Weeds

chaff cart

Wild oat seeds spread in chaff

Combine harvesting spread wild oat seeds up to 475 feet (145 m) at population levels of more than 1 seed per square foot (10 seeds/m2). This compared to less than 1 seed/ft2 at 150 feet (45 m) with chaff collection. Wild oat distribution is typically…

Metribuzin damage

Metribuzin is tough on chickpeas

Two weeks after metribuzin treatment, chickpea mortality was 25% at the full label rate, and 56% for the 2X rate. Accumulated chlorosis and necrosis were similar for the control and 1/2X rate. The 1X rate significantly reduced pod production by 75% and was similar to…

volunteer canola seedling

Canola dormancy investigated

In addition to genetic, physiological, and environmental factors, farming practices such as harvest timing, and tillage regimes can influence secondary dormancy of volunteer canola seed. Given the documented high heritability of secondary dormancy, it is feasible to reduce secondary dormancy in canola cultivars through plant…

volunteer canola

Fall harrowing for volunteer canola control

Fall harrowing shortly after harvest increased volunteer canola seedling emergence in the fall, resulting in over-winter kill and reduced volunteer canola persistence. Volunteer canola is an on-going problem for farmers on the Prairies. This is partially because of significant harvest seed losses during combining, and…

Wild oat in canola

Charting the spread of wild oat patches

Patch expansion was attributed mainly to natural seed dispersal or seed movement by equipment at time of seeding. Extensive seed shed from plants in patches before harvest or control of herbicide resistant plants by alternative herbicides minimized seed movement by the combine harvester. Wild oat…

Tow behind impact mill

Early adopters of impact mills

A survey of early adopters of physical impact mills found that wild oat (60%) and kochia (50%) were the weeds most frequently mentioned as specific motivators for impact mill purchase. Average increased fuel cost for a mill was estimated at $1.40/ac, with average annual maintenance…

canola in bloom

Weed shifts in herbicide-resistant canola systems

Since the introduction of herbicide-resistant canola systems, difficult-to-control species such as cleavers, volunteer canola, green foxtail, and foxtail barley have increased in abundance. Green foxtail was associated with glyphosate-resistant systems. Wild oat was predominant in longer canola rotations with glufosinate and imidazolinone-resistant canola. Herbicide-resistant (HR)…

Sprout of bromus tectorum, downy brome, drooping brome or cheatgrass closeup macro selective focus grass rural background in wild nature, shallow focus with copyspace.

Control glyphosate-resistant downy brome with soil-applied herbicides

Fierce provided 99% visible control and biomass reduction of glyphosate-resistant downy brome 8 weeks after treatment. High rates of Focus and Heat Complete, and two rates of Authority Supreme provided excellent control greater than 90%. Glyphosate-resistant downy brome was confirmed in a glyphosate-resistant canola field…

Wild oat head

Herbicide-resistant weeds growing in Saskatchewan

Group 1 and Group 2 herbicide-resistant weed patches were widespread in Saskatchewan covering an estimated 15.315 million acres (6.198 million ha) in a total field area of 28.211 million acres (11.417 million ha). Given the linear increase in herbicide-resistant weeds, every annually cropped field in…

kochia seedling

Kochia control in glufosinate-resistant canola

Single and sequential applications of glufosinate provided excellent control of Group 2 and Group 2 + 9 resistant kochia. Treatments containing sulfentrazone (which were experimental and not registered) caused excellent control but unacceptable crop injury. Layering strategies with ethalfluralin and/or carfentrazone followed by glufosinate may…

IWM plots

Integrated weed management to control herbicide-resistant weeds

Integrated weed management (IWM) strategies using increased seeding rates, 2 years of early cut silage barley, and a rotation with competitive winter cereals improved control of wild oat and foxtail species (green and yellow). Treatments with IWM also improved control of lamb’s quarters, cleavers, kochia,…

