a targeted application of herbicides. Finally, the third trend concerned the incidence of that group of weeds that occurred in the major part of the experimental plot but in low numbers only. The abundance of these species was minimal and the total number of weed plants did not exceed the limit of 100 specimens. This group of weeds involved also those species that were markedly more frequent on plots situated closer to the margin of the experimental field. The targeted application of herbicides can be performed on plots with a lower level of weed infestation; another possibility, however, seems to be a targeted intervention that helps to control the incidence of a certain weed species and/or that is performed along the margin of the field where the different weed species are more frequent.

Distribution of parthenium weed in peshawar valley, khyber pakhtunkhwa- pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, H.; Marwat, K.B.; Hassan, M.G.; Khan, M.A.; Hashim, S.

2014-01-01

Parthenium hysterophorus L. is a weed of national significance in Pakistan. Although infesting many districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but more affected districts are Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda and Peshawar where it is highly invasive and invaded most of the open spaces roadsides, etc and threatening the local biodiversity. Field survey of four districts of the Peshawar valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa viz. Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda and Peshawar were carried out during May-June, 2009-2010 to study the distribution and invasion of parthenium weed. Twenty five locations were sampled from each district. Data regarding absolute and relative density, frequency, relative frequency, importance valve %, average importance value, constancy classes and importance value constancy index of parthenium weed and other weeds of the area were recorded by using (1x1 m2) quadrate. The mean data across the surveyed districts reveals that the flora is predominated by parthenium weed with the highest relative density of 42.68% among all species. It was followed by Cannabis sativa, Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus, with relative densities of 15.17, 13.49 and 5.96, respectively. At different locations, it was observed that parthenium weed is competing with Cannabis sativa which is not so aggressive and problematic weed. While in some areas parthenium weed has already replaced Cannabis sativa. Mean distribution data showed that parthenium weed infestation was abundant and almost not uniform in all districts, however highest relative frequency of 26.14% was recorded for parthenium weed followed by Cannabis sativa, Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus having relative frequency of 15.17, 13.49 and 9.14, respectively. Rumex crispus and Xanthium strumarium infatuated the smallest relative frequency at most of the locations studied thereby indicating them as insignificant among the weed flora of the study area. Importance value data revealed that P. hysterophorus, Cannabis sativa, Cynodon

Distribution of parthenium weed in peshawar valley, khyber pakhtunkhwa- pakistan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, H.; Marwat, K. B.; Hassan, M. G.; Khan, M. A.; Hashim, S. [The University of Agriculture, Peshawar (Pakistan). Dept. of Weed Sciences

2014-01-15

Parthenium hysterophorus L. is a weed of national significance in Pakistan. Although infesting many districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but more affected districts are Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda and Peshawar where it is highly invasive and invaded most of the open spaces roadsides, etc and threatening the local biodiversity. Field survey of four districts of the Peshawar valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa viz. Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda and Peshawar were carried out during May-June, 2009-2010 to study the distribution and invasion of parthenium weed. Twenty five locations were sampled from each district. Data regarding absolute and relative density, frequency, relative frequency, importance valve %, average importance value, constancy classes and importance value constancy index of parthenium weed and other weeds of the area were recorded by using (1x1 m2) quadrate. The mean data across the surveyed districts reveals that the flora is predominated by parthenium weed with the highest relative density of 42.68% among all species. It was followed by Cannabis sativa, Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus, with relative densities of 15.17, 13.49 and 5.96, respectively. At different locations, it was observed that parthenium weed is competing with Cannabis sativa which is not so aggressive and problematic weed. While in some areas parthenium weed has already replaced Cannabis sativa. Mean distribution data showed that parthenium weed infestation was abundant and almost not uniform in all districts, however highest relative frequency of 26.14% was recorded for parthenium weed followed by Cannabis sativa, Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus having relative frequency of 15.17, 13.49 and 9.14, respectively. Rumex crispus and Xanthium strumarium infatuated the smallest relative frequency at most of the locations studied thereby indicating them as insignificant among the weed flora of the study area. Importance value data revealed that P. hysterophorus, Cannabis sativa, Cynodon

High-residue cultivation timing impact on organic no-till soybean weed management

Science.gov (United States)

A cereal rye cover crop mulch can suppress summer annual weeds early in the soybean growing season. However, a multi-tactic weed management approach is required when annual weed seedbanks are large or perennial weeds are present. In such situations, the weed suppression from a cereal rye mulch can b...

Weed Growth Stage Estimator Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teimouri, Nima; Dyrmann, Mads; Nielsen, Per Rydahl

2018-01-01

This study outlines a new method of automatically estimating weed species and growth stages (from cotyledon until eight leaves are visible) of in situ images covering 18 weed species or families. Images of weeds growing within a variety of crops were gathered across variable environmental conditi...... in estimating the number of leaves and 96% accuracy when accepting a deviation of two leaves. These results show that this new method of using deep convolutional neural networks has a relatively high ability to estimate early growth stages across a wide variety of weed species....

Herbicide-resistant crops: utilities and limitations for herbicide-resistant weed management.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Jerry M; Owen, Micheal D K

2011-06-08

Since 1996, genetically modified herbicide-resistant (HR) crops, particularly glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops, have transformed the tactics that corn, soybean, and cotton growers use to manage weeds. The use of GR crops continues to grow, but weeds are adapting to the common practice of using only glyphosate to control weeds. Growers using only a single mode of action to manage weeds need to change to a more diverse array of herbicidal, mechanical, and cultural practices to maintain the effectiveness of glyphosate. Unfortunately, the introduction of GR crops and the high initial efficacy of glyphosate often lead to a decline in the use of other herbicide options and less investment by industry to discover new herbicide active ingredients. With some exceptions, most growers can still manage their weed problems with currently available selective and HR crop-enabled herbicides. However, current crop management systems are in jeopardy given the pace at which weed populations are evolving glyphosate resistance. New HR crop technologies will expand the utility of currently available herbicides and enable new interim solutions for growers to manage HR weeds, but will not replace the long-term need to diversify weed management tactics and discover herbicides with new modes of action. This paper reviews the strengths and weaknesses of anticipated weed management options and the best management practices that growers need to implement in HR crops to maximize the long-term benefits of current technologies and reduce weed shifts to difficult-to-control and HR weeds.

Living Mulch Performance in a Tropical Cotton System and Impact on Yield and Weed Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinay Bhaskar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. is a major crop in the Vidarbha region of central India. The vertisol soils on which much of the cotton is grown have been severely degraded by the tropical climate, excessive tillage and depletion of organic matter. Living mulches have the ability to mitigate these problems but they can cause crop losses through direct competition with the cotton crop and unreliable weed control. Field experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 at four locations in Vidarbha to study the potential for growing living mulches in mono-cropped cotton. Living mulch species evaluated included gliricidia [Gliricidia sepium (Jacq. Kunth ex Walp.], sesbania [Sesbania sesban (L. Merr.], sorghum sudan grass [Sorghum bicolor (L. Moench × Sorghum bicolor (L. Moench ssp. Drummondii (Nees ex Steud. de Wet & Harlan] and sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.. Living mulch height was controlled through mowing and herbicides were not used. Living mulches generated 1 to 13 tons ha−1 of dry matter across sites and years. Weed cover was negatively correlated with both living mulch biomass and cover. Where living mulches were vigorous and established quickly, weed cover was as low as 7%, without the use of herbicides, or inter-row tillage. In a dry year, living mulch growth had a negative impact on cotton yield; however, in a year when soil moisture was not limiting, there was a positive relationship between cotton yield and living mulch biomass. Use of living mulches in cotton production in the Vidarbha region of India is feasible and can lead to both effective weed suppression and acceptable cotton yields.

The competitiveness versus the wealth of a country.

Science.gov (United States)

Podobnik, Boris; Horvatić, Davor; Kenett, Dror Y; Stanley, H Eugene

2012-01-01

Politicians world-wide frequently promise a better life for their citizens. We find that the probability that a country will increase its per capita GDP (gdp) rank within a decade follows an exponential distribution with decay constant λ = 0.12. We use the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) and find that the distribution of change in CPI (GCI) rank follows exponential functions with approximately the same exponent as λ, suggesting that the dynamics of gdp, CPI, and GCI may share the same origin. Using the GCI, we develop a new measure, which we call relative competitiveness, to evaluate an economy's competitiveness relative to its gdp. For all European and EU countries during the 2008-2011 economic downturn we find that the drop in gdp in more competitve countries relative to gdp was substantially smaller than in relatively less competitive countries, which is valuable information for policymakers.

The competitiveness versus the wealth of a country

Science.gov (United States)

Podobnik, Boris; Horvatić, Davor; Kenett, Dror Y.; Stanley, H. Eugene

2012-09-01

Politicians world-wide frequently promise a better life for their citizens. We find that the probability that a country will increase its per capita GDP (gdp) rank within a decade follows an exponential distribution with decay constant λ = 0.12. We use the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) and find that the distribution of change in CPI (GCI) rank follows exponential functions with approximately the same exponent as λ, suggesting that the dynamics of gdp, CPI, and GCI may share the same origin. Using the GCI, we develop a new measure, which we call relative competitiveness, to evaluate an economy's competitiveness relative to its gdp. For all European and EU countries during the 2008-2011 economic downturn we find that the drop in gdp in more competitve countries relative to gdp was substantially smaller than in relatively less competitive countries, which is valuable information for policymakers.

Weeds and ground-dwelling predators′ response to two different weed management systems in glyphosate-tolerant cotton: A farm-scale study

Science.gov (United States)

Farinós, Gema P.; Gómez, Pablo; Gutiérrez, Elena; Sánchez, Francisco Javier; Escorial, María Concepción; Ortego, Félix; Chueca, María Cristina; Castañera, Pedro

2018-01-01

The use of glyphosate, as a post-emergence broad-spectrum herbicide in genetically modified glyphosate-tolerant (GT) cotton, supposes a big change in weed management programs with respect to a conventional regime. Thus, alterations in arable flora and arthropod fauna must be considered when evaluating their potential impacts. A 3-year farm-scale study was conducted in a 2-ha GT cotton crop, in southern Spain, to compare the effects of conventional and glyphosate herbicide regimes on weed abundance and diversity and their consequences for ground-dwelling predators. Surveys reveal that weed density was relatively low within all treatments with a few dominant species, with significantly higher weed densities and modifications of the floristic composition in glyphosate-treated plots that led to an increase in the abundance of Portulaca oleracea and to a reduction in plant diversity. The activity-density of the main predatory arthropod taxa (spiders, ground beetles, rove beetles and earwigs) varied among years, but no significant differences were obtained between conventional and glyphosate herbicide regimes. However, significant differences between treatments were obtained for ground beetles species richness and diversity, being higher under the glyphosate herbicide regime, and a positive correlation with weed density could be established for both parameters. The implications of these findings to weed control in GT cotton are discussed. PMID:29351549

Weed species diversity in organic and integrated farming systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena Jastrzębska

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Phytosociological data were collected in 1994–1996 in plots (relevés at the Research Station for Organic Farming and Conservation Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Popielno included in a large-area experiment conducted according to the concept and method proposed by Prof. S. Nawrocki. In a four-field crop rotation (root crops – spring barley undersown with red clover and grasses – red clover/grass mixture – winter triticale, each field was divided into two management units, organic and integrated. Data were collected in relevés by the Braun-Blanquet method, each year at the peak of the growing season. Weed abundance (% cover in cultivated fields and the number of weed species (species richness in crops were determined, which provided a basis for calculating the Shannon-Wiener indices of species diversity and evenness, and the Rényi profiles. The qualitative (species and quantitative structure of weed communities was compared using the Sørensen index. A total of 115 weed taxa (species, subspecies and varieties were identified in the examined agro-phytocenoses. Echinochloa crus-galli, Chenopodium album, Matricaria maritima subsp. inodora, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Thlaspi arvense and Stellaria media were the most abundant. Weed infestation was slightly higher in the organic farming system than in the integrated system. Organic farming contributed to higher weed species diversity in root crops, red clover/grass mixtures and winter triticale. Weed species richness was reduced in red clover/grass stands, while root crops and – to a lesser degree – spring barley undersown with red clover and grasses decreased weed species diversity. The species composition and in particular the quantitative structure of weeds were affected by crop species and cultivation regime rather than by the farming system. Weed communities of crops grown under organic and integrated farming systems were more similar with regard to species composition

Study of Canopy Structure and Growth Characters Role of Two Wheat Cultivars in Competition, on Economic Threshold and Yield of Rye and Wild Mustard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Saadatian

2012-04-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the role of effective factors on competition of two wheat cultivars against two species of narrow leaf and broad leaf weeds this study was conducted as two separated experiments based on a randomized complete block design with 3 replications at Agricultural Faculty of Bu-Ali Sina University, in 2008-2009. In both Experiments, Alvand and Sayson cultivars were planted with densities of 450 plants m-2. In the 1st experiment, rye with densities of 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 plants m-2 were planted in inter-rows of wheat. In the 2nd experiment, wild mustard densities were 0, 8, 16, 24 and 32 plants m-2. The results showed that characters such as vertical distribution of leaf area index and dry matter, height and its increase rate in interference, emergence rate, rate of canopy development and precocity led to increasing competitive ability of Alvand than Sayson in competition with two weed species. These factors were effective in reduction seed production of weeds and economic threshold in Alvand. Despite of lower height of wild mustard than rye, distribution of leaf area and canopy structure of wild mustard increased light competition ability and shadow on crop, so that harmful effects of individual plant of wild mustard in different densities was more than rye. Increasing rate of wild mustard seed bank was more than ray.

Genetic parameters of eventing horse competition in France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chanu Isabelle

2001-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Genetic parameters of eventing horse competitions were estimated. About 13 000 horses, 30 000 annual results during 17 years and 110 000 starts in eventing competitions during 8 years were recorded. The measures of performance were logarithmic transformations of annual earnings, annual earnings per start, and annual earnings per place, and underlying variables responsible for ranks in each competition. Heritabilities were low (0.11/0.17 for annual results, 0.07 for ranks. Genetic correlations between criteria were high (greater than 0.90 except between ranks and earnings per place (0.58 or per start (0.67. Genetic correlations between ages (from 5 to 10 years old were also high (more than 0.85 and allow selection on early performances. The genetic correlation between the results in different levels of competition (high/international and low/amateur was near 1. Genetic correlations of eventing with other disciplines, which included partial aptitude needed for eventing, were very low for steeplechase races (0.18 and moderate with sport: jumping (0.45, dressage (0.58. The results suggest that selection on jumping performance will lead to some positive correlated response for eventing performance, but much more response could be obtained if a specific breeding objective and selection criteria were developed for eventing.

[Spatial and temporal dynamics of the weed community in the Zoysia matrella lawn].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jia-Qi; Li, You-Han; Zeng, Ying; Xie, Xin-Ming

2014-02-01

The heterogeneity of species composition is one of the main attributes in weed community dynamics. Based on species frequency and power law, this paper studied the variations of weed community species composition and spatial heterogeneity in a Zoysia matrella lawn in Guangzhou at different time. The results showed that there were 43 weed species belonging to 19 families in the Z. matrella lawn from 2007 to 2009, in which Gramineae, Compositae, Cyperaceae and Rubiaceae had a comparative advantage. Perennial weeds accounted for the largest proportion of weeds and increased gradually in the three years. Weed communities distributed in higher heterogeneity than in a random model. Dominant weeds varied with season and displayed regularity in the order of 'dicotyledon-monocotyledon-dicotyledon weeds' and 'perennial-annual-perennial weeds'. The spatial heterogeneity of weed community in Z. matrella lawn was higher in summer than in winter. The diversity and evenness of weed community were higher in summer and autumn than in winter and spring. The number of weed species with high heterogeneity in summer was higher than in the other seasons. The spatial heterogeneity and diversity of weed community had no significant change in the three years, while the evenness of weed community had the tendency to decline gradually.

Allelopathic assessment of selected common weeds in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Nurul Ain, M. B.; Nornasuha, Y.; Ismail, B. S.

2016-11-01

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the allelopathic potential of eight common weed species in Malaysia, namely, Ageratum conyzoides, Tridax procumbens, Cyperus iria, Fimbristylis miliacea, Eleusine indica, Imperata cylindrica, Lygodium flexuosum and Nephrolepis biserrata of different morphological characteristics (broadleaves, sedges, grasses and ferns). The allelopathic study of these weeds was carried out by testing the leaf litter leachate through the Sandwich method and the volatile compounds of these weeds through the Dish pack method with three replicates for each donor species. The results obtained from both methods were statistically analyzed and the means had converted to percentage growth inhibition to determine the inhibition pattern on the radicle and hypocotyl growth of lettuce seedlings. Among the eight weed species tested, Ageratum conyzoides showed the strongest growth inhibition on lettuce radicle elongation (86%) in the sandwich bioassay compared to the control, followed by Tridax procumbens (71%), which both species being broadleaves weeds. In the dish pack bioassay Lygodium flexuosum (fern) demonstrated maximum inhibition on the growth the radicle and hypocotyl for each different distance from the source well. On the other hand, two weed species exhibited enhanced on the growth radicle and hypocotyl when compared to that of the control in dish pack bioassay. Nephrolepis biserrata and Fimbristylis miliacea were the species that showed the highest growth stimulatory effect. The results presented can be utilized as benchmark information for further research on the elucidation of leachates and volatile chemicals involved in allelopathy in nature. The information can also be helpful in the development of new bioactive chemicals from natural products in weed control strategies.

Pest Control in Corn and Soybeans: Weeds - Insects - Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Doersch, R. E.; And Others

This document gives the characteristics and application rates for herbicides used to control annual weeds in corn, annual and perennial broadleaf weeds in corn, quackgrass and yellow nutsedge in corn, and annual weeds in soybeans. It also gives insecticide use information for corn and soybeans. A brief discussion of disease control in corn and…

Comparisons of weed community, soil health and economic performance between wheat-maize and garlic-soybean rotation systems under different weed managements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmud A. Muminov

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This study compared the impacts of different weed managements on weed community, soil health and economic performance between the wheat–maize (WM and garlic–soybean (GS rotations. A total of four treatments (H0T, tillage without herbicide; H0T0, without both herbicide and tillage; HT, both herbicide and tillage; HT0, herbicide without tillage were designed for both rotations. A total of 16 weed species were recorded in the WM rotation, with life forms of 62% for annuals, 12% for annual + perennial and 20% for perennials. While in the GS rotation, there were 17 weed species, with 71% being annuals. When crop rotation changed from WM to GS, the topsoil layer seed bank (0–5 cm decreased by 137%. GS rotation always had higher earthworm densities than that of WM under the same condition. Organic weed control (H0T, H0T0 from both WM and GS added more soil organic matters than the chemical methods (HT and HT0. Economically, up to 69% higher net profit had been achieved in the GS than WM for their organic products. This study provides an ecological basis to guide organic farming practices, especially for weed management in the future.

Weeds in spring cereal fields in Finland - a third survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. SALONEN

2008-12-01

Full Text Available A survey of weeds in spring cereal fields was conducted in 16 regions of southern and central Finland in 1997-1999. Data were collected from conventional and organic farms, both of which applied their normal cropping practices. A total of 690 fields were investigated by counting and weighing the weed species from ten sample quadrats 0.1 m2 in size in late July - early August. Altogether 160 weed species were found, of which 134 were broad-leaved and 26 grass species. The total number of weed species ranged from 41 to 84 between regions. In organically farmed fields, the average species number was 24 and in conventionally farmed fields 16. The most frequent weed species were Viola arvensis 84%, Stellaria media 76% and Galeopsis spp. 70%. Only 18 species exceeded the frequency level of 33%. The average density of weeds was 136 m-2 (median= 91 in sprayed conventional fields, 420 m-2 (374 in unsprayed conventional fields and 469 m-2 (395 in organic fields. The average air-dry above-ground biomass of weeds was 163 kg ha-1 (median=63, 605 kg ha-1 (413 and 678 kg ha-1 (567, respectively. Weed biomass accounted for 3% of the total biomass of the crop stand in sprayed conventional fields and for 17% in organic fields. Elymus repens, the most frequent grass species, produced the highest proportion of weed biomass.

Anthropometric and Performance Perspectives of Female Competitive Surfing

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Barlow Matthew John

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To evaluate the anthropometric profiles of female surfers and to identify whether any anthropometrical factors might predict competitive ranking. Secondly, to evaluate the activity profile of female competitive surfing with respect to environmental conditions using Global Positioning System (GPS derived measures.

Optical Sensing of Weed Infestations at Harvest.

Science.gov (United States)

Barroso, Judit; McCallum, John; Long, Dan

2017-10-19

Kochia ( Kochia scoparia L.), Russian thistle ( Salsola tragus L.), and prickly lettuce ( Lactuca serriola L.) are economically important weeds infesting dryland wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) production systems in the western United States. Those weeds produce most of their seeds post-harvest. The objectives of this study were to determine the ability of an optical sensor, installed for on-the-go measurement of grain protein concentration, to detect the presence of green plant matter in flowing grain and assess the potential usefulness of this information for mapping weeds at harvest. Spectra of the grain stream were recorded continuously at a rate of 0.33 Hz during harvest of two spring wheat fields of 1.9 and 5.4 ha. All readings were georeferenced using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver with 1 m positional accuracy. Chlorophyll of green plant matter was detectable in the red (638-710 nm) waveband. Maps of the chlorophyll signal from both fields showed an overall agreement of 78.1% with reference maps, one constructed prior to harvest and the other at harvest time, both based on visual evaluations of the three green weed species conducted by experts. Information on weed distributions at harvest may be useful for controlling post-harvest using variable rate technology for herbicide applications.

Weeding method and pre-sowing tillage effects on weed growth and pearl millet yield in a sandy soil of the West African Sahelian zone.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klaij, M.C.; Hoogmoed, W.B.

1996-01-01

Weed control for the West African Sahel rainfed crops is done mainly manually, resulting in high labor requirements. Because of the seasonality of rainfed farming, weed control is often late and incomplete, resulting in considerable losses in crop yield. We examined the case of weed control in

The main weed species and their control in oilseed crops in Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. SALONEN

2008-12-01

Full Text Available A survey of weeds in spring-sown oilseed crops (Brassica rapa ssp. oleifera and Brassica napus ssp. oleifera was conducted in southern and central Finland during 2007–2009, representing the first such extensive investigation in the country. The occurrence of the most abundant weed species in oilseeds was surveyed in 429 fields. In the fields with moderate or high weed infestation, 1–6 harmful weed species were recorded by visual observation according to their biomass production. About 40 weed species were recorded, the most predominant being Chenopodium album, Galeopsis spp., Galium spurium, Sonchus arvensis and Tripleurospermum inodorum. Elymus repens was the only major grass weed. Chemical weed control of broad-leaved weeds had been practised in 53% of the fields, resulting in relatively good control. In addition, both selective graminicides and glyphosate were used to control E. repens. Mechanical weed control was not practised in any field. The crop yield level was about 300 kg ha-1 higher in the fields with low weed infestation compared with in the highly infested fields. New promising options to replace the banned herbicide trifluralin are available. Thus, the most harmful weeds, such as C. album, which interferes with the production of high-quality oil for human consumption, can still be effectively controlled.;

New possibilities for weed control in conventional soybeans

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Petersen, Jan

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In field trials in was investigated, if the use of the in Germany new active ingredient imazamox enlarge the possibilities of post emergence weed control in soybeans. Furthermore new herbicide strategies were tested on efficacy and selectivity in soybeans. The use of imazamox was very selective and showed a relative broad spectrum of controlled weed species. However, efficacy of imazamox must be supported by a pre-emergence treatment and in most cases by a tank mix partner. For example cleavers (Galium aparine can not be controlled by imazamox. Tankmixtures of imazamox and bentazon indicated an antagonism. Efficacy to some weed species was reduced compared to solo application. The low dose concept – three applications of low doses at cotyledon stage of weeds led to some success. However, these strategies must be further investigated, before they can be recommended to commercial farming practice. All herbicide strategies tested showed some surviving weed species. This indicates that choice of herbicides, dose rates and application strategies must be done very careful and site specific.

Alien species in the Finnish weed flora

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T. HYVÖNEN

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed at assessing the invasion of alien weed species in Finland based on a review of their occurrence in the Finnish weed flora. The evaluation was conducted for the three phases of the invasion process, i.e. introduction, naturalization and invasion. The literature review revealed that 815 alien weed species occur in Finland of which 314 are regarded as naturalized. Based on their occurrence in different climate zones, the risk of naturalization of new harmful alien weed species was deemed low for those species not currently found in Finland, but higher for species occurring as casual aliens in Finland. In the latter group, 10 species of concern were detected. Exploration of the distribution patterns of naturalized species within Finland revealed species occupancy to be dependent on the residence time of the species. Established neophytes can be expected to extend their ranges and to increase occupation of agricultural habitats in the future.;

Biocontrol Ability of Puccinia abrupta var. partheniicola on Different Growth Stages of Parthenium Weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MOHAMAD TAUFIK FAUZI

2009-09-01

Full Text Available A research was conducted to investigate the biological control ability of Puccinia abrupta var. partheniicola infected to parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L. at different stages of growth in a glasshouse. The study also investigated the combined effect of the infection and the competitor plant, i.e. buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L., a pasture species usually found in the weed habitat in Central Queensland. The 2 × 3 factorial experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with six replicates in each treatment. The parthenium weeds were planted with or without buffel grass. The plants were inoculated with P. abrupta var. partheniicola urediniospores either at the rosette, flowering or mature growth stage of development. As controls, an additional six non inoculated plants with and without buffel grass were planted. The results showed that P. abrupta var. partheniicola affected more on the younger plants than on the older ones. Its infection decreased the plant height. A higher reduction in plant above ground biomass was recorded because of the rust when the plants were inoculated at the rosette growth stage of development in the presence of competition. The impact of the rust was greatest on the ability of parthenium to produce seeds.

Microwave Technologies as Part of an Integrated Weed Management Strategy: A Review

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Graham Brodie

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Interest in controlling weed plants using radio frequency or microwave energy has been growing in recent years because of the growing concerns about herbicide resistance and chemical residues in the environment. This paper reviews the prospects of using microwave energy to manage weeds. Microwave energy effectively kills weed plants and their seeds; however, most studies have focused on applying the microwave energy over a sizable area, which requires about ten times the energy that is embodied in conventional chemical treatments to achieve effective weed control. A closer analysis of the microwave heating phenomenon suggests that thermal runaway can reduce microwave weed treatment time by at least one order of magnitude. If thermal runaway can be induced in weed plants, the energy costs associated with microwave weed management would be comparable with chemical weed control.

The role of plant-microbiome interactions in weed establishment and control.