Tidemann impact mill

Field testing of impact mills for weed control shows potential

Few significant differences were found in weed densities and the weed seedbank between a combine with a physical impact mill and a regular combine without the impact mill. This may have been because of the short time frame of the 3-year experiment, the high initial…

Glyphosate resistant kochia Treated 21d

Glyphosate- and dicamba-resistant kochia spreads in Saskatchewan

Glyphosate resistance was detected in 87% of kochia samples, while 45% were dicamba-resistant Kochia resistant to multiple modes of action is a significant problem across the Canadian Prairies. Herbicide resistance to Group 2 ALS inhibitors  was first identified on the Prairies in 1988, and a…

Canola harvest 5 combines

Genetically modified crops boost farm income

Over the period 1996 to 2020, the farm level economic benefits from genetically modified crops increased global farm income by $261.3 billion US dollars. In Canada, the average farm income increase from growing herbicide tolerant canola was $23.49/ac ($58.01/ha). Genetically modified (GM) soybean, corn, cotton…

Vulcan 9

Kochia persists in aerial seedbanks

Overwintering kochia plants, 7 to 8 months after plant senescence the previous fall, retained an estimated 2091 ± 297 seeds per plant in May. This represented an average estimated at 18.5 ± 1.9% of total seed production. Research has shown that kochia has a relatively…

rogator

Water quality can affect herbicide performance

The efficacy of weak-acid herbicides is improved with acidic spray water pH. Hard-water antagonism is more prevalent with weak-acid herbicides. Spray solution temperature between 18 C and 44 C is optimum for some weak-acid herbicides. The effect of water turbidity is severe on herbicides with…

seedling canola

Potential canola yield losses due to weeds in the billions

A research review of 89 canola studies found that the potential on-farm monetary loss from uncontrolled weeds in canola was about $2.21 billion on the Prairies, $0.16 billion in North Dakota, and $2.37 billion in both countries combined. Potential yield and financial losses from weed…

GR downy brome

Glyphosate-resistant downy brome control

Quizalofop alone or in combination with imazamox, imazamox + bentazon, or imazamox/imazethapyr, and glufosinate mixed with clethodim resulted in more than 80% visible control, plant mortality, and reduction in biomass of glyphosate-resistant downy brome 21 days after treatment. Glyphosate-resistant downy brome was confirmed in a…

V canola in soybean

Less weed competition for soybeans grown on low-nitrogen soils

Growing soybean on high soil mineral nitrogen (N) fields, or when N fertilizer was applied in increasing rates, resulted in an increase in volunteer canola competition and a corresponding linear decrease in soybean yield. Research was conducted in Manitoba looking at the resource-ratio (R*) hypothesis….

Group 9 resistant kochia copy

Multiple resistant kochia continues to spread in Alberta

Kochia with resistance to glyphosate was found at 78% of sites sampled, with 44% of sites exhibiting fluroxypyr resistance, and 28% with dicamba resistance. Triple resistance to Group 2 ALS inhibitors, Group 9 glyphosate, and one of the Group 4 synthetic auxins was found at…

fall herbicide plots

Fall-applied residual herbicides suited for ultra-early seeded wheat

Fall applications of flumioxazin, pyroxasulfone, and combinations of flumioxazin and pyroxasulfone to manage weeds emerging the following spring is a safe and effective weed management program in ultra-early seeded wheat. Ultra-early planting of wheat with a soil temperature trigger of 0-2.5 C has been shown…

Kochia in soybean

Kochia yield losses can be high

Yield losses caused by kochia competition are high, with mean losses reported to be 68% in grain corn, 62% in sorghum, 52% in soybean, 46% in sugar beet, 40% in silage corn, 23% in sunflower, 20% in spring wheat, 13% in canola and field pea,…

field pea in wheat stubble

Controlling glyphosate-resistant kochia in field pea

Layering Group 14 herbicides saflufenacil or carfentrazone + sulfentrazone pre-plant with a Group 2/6 imazamox/bentazon post-emergent treatment can effectively control glyphosate- and ALS inhibitor-resistant (Group 9 + 2) kochia in field pea. Layering will also help to reduce herbicide selection pressure through the use of…