Science.gov (United States)

Trognitz, Friederike; Hackl, Evelyn; Widhalm, Siegrid; Sessitsch, Angela

2016-10-01

The soil microbiome plays an important role in the establishment of weeds and invasive plants. They associate with microorganisms supporting their growth and health. Weed management strategies, like tillage and herbicide treatments, to control weeds generally alter soil structure going alongside with changes in the microbial community. Once a weed population establishes in the field, the plants build up a close relationship with the available microorganisms. Seeds or vegetative organs overwinter in soil and select early in the season their own microbiome before crop plants start to vegetate. Weed and crop plants compete for light, nutrition and water, but may differently interact with soil microorganisms. The development of new sequencing technologies for analyzing soil microbiomes has opened up the possibility for in depth analysis of the interaction between 'undesired' plants and crop plants under different management systems. These findings will help us to understand the functions of microorganisms involved in crop productivity and plant health, weed establishment and weed prevention. Exploitation of the knowledge offers the possibility to search for new biocontrol methods against weeds based on soil and plant-associated microorganisms. This review discusses the recent advances in understanding the functions of microbial communities for weed/invasive plant establishment and shows new ways to use plant-associated microorganisms to control weeds and invasive plants in different land management systems. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of some Vegetative and Reproductive Traits of Dominant Weeds in Cultivated Tomato as Influence by Metribuzin and Non-living Mulches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Zangoueinejad

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Tomato production, similar to other important crops, is affected by weed competition in the early season. Weed infestation can affect tomato yield significantly. So weed control can be one of the most important factors in improving of crop production. Nowadays pre-plant, post-plant and post-emergence herbicides are widely used for controlling weeds in tomato fields, but it can lead to increasing environmental hazards, making weed resistant to herbicides and injuring tomato plants. Therefore, the use of non-living mulch (organic mulch and inorganic mulch could be a suitable substitutional way to weed control. Material and method: In this study, in order to investigating the time of emergence, flowering, seed shattering, length of vegetative and reproductive growth period of weeds under six types of non-living mulches (black plastic mulch, clear plastic mulch, wheat straw, sawdust, coco peat and peat moss and mtribuzin in tomato, research was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications at College of Agriculture, Shiraz University in 2012. The plots were fertilized with 20:20:20 (N, P2O5 and K2O with concentration of 166 kg ha-1. In this study, the appearance of plumule (for narrow leaf weeds and hypocotyl (for broad leaf weeds from weed seeds in soil medium was considered as the time of emergence. The weeds were visited once a week since transplanting tomato seedlings to the farm and the related date was recorded. Flowering time recording for each weed species was carried out after flowering. Plots without mulch (weedy and weed free were used as control. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed by using SAS 9.1 software and comparing of the mean of characteristics was done by Tukey's test at 5 % significant level. Result and discussion: The longest and shortest time of weed emergence respectively belonged to the clear plastic mulch (28 days after transplanting and organic mulches and

Aquatic weeds: their implications in Indian nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, T.S.; Anup Kumar, B.; Aruna Jyothi, K.; Satpathy, K.K.

2000-01-01

The aquatic weed infestation of KAPS cooling water system, MAPS open reservoir, and the growth of filamentous algae and bacteria in the feed water unit of HWP (Kota), was investigated. The aquatic weeds identified were: Ceratophyllum, Elodea, Hydrilla verticillata, Najas and Vallisneria species. However, at HWP (Kota) filamentous alga (Nostoc punchiformis) and bacteria (Sphaerotilus natans) were found in plenty. The metabolic products when assayed in the form of total carbohydrate content released by weeds was 3.7 mg gm -1 biomass. The metabolic products adsorb on to the resin matrix and impaired its performance at HWP (K), enhanced bacterial growth on the resin beads and furthered resin deterioration. Besides, the growth of aquatic weeds also influenced the pH of the cooling water, thereby vitiating the water treatment programme. (author)

Weed management practices in natural ecosystems: a critical overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.F. Reinhardt

2000-07-01

Full Text Available Increasing public pressure against the use of pesticides and other agricultural inputs has placed increased emphasis on the development of ecologically based pest management. One distinct reaction of the Weed Science discipline has been the swing away from herbicide research to increased research on the basic biology and ecology of weeds in hopes of reduced reliance on "technological crutches" such as herbicides and other practices that are potentially harmful to the environment. Biological control is the long-standing alternative to the use of herbicides and interest in the former practice has been boosted by the realization that the use of herbicides may lead to the development of herbicide resistance in weed populations, and that herbicide residues occur in surface and groundwater. Supporters of herbicide use would point out that biological control is generally not effective in crop production systems, and is basically slow-acting. Debates between protagonists for the exclusive use of one or the other weed management practice tend to obscure the benefits that integration of different techniques are likely to have. For natural ecosystems it is proposed that integration of the more subtle practice of biological control with the use of herbicides, which relatively quickly overwhelm a biological system with mortality, is likely to be the most effective weed management tool. Different weed management practices that could be considered in natural ecosystems are discussed in terms of three key performance rating criteria, viz. activity, selec- tivity and persistence In this concise review, general discussion is focussed on the fundamentals of weed management practices, with the view to promote concept-based approaches that are critical for the development of effective weed management strate- gies.

Nitrogen availability in an apple orchard with weed management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo Brunetto

2018-05-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Weed management in apple orchards (Malus domestica can affect the leaching of nitrogen (N in soil. The study aimed to evaluate the potential leaching of N forms in soil of an apple orchard with different weed management treatments. The experiment was conducted in an apple orchard implanted in 2008. In October 2011, 80 plants were selected and the following treatments were implemented: no weed management (NM, desiccation of weeds on the tree row with herbicide use (DR and mechanical mowing of weeds on the tree row (MR. Yield was evaluated in the 2011/2012, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 crop seasons. In May 2012 porous cup lysimeters were installed in the NM, DR and MR treatments. In the solution collected at 0.20m, NH4 +-N and NO3 --N were analyzed sixteen times and mineral N concentration was calculated. The highest concentrations of NO3 --N and mineral N occurred in soil solution with DR, which increases availability of the nutrient to apple trees, but also enhances the potential losses. Weed management and N flow in the solution did not affect apple yield.

Robust Crop and Weed Segmentation under Uncontrolled Outdoor Illumination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Y. Jeon

2011-06-01

Full Text Available An image processing algorithm for detecting individual weeds was developed and evaluated. Weed detection processes included were normalized excessive green conversion, statistical threshold value estimation, adaptive image segmentation, median filter, morphological feature calculation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN. The developed algorithm was validated for its ability to identify and detect weeds and crop plants under uncontrolled outdoor illuminations. A machine vision implementing field robot captured field images under outdoor illuminations and the image processing algorithm automatically processed them without manual adjustment. The errors of the algorithm, when processing 666 field images, ranged from 2.1 to 2.9%. The ANN correctly detected 72.6% of crop plants from the identified plants, and considered the rest as weeds. However, the ANN identification rates for crop plants were improved up to 95.1% by addressing the error sources in the algorithm. The developed weed detection and image processing algorithm provides a novel method to identify plants against soil background under the uncontrolled outdoor illuminations, and to differentiate weeds from crop plants. Thus, the proposed new machine vision and processing algorithm may be useful for outdoor applications including plant specific direct applications (PSDA.

Onion and weed response to mustard (Sinapis alba) seed meal

Science.gov (United States)

Weed control in organic onion production is often difficult and expensive, requiring numerous cultivations and extensive hand-weeding. Onion safety and weed control with mustard seed meal (MSM) derived from Sinapis alba was evaluated in greenhouse and field trials. MSM applied at 110, 220, and 440 g...

Evaluation of UAV imagery for mapping Silybum marianum weed patches

Science.gov (United States)

The invasive weed, milk thistle (Silybum marianum), has the tendency to grow in patches. In order to perform site-specific weed management, determining the spatial distribution of weeds is important for its eradication. Remote sensing has been used to perform species discrimination, and it offers pr...

An autonomous weeding robot for organic farming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, T.; Asselt, van C.J.; Bontsema, J.; Müller, J.; Straten, van G.

2006-01-01

The objective of this research is the replacement of hand weeding in organic farming by a device working autonomously at ¯eld level. The autonomous weeding robot was designed using a structured design approach, giving a good overview of the total design. A vehicle was developed with a diesel engine,

Effectiveness of weed control methods on pavement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermeulen, G.D.; Verwijs, B.R.; Kempenaar, C.

2007-01-01

The policy in the Netherlands is to signifiantly reduce the use of herbicides, also on pavements. Existing non-chemical methods to control weeds are much less effective than spot spraying, the usual method at this moment. Therefore, the cost of non-chemical weed management is often estimated to be 4

A New Hoe Blade for Inter-Row Weeding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Green, O.; Znova, L.; Melander, Bo

2016-01-01

and weeds are relatively small. The term ‘Ducksfoot’ covers a range of hoe blade configurations where all have some resemblance with the shape of a ducks foot. However, the ‘Ducksfoot’ blade is not an optimal solution for weed control in narrow inter-row spaces. Several disadvantages have been encountered...... and the draft forces needed to pull it were approx. half those measured for a ‘Ducksfoot’ blade. The weeding features of the new L-blade will be further studied under field conditions....

Crop diversity prevents serious weed problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melander, Bo

2016-01-01

Weed management in organic crop production could benefit from more diversification of today’s cropping systems. However, the potential of diversification needs better documentation and solid suggestions for employment in practise must be identified.......Weed management in organic crop production could benefit from more diversification of today’s cropping systems. However, the potential of diversification needs better documentation and solid suggestions for employment in practise must be identified....

Integrated pest management and weed management in the United States and Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Owen, Micheal D K; Beckie, Hugh J; Leeson, Julia Y; Norsworthy, Jason K; Steckel, Larry E

2015-03-01

There is interest in more diverse weed management tactics because of evolved herbicide resistance in important weeds in many US and Canadian crop systems. While herbicide resistance in weeds is not new, the issue has become critical because of the adoption of simple, convenient and inexpensive crop systems based on genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant crop cultivars. Importantly, genetic engineering has not been a factor in rice and wheat, two globally important food crops. There are many tactics that help to mitigate herbicide resistance in weeds and should be widely adopted. Evolved herbicide resistance in key weeds has influenced a limited number of growers to include a more diverse suite of tactics to supplement existing herbicidal tactics. Most growers still emphasize herbicides, often to the exclusion of alternative tactics. Application of integrated pest management for weeds is better characterized as integrated weed management, and more typically integrated herbicide management. However, adoption of diverse weed management tactics is limited. Modifying herbicide use will not solve herbicide resistance in weeds, and the relief provided by different herbicide use practices is generally short-lived at best. More diversity of tactics for weed management must be incorporated in crop systems. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

How Local Landholder Groups Collectively Manage Weeds in South-Eastern Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Sonia; Rogers, Sarah

2017-09-01

For two decades researchers and policy makers have been arguing that community-based collective action is needed to effectively control weeds. Yet there has been little social research into the ways that collective weed control emerges at local scales. The aim of this paper is to investigate the mechanisms through which three local landholder groups in south-eastern Australia collectively manage weeds and the measures they use to evaluate success. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of three Landcare groups—Jerrawa Creek/Upper Lachlan, MacLaughlin River and Towamba Valley—as well as government staff external to the groups. The results reveal that for all three groups collective weed control is about supporting individual weed control efforts as well as proactively engaging landholders with the worst infestations. The groups were seen to be successful because they focused on the common challenge that weeds pose to all landholders, thereby removing the shame associated with having weeds, and because they organised community events that were as much about building and maintaining social relationships as improving weed control. Groups were positive about what they had achieved as collectives of landholders, but also saw an important role for government in providing funding, engaging with landholders who were unwilling to engage directly with the group, and controlling weeds on public lands.

Weed control technology for environmentally, economically and socially sustainable agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, A.R.; Srivastava, R.C.; Ghorai, A.K.; Singh, S.R.

2001-04-01

Studies were conducted through a series of experiments for five consecutive wet seasons with a variety of alternative biological weed control techniques by means of soil solarization. This is a method of heating soil surface by using transparent polyethylene sheets placed on soil surface to trap solar radiation. This raises soil temperature to a level lethal for many soil borne pathogens and weed seeds, thus killing weeds before crop emergence. The use of black low density polyethylene sheets reduces weed growth and increases rice yield

Weed control technology for environmentally, economically and socially sustainable agriculture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, A R [Directorate of Water Management Research, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Walmi Complex, Phulwari Sharif, Patna, Bihar (India); [Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (Italy); Srivastava, R C [Water Technology Centre for Eastern Region (ICAR), Bhubaneswar (India); Ghorai, A K [CRIJAF (ICAR), Barrackpore, West Bengal (India); Singh, S R [Directorate of Water Management Research, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Walmi Complex, Phulwari Sharif, Patna, Bihar (India)

2001-04-01

Studies were conducted through a series of experiments for five consecutive wet seasons with a variety of alternative biological weed control techniques by means of soil solarization. This is a method of heating soil surface by using transparent polyethylene sheets placed on soil surface to trap solar radiation. This raises soil temperature to a level lethal for many soil borne pathogens and weed seeds, thus killing weeds before crop emergence. The use of black low density polyethylene sheets reduces weed growth and increases rice yield.

Capabilities of unmanned aircraft vehicles for low altitude weed detection

Science.gov (United States)

Pflanz, Michael; Nordmeyer, Henning

2014-05-01

Sustainable crop production and food security require a consumer and environmental safe plant protection. It is recently known, that precise weed monitoring approaches could help apply pesticides corresponding to field variability. In this regard the site-specific weed management may contribute to an application of herbicides with higher ecologically aware and economical savings. First attempts of precision agriculture date back to the 1980's. Since that time, remote sensing from satellites or manned aircrafts have been investigated and used in agricultural practice, but are currently inadequate for the separation of weeds in an early growth stage from cultivated plants. In contrast, low-cost image capturing at low altitude from unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAV) provides higher spatial resolution and almost real-time processing. Particularly, rotary-wing aircrafts are suitable for precise path or stationary flight. This minimises motion blur and provides better image overlapping for stitching and mapping procedures. Through improved image analyses and the recent increase in the availability of microcontrollers and powerful batteries for UAVs, it can be expected that the spatial mapping of weeds will be enhanced in the future. A six rotors microcopter was equipped with a modified RGB camera taking images from agricultural fields. The hexacopter operates within predefined pathways at adjusted altitudes (from 5 to 10 m) by using GPS navigation. Different scenarios of optical weed detection have been carried out regarding to variable altitude, image resolution, weed and crop growth stages. Our experiences showed high capabilities for site-specific weed control. Image analyses with regard to recognition of weed patches can be used to adapt herbicide application to varying weed occurrence across a field.

Effect of tillage system on yield and weed populations of soybean ( Glycin Max L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Seyed Z; Firouzi, Saeed; Aminpanah, Hashem; Sadeghnejhad, Hamid R

2016-03-01

Field experiment was conducted at Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Golestan Province, Iran, to determine the effects of tillage system and weed management regime on yield and weed populations in soybean ( Glycin max L.). The experimental design was a split plot where the whole plot portion was a randomized complete block with three replicates. Main plots were tillage system: 1- No-till row crop seeding, 2- No-till seed drilling, 3- Tillage with disc harrow and drill planting, 4- Tillage with chisel packer and drill planting. The subplots were weed management regimes: 1-Weed control with herbicide application, 2- Hand weeding, 3- Herbicide application plus hand weeding, and 4- Non-weeding. Results indicated that the main effects of tillage system and weed management regime were significant for seed yield, pod number per plant, seed number per pod, weed density and biomass, while their interaction were significant only for weed density, weed biomass, and seed number per pod. The highest grain yields (3838 kg ha-1) were recorded for No-till row crop seeding. The highest seed yield (3877 kg ha-1) also was recorded for weed control with herbicide and hand weeding treatment, followed by hand weeding (3379 kg ha-1).

Effect of the Critical Period of Weed Interference on Optimum ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A field study was carried out at the National Root Crop Research Institute experimental farm to determine the critical period of weed interference and magnitude of yield loss caused by weed on turmeric in 2008 and 2009 cropping season. Turmeric was subjected to 13 weeding regimes using randomized complete block ...

Distribution patterns of segetal weeds of cereal crops in tajikistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowak, A.; Nowak, S.

2015-01-01

Using the literature data and field research conducted in 2009-2013 the distribution patterns, habitat conditions, phytogeographical characterisation and endangerment of weeds occurring in cereal crops in Tajikistan were analysed. We found out that Tajik weed flora of cereal crops counts 686 taxa. The most species rich families include Asteraceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae. The highest number of cereal weeds were noted in large river valleys of Syr-Daria, Amu-Daria and their tributaries in south-western and northern Tajikistan. This subregions have the warmest climate conditions and extensive arable lands. The greatest weed species richness was observed in submontane and montane elevations between approx. 700 and 1,900 m a.s. Cereal weeds occur frequently outside segetal communities in Tajikistan. They were noted usually in screes, wastelands, xerothermophilous grasslands, river gravel beds and in steppes habitats. The assessment of threat status reveals that ca. 33% of total cereal weed flora in Tajikistan are disappearing or occur very rarely. According to the chorological data we find that in the cereals of Tajikistan, 35 endemic and 14 subendemic species occur. The most numerous chorological elements of threatened weed flora of Tajikistan are Irano-Turanian (55%), pluriregional (16%), cosmopolitan (14,5%), Mediterranean (9%) and Eurosiberian (5%) species. Further research is suggested to explore the distribution patterns of all weed species in Tajikistan as it should be useful for economy and effectiveness of crop production as well as conservation of most valuable species. (author)

Benchmark study on glyphosate-resistant cropping systems in the United States. Part 7: Effects of weed management strategy (grower practices versus academic recommendations) on the weed soil seedbank over 6 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, David J; Young, Bryan G; Owen, Micheal D K; Gage, Karla L; Matthews, Joseph L; Jordan, David L; Shaw, David R; Weller, Stephen C; Wilson, Robert G

2016-04-01

Shifts in weed species composition and richness resulting from near-exclusive reliance on herbicides in glyphosate-resistant (GR) cropping systems has necessitated the implementation of alternative weed management tactics to reduce selection pressures of herbicides. We contrasted the response of the weed soil seedbank to effects of weed management strategy, comparing grower practices with academic recommendations for best management practices (BMPs) over 6 years and across five weed hardiness zones in the US Midwest at sites subject to GR cropping systems. Total weed population density and species richness varied according to cropping system, location and prior year's crop, but less so to weed management strategy. The seedbank population density for 11 of the 14 most frequent weed species was affected by weed management strategy either alone or in an interaction with hardiness zone or year, or both. In only 29% of comparisons was weed population density lower following academic recommendations, and this depended upon prior crop and cropping system. The population density of high-risk weed species was reduced by academic recommendations, but only in two of six years and under continuous GR maize. Overall, the weed population density was decreasing in field halves subject to the BMPs in the academic recommendations relative to grower practices. The soil seedbank is slow to respond to academic recommendations to mitigate glyphosate-resistant weeds, but represents a biological legacy that growers need to keep in mind even when management practices reduce emerged field weed population densities. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Researches regarding glyphosate effectiveness on the degree of weed control in grape plantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica NEGREA

2010-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper was determined the control degree of weeds in grape plantation, Burgund variety, when is using chemical treatments with herbicides and agro-technique measures. Herbicide used was Roundup 3 l/ha and 4l/ha (glyphosate isopropyl amine salt 360 g/l applied in 4 experimental variants. It was determined the weed presence degree, the type of weeds destroyed and the degree of their participation. Predominant weed species in studied grape plantation, were: Agropyron repens (20.15%, Geranium dissectum (17.91%, Capsella bursa pastoris (15.67% and Avena fatua (13.43%. Ephemeral weeds Veronica hederifolia and Stellaria media had a participation rate of 8.96%. Perennial weeds represented 40.30% while annual weeds are 59.70% . The herbicide Roundup provides most effective control in a dose of 3 or 4 l/ha, combined with mechanical weeding + 1 manual weeding, control rates being over 90%.

Controlling grass weeds on hard surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rask, Anne Merete; Kristoffersen, Palle; Andreasen, Christian

2012-01-01

An experiment was conducted on a specially designed hard surface to study the impact of time interval between flaming treatments on the regrowth and flower production of two grass weeds. The goal of this experiment was to optimize the control of annual bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, both species...... that are very difficult to control without herbicides. Aboveground biomass from 72 plants per treatment was harvested and dry weights were recorded at regular intervals to investigate how the plants responded to flaming. Regrowth of the grasses was measured by harvesting aboveground biomass 2 wk after......, as they did not increase the reduction of aboveground biomass compared with the 7-d treatment interval. Knowledge on the regrowth of grass weeds after flaming treatments provided by this study can help improve recommendations given to road keepers and park managers for management on these weeds. Nomenclature...

Discriminative Multi-View Interactive Image Re-Ranking.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jun; Xu, Chang; Yang, Wankou; Sun, Changyin; Tao, Dacheng

2017-07-01

Given an unreliable visual patterns and insufficient query information, content-based image retrieval is often suboptimal and requires image re-ranking using auxiliary information. In this paper, we propose a discriminative multi-view interactive image re-ranking (DMINTIR), which integrates user relevance feedback capturing users' intentions and multiple features that sufficiently describe the images. In DMINTIR, heterogeneous property features are incorporated in the multi-view learning scheme to exploit their complementarities. In addition, a discriminatively learned weight vector is obtained to reassign updated scores and target images for re-ranking. Compared with other multi-view learning techniques, our scheme not only generates a compact representation in the latent space from the redundant multi-view features but also maximally preserves the discriminative information in feature encoding by the large-margin principle. Furthermore, the generalization error bound of the proposed algorithm is theoretically analyzed and shown to be improved by the interactions between the latent space and discriminant function learning. Experimental results on two benchmark data sets demonstrate that our approach boosts baseline retrieval quality and is competitive with the other state-of-the-art re-ranking strategies.

Eco-distribution Mapping of Invasive Weed Limnocharis flava (L. Buchenau Using Geographical Information System: Implications for Containment and Integrated Weed Management for Ecosystem Conservation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. C. Abhilash

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Exotic weed invasion has been identified as one of the serious environmental problem impacting the structure, composition and function of biological diversity. They are aggressive colonizers, which have flexible habitat requirement and ability to outcompete native species. The present paper describes the distribution and autecology of an exotic weed Limnocharis flava (L. Buchenau (an emergent aquatic weed of ‘Limnocharitaceae’ in Kumarakom Grama Panchayat, one of the well known tourist spot of South India famous for its vast stretches of paddy fields, wetlands and backwaters. The mapping of L. flava in the entire study area has been done using Geographical Information System (Arc-info 8.3 version. The growth and distribution pattern of L. flava were studied quantitatively. Data on distribution, abundance, biomass, ecological associations and root zone nutrient quality of water and sediment samples were collected from different sampling points of Kumarakom. The study reflected that nutrients, water depth and land use patterns were the major factors responsible for the growth and proliferation of this exotic weed. The strategies for controlling L. flava invasion are discussed in detail. If early steps are not taken to eradicate this weed, it will become a problematic weed in the same way as other noxious aquatic weeds like Salvinia molesta D. Mitch and Eichhornia crassipes (C. Martius Solms-Laub.

[Diversity and classification system of weed community in Harbin City, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiao-Shuang; Liang, Hong; Song, Kun; Da, Liang-Jun

2014-08-01

To analyze the causes of weed community diversity and their strategies of adaption to the high heterogeneity of urban habitats, weed communities in the central urban area of Harbin, China were studied, and a classification system was established for the weed communities. There were 175 weed species, belonging to 128 genera and 38 families. The heterogeneous urban habitats and species' temporal niche differentiation resulted in the highly diversified weed communities. The high proportions of mono-species dominance and annual species dominance communities were their response to the unstable urban habitats under human disturbances with high intensities and frequencies. A four-level classification system was established in terms of plant species and habitat conditions. Within this system, the identified 1763 weed communities could be categorized into two types of life form, 5 types of dormancy form, 22 community groups, and 119 dominance communities.

The impact of stubble crop on spring barley weed infestation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eleonora Wrzesińska

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The condition and degree of weed infestation were determined in a spring barely crop grown in a short-term monoculture after mulching the soil with plants grown as a stubble crop (the control treatment without cover crop – lacy phacelia, white mustard, sunflower. The field experiment was carried out in 2010–2013 on good rye soil complex using a split-block design in four replications. The obtained results (the mean from all years of the experiment showed that the stubble crop, especially sunflower, reduced the diversity of weed species without causing at the same time changes in weed species dominance. In all the control treatments of the experiment, Chenopodium album and Fallopia convolvulus were the dominant species. The degree of spring barley weed infestation depended on the species grown in the cover crop. White mustard and lacy phacelia slightly increased the number of weeds but their fresh matter significantly increased. However, the sunflower cover crop significantly increased the number of weeds without any substantial differentiation of their fresh mass.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF WEEDS BY MEANS OF PLANT PATHOGENS

OpenAIRE

Marija Ravlić; Renata Baličević

2014-01-01

Biological control is the use of live beneficial organisms and products of their metabolism in the pests control. Plant pathogens can be used for weed control in three different ways: as classical, conservation and augmentative (inoculative and inundated) biological control. Inundated biological control involves the use of bioherbicides (mycoherbicides) or artificial breeding of pathogens and application in specific stages of crops and weeds. Biological control of weeds can be used where chem...

Tillage and residue burning affects weed populations and seed banks.

Science.gov (United States)

Narwal, S; Sindel, B M; Jessop, R S

2006-01-01

An integrated weed management approach requires alternative management practices to herbicide use such as tillage, crop rotations and cultural controls to reduce soil weed seed banks. The objective of this study was to examine the value of different tillage practices and stubble burning to exhaust the seed bank of common weeds from the northern grain region of Australia. Five tillage and burning treatments were incorporated in a field experiment, at Armidale (30 degrees 30'S, 151 degrees 40'E), New South Wales, Australia in July 2004 in a randomized block design replicated four times. The trial was continued and treatments repeated in July 2005 with all the mature plants from the first year being allowed to shed seed in their respective treatment plots. The treatments were (i) no tillage (NT), (ii) chisel ploughing (CP), (iii) mould board ploughing (MBP), (iv) wheat straw burning with no tillage (SBNT) and (v) wheat straw burning with chisel ploughing (SBC). Soil samples were collected before applying treatments and before the weeds flowered to establish the seed bank status of the various weeds in the soil. Wheat was sown after the tillage treatments. Burning treatments were only initiated in the second year, one month prior to tillage treatments. The major weeds present in the seed bank before initiating the trial were Polygonum aviculare, Sonchus oleraceus and Avena fatua. Tillage promoted the germination of other weeds like Hibiscus trionum, Medicago sativa, Vicia sp. and Phalaris paradoxa later in the season in 2004 and Convolvulus erubescens emerged as a new weed in 2005. The MBP treatment in 2004 reduced the weed biomass to a significantly lower level of 55 g/m2 than the other treatments of CP (118 g/m2) and NT plots (196 g/m2) (P < 0.05). However, in 2005 SBC and MBP treatments were similar in reducing the weed biomass. In 2004, the grain yield trend of wheat was significantly different between CP and NT, and MBP and NT (P < 0.05) with maximum yield of 5898

Determining the potential of inedible weed biomass for bio-energy and ethanol production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siripong Premjet

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Surveys of indigenous weeds in six provinces located in the low northern part of Thailand were undertaken to determine the potential of weed biomass for bio-energy and bio-ethanol. The results reveal that most of the weed samples had low moisture contents and high lower heating values (LHVs. The LHVs at the highest level, ranging from 17.7 to 18.9 Mg/kg, and at the second highest level, ranging from 16.4 to 17.6 Mg/kg, were obtained from 11 and 31 weed species, respectively. It was found that most of the collected weed samples contained high cellulose and low lignin contents. Additionally, an estimate of the theoretical ethanol yields based on the amount of cellulose and hemicellulose in each weed species indicated that a high ethanol yield resulted from weed biomasses with high cellulose and hemicellulose contents. Among the collected weed species, the highest level of ethanol yield, ranging from 478.9 to 548.5 L/ton (substrate, was achieved from 11 weed species. It was demonstrated that most of the collected weed species tested have the potential for thermal conversion and can be used as substrates for ethanol production.

Broccoli/weed/soil discrimination by optical reflectance using neural networks

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Federico

1995-04-01

Broccoli is grown extensively in Scotland, and has become one of the main vegetables cropped, due to its high yields and profits. Broccoli, weed and soil samples from 6 different farms were collected and their spectra obtained and analyzed using discriminant analysis. High crop/weed/soil discrimination success rates were encountered in each farm, but the selected wavelengths varied in each farm due to differences in broccoli variety, weed species incidence and soil type. In order to use only three wavelengths, neural networks were introduced and high crop/weed/soil discrimination accuracies for each farm were achieved.