flax flowers

Diversified flax rotations improve weed control

A flax rotation that included 3 years of alfalfa with reduced herbicide applications provided similar wild oat and cleaver control as a flax-barley-flax-oat rotation with recommended herbicide applications. Including 2 successive winter cereal crops in a 5 year rotation also improved wild oat control. Wild…

kochia tumbleweed

Controlling the weed seedbank

Weed control has typically focussed on preventing yield loss with the side benefit of controlling weed seed return to the seedbank. This research proposes to turn that approach on its head by developing an understanding of when weed control is critical to prevent the return…

Panicle clipping

Wild oat panicle removal investigated as a weed control method

Early  crop topping treatment with a systemic herbicide targeted at panicle emergence had the largest impact on wild oat density, dockage, seedbank, and crop yield in the following year. An early, or a combination of early and late crop topping (at initiation of seed shed),…

Kochia fenceline

Herbicide-resistant kochia increases rapidly in Manitoba

A randomized-stratified survey of 315 sites in Manitoba found that, overall, 58% of the kochia populations tested were glyphosate-resistant, while 1% were dicamba-resistant. There was a rapid increase in glyphosate-resistant kochia over a five-year time frame, and the survey also confirms the first cases of…

volunteer canola seedling

Controlling volunteer canola in soybean

Action and economic thresholds for volunteer Roundup Ready canola in Roundup Ready soybean were determined. Economic thresholds of less than 0.5 plants/ft2 (<5 plants/m2) highlight the highly competitive nature of volunteer canola in soybean crops. Volunteer glyphosate-resistant (GR) canola is a challenge for Roundup Ready…

Russian thistle

No herbicide-resistant Russian thistle confirmed in Manitoba

A 2018 survey found that Russian thistle populations collected in Manitoba did not exhibit resistance to acetolactate synthase inhibitors (tribenuron/thifensulfuron; Group 2), synthetic auxins (2,4-D ester or fluroxypyr; Group 4), or glyphosate (Group 9). The status of herbicide-resistant Russian thistle in Manitoba was unknown, so…

Kochia seedling

Fluroxypyr-resistant kochia confirmed in Alberta

In a 2017 Alberta survey, 13% of the kochia populations sampled were fluroxypyr-resistant. Only 4% of the populations were both fluroxypyr- and dicamba-resistant, indicating that different mechanisms may confer resistance to these herbicides. When combined with estimates of dicamba resistance, about 28% of kochia populations…

Dandelion rosette

Managing perennial broadleaf weeds in oat

Combining a post-emergent herbicide application with a subsequent pre-harvest glyphosate application resulted in the best dandelion control. Growers should consult with their oat buyer to ensure that they will accept oats treated with pre-harvest glyphosate. The objective of this study was to determine if cultural…

stinkweed rosette

Herbicide-resistant weeds continue to increase

Weed surveys show that the incidence of herbicide-resistant grassy and broadleaf weeds continues to increase across the Prairies during the survey periods of 2014 through 2017. The perceived cost of herbicide resistance was estimated at $13.36 per acre. Regular surveillance for herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds has…

kochia seedling

Use herbicide mixtures for glyphosate-resistant kochia control in chemfallow

Control of glyphosate-resistant kochia was achieved with the use of effective tank-mixtures utilizing Group 4, 14 or 4+19 herbicide groups. But the confirmation of Group 4 resistance in kochia highlights the need for careful herbicide stewardship to prevent further selection of multiple herbicide-resistant kochia. In…

kochia spring wheat

Glyphosate-resistant kochia control in spring wheat

The most effective and consistent treatments for glyphosate-resistant (GR) kochia management included Authority (sulfentrazone) applied pre-emergence, post-emergent Enforcer D (fluroxypyr/bromoxynil/2,4-D) at the high label rate, and post-emergent Infinity (pyrasulfotole/bromoxynil). Glyphosate-resistant (Group 9) kochia has rapidly spread across Alberta since it was first discovered in 2011…

soybean r1

Controlling Roundup Ready volunteer canola in Roundup Ready soybean

All 15 PRE followed by POST herbicide combinations provided better control of volunteer canola compared with the glyphosate-only control, but tribenuron (i.e. Express SG) followed by bentazon, and tribenuron followed by imazamox plus bentazon (i.e. Viper ADV) provided solutions that were low cost, registered in…