Weeds as viable habitat for arthropod species in croplands of central Punjab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruby, T.; Rana, S.A.; Rana, N.; Inayat, T.P.

2011-01-01

Weeds are considered a limiting factor of crop production. Simultaneously, these non-crop plants are a portion of the agricultural ecosystem and play an essential role as viable habitat for many organisms, including bio-control agents. Utilizing the quadrate method, sugarcane, fodder, wheat and mustard croplands were sampled for one year to determine the weed flora and arthropods living among it. Twenty weed species and eight major arthropod orders were found to be present. The majority of the weed plants were broad-leaved, while some were grass-like. A review of literature on Central Punjab weeds uncovered depicted a considerable change in the weed flora over few decades. This could be related to the intensive and extensive farming in the area, which has this increased over the few decades along with the construction of an extensive irrigation canal system. These alterations may have caused drastic changes in the soil structure and climate of the region. Most of the phytophagous arthropod species used weed plants as food. In turn, these were fed upon by a few zoophagous arthropod species that also utilized the weeds for shelter and oviposition. Thus, weeds have a specific role within the agro-ecosystem by supporting local biodiversity. (author)

Opportunities and challenges for harvest weed seed control in global cropping systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Michael J; Broster, John C; Schwartz-Lazaro, Lauren M; Norsworthy, Jason K; Davis, Adam S; Tidemann, Breanne D; Beckie, Hugh J; Lyon, Drew J; Soni, Neeta; Neve, Paul; Bagavathiannan, Muthukumar V

2017-11-28

The opportunity to target weed seeds during grain harvest was established many decades ago following the introduction of mechanical harvesting and the recognition of high weed-seed retention levels at crop maturity; however, this opportunity remained largely neglected until more recently. The introduction and adoption of harvest weed seed control (HWSC) systems in Australia has been in response to widespread occurrence of herbicide-resistant weed populations. With diminishing herbicide resources and the need to maintain highly productive reduced tillage and stubble-retention practices, growers began to develop systems that targeted weed seeds during crop harvest. Research and development efforts over the past two decades have established the efficacy of HWSC systems in Australian cropping systems, where widespread adoption is now occurring. With similarly dramatic herbicide resistance issues now present across many of the world's cropping regions, it is timely for HWSC systems to be considered for inclusion in weed-management programs in these areas. This review describes HWSC systems and establishing the potential for this approach to weed control in several cropping regions. As observed in Australia, the inclusion of HWSC systems can reduce weed populations substantially reducing the potential for weed adaptation and resistance evolution. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of long-term fertilisation on the weed community of a winter wheat field.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Min; Liu, Tao; Huang, Niansheng; Shen, Xinping; Shen, Mingxing; Dai, Qigen

2018-03-05

Effects of fertilisation and other management techniques on a weed community were evaluated during wheat growth in a rice-wheat cropping system. Fertiliser treatments were C0 (C means chemical, C0 means zero chemical fertiliser.), CN (N fertiliser), CNK (N plus K fertiliser), CNPK (N plus P and K fertiliser), CNP (N plus P fertiliser), and CPK (P plus K fertiliser). Weed density, biomass, and bio-diversity were determined. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to investigate the relationship between fertiliser management, weed species, and weed density. The overall weed densities in the C0 and CPK treatments were the greatest during wheat seeding and ripening periods and were significantly greater than densities in the other treatments. N, P and organic matter in soil were highly correlated with weed species and density, whereas K in soil was not significantly correlated with weed species and weed density. N fertiliser significantly reduced weed density. Balanced fertilisation maintained weed species richness and resulting in a high yield of wheat. CNPK application reduced weed damage and improved the productivity and stability of the farmland ecosystem.

Lawn Weed Control with Herbicides. Home and Garden Bulletin No. 123.

Science.gov (United States)

Agricultural Research Service (USDA), Washington, DC.

Information and diagrams are given for identification and treatment of weed grasses and broadleaf weeds. Herbicides are suggested for use against each weed and instructions are given for proper application. Information is given for buying herbicides, and applying sprays and cleaning sprayers. (BB)

Effect of different weed management techniques on growth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The weed management techniques included slashing at 8-weekly intervals, mulching alone, glyphosate + slashing, glyphosate + mulching, glyphosate alone and a weed-free control. Glyphosate + mulching proved to have the greatest positive influence on plant height, plant girth, leaf area and number of leaves throughout ...

Cover crop residue management for optimizing weed control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruidhof, H.M.; Bastiaans, L.; Kropff, M.J.

2009-01-01

Although residue management seems a key factor in residue-mediated weed suppression, very few studies have systematically compared the influence of different residue management strategies on the establishment of crop and weed species. We evaluated the effect of several methods of pre-treatment and

INVASIVE WEEDS IN BOGOR BOTANIC GARDENS, INDONESIA AND ITS IMPLICATION ON SURROUNDING LANDSCAPES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edi Santosa

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Conservation areas with the objective for collection and exchange plant materials have been speculated as weed bank for surrounding areas. Objective of this study was to identify and characterize ruderal invasive weeds in the Bogor Botanic Gardens (BBG. Observations were conducted in all vak (collection blocks in the BBG in order to identify the weeds species, determine their invasiveness, dominance and distribution. Weeds associations with host plants were observed. Current weed control program and data of dead trees collection were analyzed in relevant to weed. Distribution of weeds outside BBG was observed by transects method following river and road directions. Results showed that there were seven invasive weeds, i.e., Cecropia adenopus (Cecropiaceae, Cissus nodosa Blume (Vitaceae, Cissus sicyoides Blume (Vitaceae, Dioscorea bulbifera L. (Dioscoreaceae, Ficus elastica Roxb. (Moraceae, Mikania micrantha H.B.K. (Asteraceae and Paraserianthes falcataria (L. Nielsen (Fabaceae. These seven weeds species invaded 41 out of 215 plant families in BBG. Six species of weeds, i.e., C. adenopus, C. nodosa Blume., C. sicyoides Blume., D. bulbifera L., M. micrantha H.B.K. and P. falcataria (L. Nielsen, were introduced as BBG collections for the first time while the F. elastica Roxb was considered as native. It is most likely that the weeds dispersal agents are the wind, birds, bats, visitors, and waters. All of these weeds existed in surrounding areas outside BBG. Given the detrimental impact of invasive weeds on the plant collection in BBG, it is necessary to develop long–term comprehensive control measures both inside and neighboring areas by involving other government authorities beyond BBG.

Influence of maize herbicides on weed seed bank diversity in a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Influence of maize herbicides on weed seed bank diversity in a humid forest ... at 2.0 +2.0kg ai ha-1 was more effective in reducing weed seeds (seed bank) than the ... pre-emergence weed control program in diverse arable cropping systems ...

Predicting field weed emergence with empirical models and soft computing techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Seedling emergence is the most important phenological process that influences the success of weed species; therefore, predicting weed emergence timing plays a critical role in scheduling weed management measures. Important efforts have been made in the attempt to develop models to predict seedling e...

Control of perennial weeds by mechanical methods and anaerobic soil disinfection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huiting, H.F.; Bleeker, P.O.; Riemens, M.M.

2011-01-01

Perennial weeds are difficult to control and ask for a specific approach. During the most recent years it has even become a great challenge to control these weeds in conventional farming systems, although in comparison effective perennial weed control in organic farming systems remains more

A century of progress in weed control in hardwood seedbeds

Science.gov (United States)

David B. South

2009-01-01

Weeds have existed in nurseries since before the time Bartram grew hardwoods during the 18th century. Hand weeding was the primary method of weed control during the first part of the 20th century. From 1931 to 1970, advances in chemistry increased the use of herbicides, and advances in engineering increased the reliance on machines for cultivation. Many managers now...

Big Data for weed control and crop protection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Evert, van F.K.; Fountas, S.; Jakovetic, D.; Crnojevic, V.; Travlos, I.; Kempenaar, C.

2017-01-01

Farmers have access to many data-intensive technologies to help them monitor and control weeds and pests. Data collection, data modelling and analysis, and data sharing have become core challenges in weed control and crop protection. We review the challenges and opportunities of Big Data in

Kin competition within groups: the offspring depreciation hypothesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ridley, J; Sutherland, W J

2002-12-22

Where relatives compete for the same resources (kin competition) and each obtains an equal share, this can favour the evolution of elevated dispersal rates, such that most resource competition is among non-relatives. We show that this effect evaporates as among-sibling dominance increases to the point where the allocation of resources is maximally unequal. We restore a kin-competition effect on emigration rates from dominance-ranked family groups by showing that where siblings form queues to inherit the breeding positions, the length of the queue affects the fitness of all individuals by depreciating the rank of subsequent offspring. Incorporating this 'offspring depreciation' effect decreases optimal queue lengths, increases dispersal rates and explains the otherwise paradoxical use of sinks by cooperatively breeding birds in stable environments. The offspring depreciation effect also favours the evolution of small, but consistent, clutch sizes and high reproductive skew, but constrains the evolution of alloparenting.

EFFECT OF SETTING THE PARAMETERS OF FLAME WEEDER ON WEED CONTROL EFFECTIVENESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Mojžiš

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Unconventional ways of growing plants, when we return to non-chemical methods of controlling weeds, require new weed control methods. One of the few physical methods, which found wider application in practice, is a flame weeder with heat burners based on the use of gas (LPG. However, the process of practical use of this flame weeder has a number of factors that positively or negatively affect the effectiveness of weed control. A precise setting of flame weeders is influenced, for example by weed species, weed growth stage, weather, type of crop grown, but also heat transmission and heat absorption by plant. Many variables that enter into the process must be eliminated for their negative impacts on achieving the best results in fighting against weeds. In this paper, we have focused on naming these parameters, on field trials that confirm the justification of the precise setting of parameters, and recommendations for practice to achieve a higher efficiency of thermal weed control.

Biology, ecology and management of the invasive parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Adkins, Steve; Shabbir, Asad

2014-07-01

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is one of the most aggressive invasive weeds, threatening natural ecosystems and agroecosystems in over 30 countries worldwide. Parthenium weed causes losses of crops and pastures, degrading the biodiversity of natural plant communities, causing human and animal health hazards and resulting in serious economic losses to people and their interests in many countries around the globe. Several of its biological and ecological attributes contribute towards its invasiveness. Various management approaches (namely cultural, mechanical, chemical and biological control) have been used to minimise losses caused by this weed, but most of these approaches are ineffective and uneconomical and/or have limitations. Although chemical control using herbicides and biological control utilising exotic insects and pathogens have been found to contribute to the management of the weed, the weed nevertheless remains a significant problem. An integrated management approach is proposed here for the effective management of parthenium weed on a sustainable basis. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Adjustment of Weed Hoeing to Narrowly Spaced Cereals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jannis Machleb

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Weed hoeing can be successfully performed in wide row crops, such as sugar beet, maize, soybean and wide spaced cereals. However, little experience is available for hoeing in narrow cereal row spaces below 200 mm. Yet, mechanical weed control can pose an alternative to herbicide applications by reducing the herbicide resistant populations present in the field. In this experiment, it was investigated whether hoeing is feasible in cereals with 150 and 125 mm row spacings. The trial was set up at two locations (Ihinger Hof and Kleinhohenheim in southwest Germany. Three different conventional hoeing sweeps, a goosefoot sweep, a no-till sweep and a down-cut side knife were adjusted to the small row widths, and hoeing was performed once with a tractor and a standard hoeing frame which was guided by a second human operator. The average grain yield, crop and weed biomass, and weed control efficacy of each treatment were recorded. The goosefoot and no-till sweep were tested at driving speeds of 4 and 6 km·h−1. The down-cut side knife was applied at 4 km·h−1. The results indicate that hoeing caused no yield decrease in comparison to a conventional herbicide application or manual weeding. The highest yield with a mechanical treatment was recorded for the no-till sweeps at both trial locations. Hoeing was performed successfully in narrowly spaced cereals of 150 and 125 mm, and the weed control efficacy of the mechanical treatments ranged from 50.9% at Kleinhohenheim to 89.1% at Ihinger Hof. Future experiments are going to focus on more distinct driving speeds ranging from 2 to 10 km·h−1 and performing more than one pass with the hoe. Additionally, combining the mechanical weeding tools with a camera-steered hoeing frame could increase accuracy, allow for higher working speeds and substitute the second human operator guiding the hoe.

Floristic and phytosociology of weeds in pastures in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaílson Penha Costa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Knowledge of weed floristic composition and phytosociology are key factors for improving weed management in pastures. Information on weed species that occur in pastures in Northeast Brazil, particularly in Maranhão State is very limited. It is, therefore, important, to search for information to help farmers to control weeds in livestock farming. This paper describes the weed flora diversity and community structure parameters, including density, frequency, abundance and importance value for each weed species found in five pastures of same age and management in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil. The weed survey was carried out using a wooden frame (80 cm x 30 cm placed randomly on the soil surface 30 times in each pasture (n = 150. Weeds were pulled out, separated by species and counted. The weed flora was represented by 996 individuals, from nine families, 15 genera and 19 species. Weed density within pastures was of 44.3 plants m-2. The weed flora was dominated by species of the Cyperaceae and Poaceae families. The most important weed species based on Importance Value were Eragrostis ciliaris (IV = 32.97, Cyperus rotundus (IV = 31,95, Cyperus luzulae (IV = 27,50, Cyperus sphacelatus (IV = 27,42, Pycreus lanceolatus (IV = 27,33 Cyperus haspan (IV = 25,72 and Eleusine indica (IV = 23,49. Weed diversity, based on Shannon Diversity Index was very high (H' = 4.37 nats ind-1. Our results could lead to improved weed management in pastures in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil.

THE COMPETITIVENESS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF UKRAINE ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilona Tsarenko

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of research is evaluation of competitiveness of higher education of Ukraine in comparison with the foreign countries and under the influence of the globalization of market environment. The evaluation of the level of competitiveness of higher education in Ukraine on the modern stage under the influence of the globalization transformation and in the light of international comparisons is investigated insufficiently, which makes up for the purpose and objectives of this research. Methodology. The research is based on a comparison of the data, which are set out in the international reports about the competitiveness of countries in the world, in particular about the higher education. The analysis of the degree of researching the problem of competitiveness of higher education in the works of scientists is made in advance. Results of the research showed that the main components of pillar «High education and training» of the Global Competitiveness Index, namely: secondary education enrollment, tertiary education enrollment, quality of the education system, quality of math and science education, quality of management schools, internet access in schools, availability of research and training services and extent of staff training. The analysis of the dynamics of the indicator “Higher education and training” of Global Competitiveness Index is made for Ukraine and the other countries, which is showed the following: in the last five years the highest index of higher education and training belongs to Finland, the score of which, in the dynamics, significantly increases, concerning Ukraine, it among 132 countries takes 40th place, that is top 50 countries with the highest ranking of the competitiveness of higher education and training, this position for Ukraine is stable, with the exception of 2011, when the position was reduced to 51 in the rankings. Furthermore, in 2014 Ukraine’s rating has increased in comparison with other years. Then in

Competitive intelligence awareness in the South African property sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tshilidzi Eric Nenzhelele

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The South African property sector contributes highly to job creation, alleviation of poverty and economic growth. Although South Africa has dropped in the global competitiveness ranking, the property sector of South Africa remains very competitive. To survive in a competitive business environment firms seek for tools that offer competitive advantage. It is widely reported the competitive intelligence provide firms with competitive advantage over rivals. Although the awareness of competitive intelligence has been examined in other sectors in South Africa, no study on the awareness of competitive intelligence has yet been conducted in the property sector. This study aims at establishing the extent to which property practitioners are aware of competitive intelligence

Herbicides as weed control agents: state of the art: I. Weed control research and safener technology: the path to modern agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraehmer, Hansjoerg; Laber, Bernd; Rosinger, Chris; Schulz, Arno

2014-11-01

The purpose of modern industrial herbicides is to control weeds. The species of weeds that plague crops today are a consequence of the historical past, being related to the history of the evolution of crops and farming practices. Chemical weed control began over a century ago with inorganic compounds and transitioned to the age of organic herbicides. Targeted herbicide research has created a steady stream of successful products. However, safeners have proven to be more difficult to find. Once found, the mode of action of the safener must be determined, partly to help in the discovery of further compounds within the same class. However, mounting regulatory and economic pressure has changed the industry completely, making it harder to find a successful herbicide. Herbicide resistance has also become a major problem, increasing the difficulty of controlling weeds. As a result, the development of new molecules has become a rare event today. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Broomrape weeds. Underground mechanisms of parasitism and associated strategies for their control: a review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica eFernandez-Aparicio

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Broomrapes are plant-parasitic weeds which constitute one of the most difficult-to-control of all biotic constraints that affect crops in Mediterranean, central and eastern Europe, and Asia. Due to their physical and metabolic overlap with the crop, their underground parasitism, their achlorophyllous nature, and hardly destructible seed bank, broomrape weeds are usually not controlled by management strategies designed for non-parasitic weeds. Instead, broomrape are in a current state of intensification and spread due to lack of broomrape-specific control programs, unconscious introduction to new areas and may be decline of herbicide use and global warming to a lesser degree. We reviewed relevant facts about the biology and physiology of broomrape weeds and the major feasible control strategies. The points of vulnerability of some underground events, key for their parasitism such as crop-induced germination or haustorial development are reviewed as inhibition targets of the broomrape-crop association. Among the reviewed strategies are those aimed 1 to reduce broomrape seed bank viability, such as fumigation, herbigation, solarization and use of broomrape-specific pathogens; 2 diversion strategies to reduce the broomrape ability to timely detect the host such as those based on promotion of suicidal germination, on introduction of allelochemical interference, or on down-regulating host exudation of germination-inducing factors; 3 strategies to inhibit the capacity of the broomrape seedling to penetrate the crop and connect with the vascular system, such as biotic or abiotic inhibition of broomrape radicle growth, crop resistance to broomrape penetration either natural, genetically engineered or elicited by biotic- or abiotic-resistance-inducing agents and 4 strategies acting once broomrape seedling has bridged its vascular system with that of the host, aimed to impede or to endure the parasitic sink such as those based on the delivery of herbicides

Broomrape Weeds. Underground Mechanisms of Parasitism and Associated Strategies for their Control: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Aparicio, Mónica; Reboud, Xavier; Gibot-Leclerc, Stephanie

2016-01-01

Broomrapes are plant-parasitic weeds which constitute one of the most difficult-to-control of all biotic constraints that affect crops in Mediterranean, central and eastern Europe, and Asia. Due to their physical and metabolic overlap with the crop, their underground parasitism, their achlorophyllous nature, and hardly destructible seed bank, broomrape weeds are usually not controlled by management strategies designed for non-parasitic weeds. Instead, broomrapes are in current state of intensification and spread due to lack of broomrape-specific control programs, unconscious introduction to new areas and may be decline of herbicide use and global warming to a lesser degree. We reviewed relevant facts about the biology and physiology of broomrape weeds and the major feasible control strategies. The points of vulnerability of some underground events, key for their parasitism such as crop-induced germination or haustorial development are reviewed as inhibition targets of the broomrape-crop association. Among the reviewed strategies are those aimed (1) to reduce broomrape seed bank viability, such as fumigation, herbigation, solarization and use of broomrape-specific pathogens; (2) diversion strategies to reduce the broomrape ability to timely detect the host such as those based on promotion of suicidal germination, on introduction of allelochemical interference, or on down-regulating host exudation of germination-inducing factors; (3) strategies to inhibit the capacity of the broomrape seedling to penetrate the crop and connect with the vascular system, such as biotic or abiotic inhibition of broomrape radicle growth and crop resistance to broomrape penetration either natural, genetically engineered or elicited by biotic- or abiotic-resistance-inducing agents; and (4) strategies acting once broomrape seedling has bridged its vascular system with that of the host, aimed to impede or to endure the parasitic sink such as those based on the delivery of herbicides via

Weed-Species Abundance and Diversity Indices in Relation to Tillage Systems and Fertilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilias S. Travlos

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Weeds pose a major threat to world agriculture by reducing detrimentally crop yield and quality. However, at the same time, weeds are major interacting components of the agroecosystems. Abundance and diversity of weeds vary significantly among the several communities. In order to evaluate each community's structure and the interactions among them, several population indices are used as key tools. In parallel, various cultivation and land management strategies, such as tillage and fertilization, are commonly used in terms of integrated weed management. Estimating the response of weed species on those practices is crucial for both biodiversity maintenance and alternative weed control methods. Many experiments have confirmed the fundamental role of tillage intensity and nutrition supply in weed species' abundance and diversity. For instance, in some studies, the abundance of perennial weeds was doubled under reduced tillage intensity. In addition, higher values of Shannon-Weiner and Pielou indices were reported in the PK fertilization treatment compared to the control and NK fertilization treatments. The objective of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the key results of these experiments and summarize the part of the literature related to the effect of tillage systems and fertilization on weed species abundance and diversity. Such knowledge could contribute to the sound design and implementation of integrated weed management programs which in turn may lead to a decrease in the density of serious and noxious weeds and an increase in the overall balance of agroecosystems.

Capture and utilization of solar radiation by the soybean and common bean crops and by weeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Jose Barbosa dos; Procopio, Sergio de Oliveira; Silva, Antonio Alberto da; Costa, Luiz Claudio

2003-01-01

Aiming to develop techniques for the establishment of a Weed Integrated Management Program, the performance of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) and of weeds Bidens pilosa L., Euphorbia heterophylla L. (two biotypes), sensitive and resistant to ALS inhibitor - herbicides and [ Desmodium tortuosum (SW.) DC.], was evaluated in relation to their efficiency in capturing and utilizing solar radiation.The following indices were calculated: total dry biomass production rate (Ct), leaf dry biomass production rate (Cf), radiation efficient use (x), net assimilation rate (EA), specific leaf area (SA), leaf area index (L), leaf matter ratio (FW) and leaf area ratio (FA). No difference was observed for all characteristics evaluated among E. heterophylla biotypes. Soybean showed the highest rate of total dry biomass production along its cycle and also the highest leaf area index, indicating its greater capacity in capturing light and providing shade to competitive plants. Especially after flowering, common bean was the most efficient in draining its photoassimilates for leaf formation. Soybean showed greater efficiency in converting radiation intercepted in the biomass. (author)

Diagrammatic perturbation methods in networks and sports ranking combinatorics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Juyong

2010-01-01

Analytic and computational tools developed in statistical physics are being increasingly applied to the study of complex networks. Here we present recent developments in the diagrammatic perturbation methods for the exponential random graph models, and apply them to the combinatoric problem of determining the ranking of nodes in directed networks that represent pairwise competitions

Vocal competition in male Xenopus laevis frogs

OpenAIRE

Tobias, Martha L.; Corke, Anna; Korsh, Jeremy; Yin, David; Kelley, Darcy B.

2010-01-01

Male Xenopus laevis frogs produce underwater advertisement calls that attract gravid females and suppress calling by male competitors. Here we explore whether groups of males establish vocal ranks and whether auditory cues alone suffice for vocal suppression. Tests of male–male pairs within assigned groups reveal linear vocal dominance relations, in which each male has a defined rank. Both the duration over which males interact, as well as the number of competitive opportunities, affect linea...

Effect of weed control treatments and cutting frequency on weed dry ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Two experiments were conducted during the rainy seasons of 2012 and 2013 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to evaluate the growth and leaf yield of Telfairia occidentials Hook F. as influenced by weed control treatments and cutting frequencies.

Weed Growth Stage Estimator Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Teimouri, Nima; Dyrmann, Mads; Nielsen, Per Rydahl; Mathiassen, Solvejg Kopp; Somerville, Gayle J; Jørgensen, Rasmus Nyholm

2018-05-16

This study outlines a new method of automatically estimating weed species and growth stages (from cotyledon until eight leaves are visible) of in situ images covering 18 weed species or families. Images of weeds growing within a variety of crops were gathered across variable environmental conditions with regards to soil types, resolution and light settings. Then, 9649 of these images were used for training the computer, which automatically divided the weeds into nine growth classes. The performance of this proposed convolutional neural network approach was evaluated on a further set of 2516 images, which also varied in term of crop, soil type, image resolution and light conditions. The overall performance of this approach achieved a maximum accuracy of 78% for identifying Polygonum spp. and a minimum accuracy of 46% for blackgrass. In addition, it achieved an average 70% accuracy rate in estimating the number of leaves and 96% accuracy when accepting a deviation of two leaves. These results show that this new method of using deep convolutional neural networks has a relatively high ability to estimate early growth stages across a wide variety of weed species.

Task 27 -- Alaskan low-rank coal-water fuel demonstration project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-10-01

Development of coal-water-fuel (CWF) technology has to-date been predicated on the use of high-rank bituminous coal only, and until now the high inherent moisture content of low-rank coal has precluded its use for CWF production. The unique feature of the Alaskan project is the integration of hot-water-drying (HWD) into CWF technology as a beneficiation process. Hot-water-drying is an EERC developed technology unavailable to the competition that allows the range of CWF feedstock to be extended to low-rank coals. The primary objective of the Alaskan Project, is to promote interest in the CWF marketplace by demonstrating the commercial viability of low-rank coal-water-fuel (LRCWF). While commercialization plans cannot be finalized until the implementation and results of the Alaskan LRCWF Project are known and evaluated, this report has been prepared to specifically address issues concerning business objectives for the project, and outline a market development plan for meeting those objectives.

Weed control in tomato (lycopersicon esculentum mill.) through mulching and herbicides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakht, T.; Khan, I.A.

2014-01-01

Experiments were conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar during 2012 and 2013 to determine the impact of row spacing and weed management strategies on tomato (Lycopersicon esculantum Mill.). Variety 'Roma' was planted on a plot size of 4.8m x 3m using a randomized complete block (RCB) design in split plot arrangements, having four replications. The experiment comprised of row spacing in main plots and ten treatments in the subplots that included five mulches viz., white polyethylene, black polyethylene, wheat straw, newspaper and saw dust; three herbicide treatments i.e. fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, pendimethalin, s-metolachlor along with a hand weeding treatment and a weedy check. The data were recorded on weed density m-2 at 20 days after treatments, plant height, fruit yield (kg ha-1). All the studied parameters were significantly affected by the row spacing (factor A) and weed management treatments (factor B); however, the interaction effects were non-significant. An increase in weed density was observed with increase in row spacing, having weed density of 3.39, 4.19 and 4.53 weeds m-2 for 40, 60 and 80 row spacing, respectively. The overall weed density m-2 ranged between 3.24 to 4.30 m-2. A maximum plant height of 62.44cm was recorded in weedy check and minimum 53.31cm plant height was observed in hand weeding treatments. As regards the fruit yield, a highest yield of 2.51 t ha-1 was recorded at row spacing of 60 cm (factor A) and the application of poly ethylene black plastic resulted in significantly highest fruit yield (4.04 t ha-1) among factor B treatments. (author)

effect of fluazitopbutyl and atrazine/metolachlor for weed control

African Journals Online (AJOL)

COCOYAM

also gave the highest yield and monetary gain when compares with manual weeding. This technique will be ... be a “back yard” crop or “gap filler”. Survey reports in .... Critical period of weed interference intercropped with maize and cocoyam.