RR soybean kochia

Controlling glyphosate/dicamba resistant kochia in soybean

Effective pre-emergent or pre-emergent followed by post-emergent (two-pass) programs tested in this research on the U.S Great Plains should be proactively utilized by growers to manage glyphosate/dicamba resistant kochia in Roundup Ready 2 Xtend (glyphosate/dicamba-resistant) soybean. A similar approach may prove useful for western Canadian…

Redekop cage mill

Cage mill system provides Harvest Weed Seed Control

Redekop Seed Control Unit, an integrated reversible cage mill with blade system that provides Harvest Weed Seed Control, was assessed for volunteer canola control. Blade configuration in combination with chaff feeding rate did not affect volunteer canola control, which remained above 99%. Harvest Weed Seed…

wild oat in lentil

Wild oat panicle clipping could become a weed management tool

Based on wild oat seed viability, early clipping of wild oat panicles before seeds are viable, in short-statured crops, may become a valuable tool for integrated wild oat management. Wild oat is one of the most problematic weed species in western Canada due to widespread…

Leaves of a common cleavers plant, Galium aparine

Use pre-seed and pre-harvest herbicides for cleavers control

Cleavers can germinate very early in the spring, making pre-seed burnoff a good way to control 
the weeds when they’re small and limit cleavers 
seed in harvested canola. Pre-harvest saflufenacil plus glyphosate may also provide short- and long-term management. This study shows that cleavers populations…

downy brome

Evaluating downy and Japanese brome control

Fluazifop, quizalofop, clethodim, sethoxydim, and glyphosate can all reduce downy brome and Japanese brome biomass, especially when applied shortly after germination to plants less than 4.3 inches tall —with a tendency for fluazifop and quizalofop to be most effective. Research evaluated the efficacy of glyphosate…

soybean vegetative

Critical weed-free period for soybean

Soybean grown in narrow rows shortened the critical weed-free period (CWFP) by up to three soybean developmental stages at site-years with increased weed pressure. Low-density soybean stands lengthened the CWFP by one soybean developmental stage compared with higher-density soybean stands. Generally, the cultivar with the…

flax close-up

Integrated practices improve weed control in flax

Seeding a tall cultivar at 80 seeds/ft2 in early May along with the application of an in-crop wild oat herbicide resulted in the greatest stand establishment and crop biomass, as well as the lowest weed biomass in flax. Flax is a poor competitor with weeds,…

direct seeding

Farming without glyphosate

Model predictions suggest that farming can remain profitable without glyphosate by consistently utilizing key non-herbicidal weed management practices combined with robust pre-emergence soil residual herbicide treatments. However, maintaining low weed seed banks will be challenging. The possibility of farming without glyphosate is an important issue…

wild oat

Trends in global herbicide resistance management

Trends in herbicide resistance management over the past decade were identified and include renewed efforts by the agrichemical industry in herbicide discovery, cultivation of crops with combined (stacked) HR traits, increasing reliance on pre-emergence vs. post-emergence herbicides, breeding for weed-competitive crop cultivars, expansion of harvest…

soybean volunteer canola

Management of volunteer glyphosate-resistant canola in glyphosate-resistant soybeans

Target a soybean seeding rate of 4 to 6 plants per square foot for optimum net return and improved crop competition against volunteer glyphosate-resistant canola. Pre- and post-emergent herbicides were also assessed for control of volunteer glyphosate-resistant canola in soybean. Limited information exists for the…

kochia

Glyphosate-resistant kochia seed loses 90% viability in less than 1 year

Time to 90% loss of glyphosate-resistant kochia seed viability averaged less than 8 months. Short seedbank longevity, delayed and reduced germination, and delayed time to first leaf of glyphosate-resistant kochia can be used to develop weed control strategies. Kochia herbicide resistance continues to spread across…