Distinct germination response of endangered and common arable weeds to reduced water potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Rühl, A T; Eckstein, R L; Otte, A; Donath, T W

2016-01-01

Arable weeds are one of the most endangered species groups in Europe. Modern agriculture and intensive land-use management are the main causes of their dramatic decline. However, besides the changes in land use, climate change may further challenge the adaptability of arable weeds. Therefore, we investigated the response pattern of arable weeds to different water potential and temperature regimes during the phase of germination. We expected that endangered arable weeds would be more sensitive to differences in water availability and temperature than common arable weeds. To this end, we set up a climate chamber experiment where we exposed seeds of five familial pairs of common and endangered arable weed species to different temperatures (5/15, 10/20 °C) and water potentials (0.0 to -1.2 MPa). The results revealed a significant relationship between the reaction of arable weed species to water availability and their Red List status. The effects of reduced water availability on total germination, mean germination time and synchrony were significantly stronger in endangered than in common arable weeds. Therefore, global climate change may present a further threat to the survival of endangered arable weed species. © 2015 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Evaluation of pre and post-emergence herbicides for weed management in lentil (lens culinaris medik.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, A.; Malik, S.R.; Munawwar, H.; Tahir, M.

2014-01-01

The weeds in lentil are one of the major constraints in obtaining maximum yield. The manual weed control is simply not feasible because it is time consuming and costly. The chemical weed control is the effective method of weed management.A field study was conducted to evaluate pre and post-emergence herbicides for weed control in lentil. The experiment comprised eight treatments including three herbicides, manual weeding and check (no weeding). The yield was higher in manual weeding but in herbicide treatments Isoproturon as pre-emergence at the rate 2kg/sup -1/ha produced statistically at par grain yield to that of manual weeding followed by Isoproturon after one month of planting at the rate 2kg ha. Both the treatments showed 193.9% and 109.2% yield increase, respectively, over the check. It indicates that Isoproturon at the rate 2 kg ha can be used pre or post-emergence in lentil fields to control the weeds without causing injury to lentil plants. (author)

Impact of fertilizing pattern on the biodiversity of a weed community and wheat growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Leilei; Cheng, Chuanpeng; Wan, Kaiyuan; Li, Ruhai; Wang, Daozhong; Tao, Yong; Pan, Junfeng; Xie, Juan; Chen, Fang

2014-01-01

Weeding and fertilization are important farming practices. Integrated weed management should protect or improve the biodiversity of farmland weed communities for a better ecological environment with not only increased crop yield, but also reduced use of herbicides. This study hypothesized that appropriate fertilization would benefit both crop growth and the biodiversity of farmland weed communities. To study the effects of different fertilizing patterns on the biodiversity of a farmland weed community and their adaptive mechanisms, indices of species diversity and responses of weed species and wheat were investigated in a 17-year field trial with a winter wheat-soybean rotation. This long term field trial includes six fertilizing treatments with different N, P and K application rates. The results indicated that wheat and the four prevalent weed species (Galium aparine, Vicia sativa, Veronica persica and Geranium carolinianum) showed different responses to fertilizer treatment in terms of density, plant height, shoot biomass, and nutrient accumulations. Each individual weed population exhibited its own adaptive mechanisms, such as increased internode length for growth advantages and increased light interception. The PK treatment had higher density, shoot biomass, Shannon-Wiener and Pielou Indices of weed community than N plus P fertilizer treatments. The N1/2PK treatment showed the same weed species number as the PK treatment. It also showed higher Shannon-Wiener and Pielou Indices of the weed community, although it had a lower wheat yield than the NPK treatment. The negative effects of the N1/2PK treatment on wheat yield could be balanced by the simultaneous positive effects on weed communities, which are intermediate in terms of the effects on wheat and weeds.

Assessment of Caesium -137 accumulation from soil to autochthonous weeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sreenivasa Chari, M.; Karuna Sagar, G.; Manjaiah, K.M.

2017-01-01

A study was conducted at Nuclear Research Laboratory (NRL), IARI, New Delhi to obtain radio cesium ( 137 Cs) Soil-to-plant transfer factors of autochthonous weeds at low level of contamination, where contamination is a legacy of experimental activities. Studied area is sporadically covered with autochthonous weeds mainly with Amaranthus viridis, Cynodon dactylon, Cassia auriculata, Brachiaria mutica, Parthenium hysterophorus, Bohervia diffusa and some taxonomically unidentified weeds. Extractability as well as bioavailability of 137 Cs was quantified by sequential extraction. In the representative plant and soil samples, 137 Cs activity was measured directly with the 2.5” × 2.5” NaI (TI) well type detector installed in 15 cm thick lead shield and single channel gamma analyzer. Transfer factors of grassy weeds were 0.143 to 0.310 (1.43 × 10 -2 to 3.1 × 10 -2 ), for broad leaved weeds 0.103 to 0.133 (1.03 × 10 -2 to 1.33 × 10 -2 ). Increase in the activity levels increased the transfer factors of weeds. Irrespective of activity levels higher transfer factors were observed in roots ranging from 0.13 to 0.28 (1. 3 × 10 -1 to 2.8 × 10 -1 ). At both the levels (40 and 80 µci) Cynodon dactylon recorded higher root and shoot transfer factor of 2.99 and 0.29 respectively, when compared to other weeds. Significantly lower transfer factors were observed in Parthenium hysterophorus. Geochemical partitioning shown that the reducible phase (56%) is the largest sink for 137 Cs in the studied soils

Smoking the Other: marijuana and counterhegemony in Weeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavoie, Dusty

2011-01-01

Subverting suburban modernity, the SHOWTIME television series Weeds invites its audiences to situate their opinions about marijuana amid spheres of bourgeois soccer-moms, class politics, turf wars, raw economics, violent milieux, and multiculti heterogeneity. I argue that Weeds encourages us to "smoke the Other"; that is, to hesitantly accept difference, in line with many drug circles' etiquette. The phrase "smoking the Other" is a critical alteration of bell hooks' (1992, Black looks: Race and representation. Boston: South End Press) conception of whites' ethnic "devouring" as "eating the Other," a rather rigid schematic itself problematized by Weeds' transgressive self-conscious playfulness with stereotyped ethnicities, loopy plotlines, and counterhegemonic dialogue. Cultural/political implications follow. Copyright © 2011 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.

Suicidal germination for parasitic weed control.

Science.gov (United States)

Zwanenburg, Binne; Mwakaboko, Alinanuswe S; Kannan, Chinnaswamy

2016-11-01

Parasitic weeds of the genera Striga and Orobanche spp. cause severe yield losses in agriculture, especially in developing countries and the Mediterranean. Seeds of these weeds germinate by a chemical signal exuded by the roots of host plants. The radicle thus produced attaches to the root of the host plant, which can then supply nutrients to the parasite. There is an urgent need to control these weeds to ensure better agricultural production. The naturally occurring chemical signals are strigolactones (SLs), e.g. strigol and orobanchol. One option to control these weeds involves the use of SLs as suicidal germination agents, where germination takes place in the absence of a host. Owing to the lack of nutrients, the germinated seeds will die. The structure of natural SLs is too complex to allow multigram synthesis. Therefore, SL analogues are developed for this purpose. Examples are GR24 and Nijmegen-1. In this paper, the SL analogues Nijmegen-1 and Nijmegen-1 Me were applied in the field as suicidal germination agents. Both SL analogues were formulated using an appropriate EC-approved emulsifier (polyoxyethylene sorbitol hexaoleate) and applied to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) fields infested by Orobanche ramosa L. (hemp broomrape), following a strict protocol. Four out of 12 trials showed a reduction in broomrape of ≥95%, two trials were negative, two showed a moderate result, one was unclear and in three cases there was no Orobanche problem in the year of the trials. The trial plots were ca 2000 m 2 ; half of that area was treated with stimulant emulsion, the other half was not treated. The optimal amount of stimulant was 6.25 g ha -1 . A preconditioning prior to the treatment was a prerequisite for a successful trial. In conclusion, the suicidal germination approach to reducing O. ramosa in tobacco fields using formulated SL analogues was successful. Two other options for weed control are discussed: deactivation of stimulants prior to action and

On the development, environmental effects and human dimension of weed management strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Riemens, M.M.

2009-01-01

On the development, environmental effects and human dimension of weed management strategies. On farm weed management is influenced by many factors. These factors comprise the development and availability of weed management tools, the environmental impact of these tools and the attitude and

UAV low-altitude remote sensing for precision weed management

Science.gov (United States)

Precision weed management, an application of precision agriculture, accounts for within-field variability of weed infestation and herbicide damage. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide a unique platform for remote sensing of field crops. They are more efficient and flexible than manned agricultur...

Welfare-Ranking Ad Valorem and Specific Tariffs under Monopolistic Competition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schröder, Philipp J.H.; Jørgensen, Jan Guldager

2005-01-01

Actual trade and tariff policy prefers ad valorem tariffs to specific tariffs. Yet in this paper we show that, in a setting of monopolistic competition, realizing a given restriction on imports via a specific tariff would generate more consumer utility than obtaining the same restriction via an ad...... valorem tariff. Udgivelsesdato: FEB...

An R package for analyzing and modeling ranking data.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Paul H; Yu, Philip L H

2013-05-14

In medical informatics, psychology, market research and many other fields, researchers often need to analyze and model ranking data. However, there is no statistical software that provides tools for the comprehensive analysis of ranking data. Here, we present pmr, an R package for analyzing and modeling ranking data with a bundle of tools. The pmr package enables descriptive statistics (mean rank, pairwise frequencies, and marginal matrix), Analytic Hierarchy Process models (with Saaty's and Koczkodaj's inconsistencies), probability models (Luce model, distance-based model, and rank-ordered logit model), and the visualization of ranking data with multidimensional preference analysis. Examples of the use of package pmr are given using a real ranking dataset from medical informatics, in which 566 Hong Kong physicians ranked the top five incentives (1: competitive pressures; 2: increased savings; 3: government regulation; 4: improved efficiency; 5: improved quality care; 6: patient demand; 7: financial incentives) to the computerization of clinical practice. The mean rank showed that item 4 is the most preferred item and item 3 is the least preferred item, and significance difference was found between physicians' preferences with respect to their monthly income. A multidimensional preference analysis identified two dimensions that explain 42% of the total variance. The first can be interpreted as the overall preference of the seven items (labeled as "internal/external"), and the second dimension can be interpreted as their overall variance of (labeled as "push/pull factors"). Various statistical models were fitted, and the best were found to be weighted distance-based models with Spearman's footrule distance. In this paper, we presented the R package pmr, the first package for analyzing and modeling ranking data. The package provides insight to users through descriptive statistics of ranking data. Users can also visualize ranking data by applying a thought

Interspecific competition changes photosynthetic and oxidative stress response of barley and barnyard grass to elevated CO2 and temperature

OpenAIRE

Irena Januskaitiene; Jūratė Žaltauskaitė; Austra Dikšaitytė; Gintarė Sujetovienė; Diana Miškelytė; Giedrė Kacienė; Sandra Sakalauskienė; Jurga Miliauskienė; Romualdas Juknys

2018-01-01

This work focuses on the investigation of competition interaction between C3 crop barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and C4 weed barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli L.) at 2 times higher than ambient [CO2] and +4 0C higher ambient temperature climate conditions. It was hypothesized that interspecific competition will change the response of the investigated plants to increased [CO2] and temperature. The obtained results showed that in the current climate conditions, a higher biomass and photosynth...

Economics of weed suppressive rice cultivars in flood- and furrow-irrigated systems

Science.gov (United States)

Weeds are a major constraint to rice production. In the U.S, weeds in rice are controlled primarily with synthetic herbicides. Intensive herbicide application in rice also has many potential drawbacks, resulting in environmental pollution, human health concerns, and development of weed resistance. B...

Reduced herbicide doses in combination with allelopathic plant extracts suppress weeds in wheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afridi, R.A.; Khan, M.A.

2014-01-01

Allelopathy is gaining popularity worldwide probably for decreasing the cost of production and environment friendly weed suppressing approach. Repeated field studies conducted during 2011-12 and 2012-13 at Agricutural Research Institute Tarnab, Peshawar, Pakistan where allelopathic water extracts of Oryza sativa, Parthenium hysterophorus, Phragmites australis and Datura alba along with reduced doses of phenoxaprop-p-ethyl and bromoxinil+MCPA were tested for controlling weeds in wheat. It was observed that weed density was encouragly suppressed whereas spike length (cm), number of spikelets spike-1 and 1000 grain weight (g) of the wheat were improved when the allelopathic plant water extracts were used in combination with lower doses of herbicides. Thus, allelochemicals provide weed suppressing option in wheat. However, more studies are required to fully explore the possibility of weed management and isolation of the chemicals involved in weed suppression for environment friendly weed management in wheat. Such studies may decrease the cost of crop production and total use of herbicides. (author)

Peatland Fire Danger Rating According to Weeds Characteristic Under Jelutung (Dyera Polyphylla Plantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Acep Akbar

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Besides to be a competitor plant, weeds could act as the potential fuel under plantation forest in peatland. Characteristic of weeds in relation to peat swamp forest fire danger was studied under jelutung  plantation in Central Kalimantan. The research was aimed at exploring the potency of weed to become one of the fire danger rating indicators. By using vegetation analyses method in sampling unit of weeds population, results showed that three plantation area have different dominance weed species. The weeds species that could be the indicator of height fire risk according to water content and percentage of weed mortality during the drought, height potency of greenhouse gas emmision, culm height, and chemical material content that easy burned in this study were Imperata cylindrica, Stenochlaena polustris, Cyclosorus aridus, and Nephrolepis exaltata. While, the presence of Glichenia linearis, Melastoma malabatracum, Ficus grossulariodes, Saurophus androginus, Spatoglathis plicata,Himenocalis littoralis, Leptaspis urcheolata, Cyperus rotundus, and Amaranthus spinosa were not indicated high fire risk.

Aquatic weed control within an integrated water management framework

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Querner, E.P.

1993-01-01

Aquatic weed control, carried out by the water boards in the Netherlands, is required to maintain sufficient discharge capacity of the surface water system. Weed control affects the conditions of both surface water and groundwater. The physically based model MOGROW was developed to simulate

An Autonomous Robotic System for Mapping Weeds in Fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Karl Damkjær; Garcia Ruiz, Francisco Jose; Kazmi, Wajahat

2013-01-01

The ASETA project develops theory and methods for robotic agricultural systems. In ASETA, unmanned aircraft and unmanned ground vehicles are used to automate the task of identifying and removing weeds in sugar beet fields. The framework for a working automatic robotic weeding system is presented...

Cruciferous weeds in oil seed rape – appearance and control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klingenhagen, Günter

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Different cruciferous weeds were drilled in autumn 2011 and 2012 in a field near Münster. Beside common species like hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale Scop., shepherd`s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris, pennycress (Thlaspiarvense, tall hedge mustard (Sisymbrium loeselii and flixweed (Descurainia sophia, we tried to establish weeds that are not common on arable land in Germany until now. These were: Yellow rocket (Barbarea vulgaris, hoary cress (Lepidium draba and Turkish rocket (Bunias orientalis. In autumn 2011 emergence of the sown weeds was poor. In the second year of experiment we got good emergence of the named weeds excluding hoary cress (Lepidium draba. In autumn 2011 and 2012 different herbicidecombinations were applied across the stripes. The best results were achieved with Colzor Trio (clomazone + dimethachlor + napropamid which was applied in pre-emergence state, a spray sequence Butisan Gold (metazachlor + quinmerac + dimethenamid-P applied in pre-emergence followed by Salsa (ethametsulfuronmethyl + Trend (adjuvant in post-emergence and Clearfield-Vantiga (metazachlor + quinmerac + imazamox + Dash (adjuvant, also applied in post-emergence state of the weeds.

Herbicide-resistant cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) plants: an alternative way of manual weed removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Latif, Ayesha; Rao, Abdul Qayyum; Khan, Muhammad Azmat Ullah; Shahid, Naila; Bajwa, Kamran Shehzad; Ashraf, Muhammad Aleem; Abbas, Malik Adil; Azam, Muhammad; Shahid, Ahmad Ali; Nasir, Idrees Ahmad; Husnain, Tayyab

2015-09-17

Cotton yield has been badly affected by different insects and weed competition. In Past Application of multiple chemicals is required to manage insects and weed control was achieved by different conventional means, such as hand weeding, crop rotation and polyculture, because no synthetic chemicals were available. The control methods shifted towards high input and target-oriented methods after the discovery of synthetic herbicide in the 1930s. To utilise the transgenic approach, cotton plants expressing the codon-optimised CEMB GTGene were produced in the present study. Local cotton variety CEMB-02 containing Cry1Ac and Cry2A in single cassette was transformed by synthetic codon-optimised 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase gene cloned into pCAMBIA 1301 vector under 35S promoter with Agrobacterium tumifaciens. Putative transgenic plants were screened in MS medium containing 120 µmol/L glyphosate. Integration and expression of the gene were evaluated by PCR from genomic DNA and ELISA from protein. A 1.4-kb PCR product for Glyphosate and 167-bp product for Cry2A were obtained by amplification through gene specific primers. Expression level of Glyphosate and Bt proteins in two transgenic lines were recorded to be 0.362, 0.325 µg/g leaf and 0.390, 0.300 µg/g leaf respectively. FISH analysis of transgenic lines demonstrates the presence of one and two copy no. of Cp4 EPSPS transgene respectively. Efficacy of the transgene Cp4 EPSPS was further evaluated by Glyphosate spray (41 %) assay at 1900 ml/acre and insect bioassay which shows 100 %mortality of insect feeding on transgenic lines as compared to control. The present study shows that the transgenic lines produced in this study were resistant not only to insects but also equally good against 1900 ml/acre field spray concentration of glyphosate.

Controlling weeds with fungi, bacteria and viruses: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Harding, Dylan P.; Raizada, Manish N.

2015-01-01

Weeds are a nuisance in a variety of land uses. The increasing prevalence of both herbicide resistant weeds and bans on cosmetic pesticide use has created a strong impetus to develop novel strategies for controlling weeds. The application of bacteria, fungi and viruses to achieving this goal has received increasingly great attention over the last three decades. Proposed benefits to this strategy include reduced environmental impact, increased target specificity, reduced development costs compared to conventional herbicides and the identification of novel herbicidal mechanisms. This review focuses on examples from North America. Among fungi, the prominent genera to receive attention as bioherbicide candidates include Colletotrichum, Phoma, and Sclerotinia. Among bacteria, Xanthomonas and Pseudomonas share this distinction. The available reports on the application of viruses to controlling weeds are also reviewed. Focus is given to the phytotoxic mechanisms associated with bioherbicide candidates. Achieving consistent suppression of weeds in field conditions is a common challenge to this control strategy, as the efficacy of a bioherbicide candidate is generally more sensitive to environmental variation than a conventional herbicide. Common themes and lessons emerging from the available literature in regard to this challenge are presented. Additionally, future directions for this crop protection strategy are suggested. PMID:26379687

Trade off between costs and environmental effects of weed control on pavements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kempenaar, C.; Lotz, L.A.P.; Horst, van der C.L.M.; Beltman, W.H.J.; Leemans, K.J.M.; Bannink, A.D.

2007-01-01

An actor-participative project on sustainable weed control on pavements was started in 2000 in the Netherlands. The aim of the project was to develop a new concept of weed management that provides cost-effective and environmentally sound weed control. Early in 2002, practical guidelines were drawn

EFFECT OF SOWING DATE AND WEED CONTROL METHOD ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF SOYBEAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasrin Akter

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Sowing date and weed management play a significant role in determining soybean growth, development and seed yield. Results showed that different sowing date and weed control methods had significant effect on relative weed density, weed biomass, weed control efficiency, plant height, dry weight plant-1 and seed yield of soybean. Among the infested weed species in the experimental field the dominant weeds were Lindernia procumbens (44.78%, Echinochloa colonum (26.39% and Cynodon dactylon (16.30%. The results also revealed that early sowing (2 January brought about the highest seed yield (2.17 t ha-1 and sowing delay (1 February resulted in the lowest yield (1.64 t ha-1. Two times hand weeding (20 and 40 DAS controlled the weeds most effectively and led to highest seed yield (2.23 t ha-1 which was statistically similar (2.19 t ha-1 with herbicide application. Combination effect showed that the highest seed yield (2.50 t ha-1 was obtained from 2 January sowing when the crop was weeded by hand at 20 and 40 DAS.

Tolerance and selectivity of cereal species and cultivars to postemergence weed harrowing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Jesper; Nielsen, Helle Højland; Gundersen, Hanne

2009-01-01

POST weed harrowing and other cultivation methods to control weeds in early crop growth stages may result in crop damage due to low selectivity between crop and weeds. Crop tolerance to cultivation plays an important role but it has not been clearly defined and analyzed. We introduce a procedure...... for analyzing crop tolerance on the basis of digital image analysis. Crop tolerance is defined as the ability of the crop to avoid yield loss from cultivation in the absence of weeds, and it has two components: resistance and recovery. Resistance is the ability of the crop to resist soil covering and recovery...... abilities to suppress weeds. The order of species' tolerance to weed harrowing was triticale > wheat > barley > oat and the differences were mainly caused by different abilities to recover from soil covering. At 25% soil covering, grain yield loss in triticale was 0.5%, in wheat 2.5%, in barley 3...

2012 Annual Global Tax Competitiveness Ranking – A Canadian Good News Story

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duanjie Chen

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Since 2000, Canada has been remarkably successful in building a more competitive corporate tax system, principally by lowering tax rates and broadening the tax base. Canada’s marginal effective tax rate (METR is now the lowest, and hence the most tax-competitive among the G-7, the 20th most tax-competitive in the 34-member OECD, and 57th among the 90 countries surveyed in this paper. The result has been greater investment and improved economic growth despite recessionary pressures. In particular, provincial sales tax harmonization with the GST has heightened Ontario’s competitiveness and promises to do the same for PEI, the latest convert to the cause. However, progress has not been uniform. Some provincial governments have lost focus by raising rates or introducing tax preferences that narrow the base, inevitably harming business efficiency. British Columbia’s decision to replace the new Harmonized Sales Tax with the old retail sales tax will cost it dearly, especially when it comes to public spending. On the other hand, corporate tax rate reductions of more than 30 percent (since 2000 have, contrary to the critics’ cries, failed to make an appreciable dent in tax revenues thanks to multinationals’ habit of shifting profits to Canada to take advantage of lower rates. This paper, in providing a candid snapshot of Canadian taxation measured against 89 other nations, serves as an invaluable foundation for understanding how far this country has come, and what its next steps should be.

Using 7Be to document soil erosion on the weed plots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Bo; Zhang Fengbao; Yang Mingyi

2013-01-01

Be tracing technology was applied to document soil erosion on the bare plot and weed plot, and compae soil erosion rate with the calculated rate. Results indicated that vegetation cover had obvious effect on the estimate of soil erosion rate on the weed plot using 7 Be measurement. Therefore, a factor of vegetation had been introduced into the Walling's model of converting 7 Be activity to soil erosion rate for estimating soil erosion rate on the weed slope surface. It was found that the soil erosion rates calculated by modified model were well close to the measured values on the weed plot, which illustrated that the modified model could be well used to estimate the rates of soil loss on the weed slope surface. These findings provide effective means for further study on the relationship between vegetation cover and soil erosion. (authors)

Upper limit for context-based crop classification in robotic weeding applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Midtiby, Henrik Skov; Åstrand, Björn; Jørgensen, Ole

2016-01-01

Knowledge of the precise position of crop plants is a prerequisite for effective mechanical weed control in robotic weeding application such as in crops like sugar beets which are sensitive to mechanical stress. Visual detection and recognition of crop plants based on their shapes has been...... described many times in the literature. In this paper the potential of using knowledge about the crop seed pattern is investigated based on simulated output from a perception system. The reliability of position–based crop plant detection is shown to depend on the weed density (ρ, measured in weed plants per...... square metre) and the crop plant pattern position uncertainty (σx and σy, measured in metres along and perpendicular to the crop row, respectively). The recognition reliability can be described with the positive predictive value (PPV), which is limited by the seeding pattern uncertainty and the weed...

Weed biocontrol in the EU: from serendipity to strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Biological control of weeds is a globally-recognized approach to the management of the worst invasive plants in the world. Unfortunately, accidental introduction of agents account for most weed biocontrol in the EU, but do include a number of current or emerging successes. From the redistribution of...

Effect of tillage on the efficacy of CGA362622 on weed control in maize

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-03

Dec 3, 2008 ... time and resources managing weeds. Tillage alone or in combination with good cropping methods is ... help in managing herbicide resistance weeds and may also increase weed density as well as reduce crop yield .... This change in weed compo- sition agrees with Richley et al. (1977) indicating shift.

Effect of Drought Stress on Water Use Efficiency and Root Dry Weight of Wheat (Triticum aesativum L. and Rye (Secale cereale L. in Competition Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F Golestani Far

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction Deficiency of water during the plant growth is one of the main factors which reduce the crops production around the world. Drought stress is one of the most important tensions that may occur around the low rainfall, high temperature and wind blowing environments. Plant response to this stress depends on the stage of plant growth and drought intensity. Weeds are unwanted and harmful plants with disturbance in agricultural practices which make increase the cost of crop production and reduce the crop yields. Rye (Secale cereal L. is one of the most important weeds at wheat fields in Iran (Baghestani and Atri, 2003. Low expectations, allelopathic effects and similarity of life cycle and morphology, caused increasing of rye density in winter wheat fields. Water use efficiency (WUE as an important physiological characteristic indicates the ability of plants to water stress. WUE may be affected by climatic and soil or plant factors. In plant communities, competition is one of most important physiological topics (Evans et al, 2003. At Inter-specific competition, weeds interfere to absorbing of light, water and nutrients through the adjacency with crop and so affect the growth and yield of crops. Weeds often compete with crops for soil water and reduce the accessibility of water. Competition between weeds and crops decrease the soil moisture and cause water stress which might decrease the weeds and crops growth. When the supply of water is limited, water drainage overlap areas in soil profile could be occurred relatively fast at early of in the crop life cycle. Materials and Methods In order to study the effects of drought stress on water use efficiency and root dry weight of wheat (Triticum aesativum L. and rye (Secale cereale L. in competition conditions, a pot experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of Agriculture Faculty , University of Birjand in 2012. The experiment was arranged as factorial based on completely randomized design

Efeito do condicionamento osmótico de sementes de soja sobre a habilidade competitiva da cultura com as plantas daninhas Soybean seed osmoconditioning effect on the crop competitive ability against weeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U.R. Nunes

2003-04-01

weeds. Soybean seeds, variety UFV 16, were harvested at the phenological stages R8 and R8 + 15 days and submitted to osmotic conditioning in a polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000 solution, at -0.8 Mpa, and 20ºC, for 96 hours. Seeds without pre-hydration treatment harvested at the same phenological stage were used as control. Seed germination and vigor were analyzed under laboratory conditions through the standard germination test, using a randomized complete design, 2x2 factorial, with 4 repetitions. Two experiments were conducted under field conditions, using seeds with and without osmotic conditioning, also harvested at the phenological stages R8 and R8 + 15 days, respectively. In both the experiments using randomized blocks with four repetitions, the effects of different weed coexistence periods (0, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 125 days after soybean emergence with the soybean crop were evaluated. The highest germination and vigor values related to initial and final stands and to grain yield were found in the treatments of seeds conditioned and harvested at the phenological stage R8. Other characteristics evaluated (plant height, number of nodes, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, number of seeds per pod and 100-seed weight were not altered by conditioning. The competitive effect between weed and crop was verified by the lowest dry biomass values of the weeds, in the treatments in which seeds were harvested at the phenological stage R8 and were osmotically conditioned.

Effect of weed control methods on some soil properties of a newly ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Weed control constitutes a high percentage of the total field maintenance cost of newly planted cocoa. Soil samples were collected from an experiment that was designed to evaluate some weed control methods during cocoa establishment. The objective of the experiment was to assess the effect of the weed control ...

7 CFR 205.206 - Crop pest, weed, and disease management practice standard.

Science.gov (United States)