Resistant kochia

Triple herbicide-resistant kochia control

A kochia survey in southern Alberta in 2017 found that all kochia populations were resistant to Group 2 ALS inhibitors, 50% of populations were resistant to Group 9 glyphosate, and 18% of populations resistant to Group 4 (dicamba) herbicides. Kochia populations with triple resistance to…

AC Saltlander foxtail barley

Control foxtail barley and downy brome on saline soils

Where the saline forage site contained root zone salinity approaching severe, the best forage control treatments were AC Saltlander green wheatgrass seeded on 15 or 30.5 cm row spacing. The next best option was alternating rows of AC Saltlander green wheatgrass with slender wheatgrass seeded…

assessing flax

Assessing flax tolerance to new herbicides

Of the seven unregistered herbicides assessed, flax has excellent crop tolerance to fluthiacet-methyl, pyroxasulfone, and topramezone. Flumioxazin caused severe crop damage in high moisture situations and is not recommended for further trials. Field experiments were conducted in 2015 and 2016 at the Kernen Research Farm…

Russian thistle

Group 2 resistant Russian thistle increasing

Of 45 Russian thistle populations tested from central and southern Alberta in 2017, 31 (62%) were Group 2 (ALS inhibitor) resistant. No populations exhibited resistance to Group 9 (glyphosate). A random survey of Russian thistle was conducted post-harvest in fall, 2017. A total of 45…

downy brome

Controlling Japanese and downy brome

Field trials found pyroxasulfone (Focus), pyroxasulfone + flumioxazin (Fierce), and pyroxsulam (Simplicity) provided effective control of Japanese and downy brome in winter wheat. Trials were established at Lethbridge and Kipp, Alberta, and Scott, Saskatchewan, over three growing seasons to compare herbicides for control of downy…

Wild oat head

Over 50% of Alberta fields have herbicide resistant wild oats

Wild oat resistance has increased over three surveys conducted since 2001. In surveyed fields where wild oats were found, Group 1 wild oat resistance increased in Alberta from 11% in 2001 to 58% in 2017. In 2017, 247 fields were randomly surveyed across Alberta prior…

wild oat panicles

Triallate-resistant wild oats also cross resistant to four other Groups

Herbicide screening studies on triallate-resistant (Group 8) wild oats found cross-resistance to Group 1 and Group 2 herbicides. Additionally, unexpected resistance to Group 14 and Group 15 herbicides was found even though the wild oats had never been previously exposed to these herbicides. Two relatively…

Lentil field

Apply Clearfield lentil herbicides at the five to six node stage

The critical weed free period for lentil starts at the five-node stage and lasts until the 10-node stage. Research found that applying Clearfield herbicides to lentils at the five- to six-node stage provided the best weed control and highest yield. Two research studies conducted at…

wild oat in tame oat

Improving tame oat competitiveness with wild oat

Seed 35 seeds per square foot and apply at least 13.4 lbs. P205 per acre to improve wild oat competitiveness and increase tame oat yield. A three-year study was conducted at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Indian Head to determine if side-banded phosphorus (P) in combination…

combine wheat header

Diverse crop rotations return up to $45 per acre more

Diverse crop rotations had similar net returns to canola-wheat rotations one-half the time and up to $45 per acre more the rest of the time. Adding integrated weed management practices without relying on wild oat herbicides resulted in similar wild oat pressure as canola-wheat rotations….

wild oat

Our Top 10 herbicide-resistant weed management practices

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientists Hugh J. Beckie and K Neil Harker identified herbicide-resistant weed management practices that have the most impact on managing herbicide selection pressure. Their top 10 management practices are based on research and growers’ experiences over the last 30 years.

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