Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T19:34:09.216Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Fertilizer nitrogen rate and the response of weeds to herbicides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

R. Jason Cathcart ,
Kevin Chandler  and
Clarence J. Swanton
R. Jason Cathcart
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
Kevin Chandler
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Differences in plant community composition have been attributed to abiotic field characteristics, crop type, localized predation, farm implement traffic, and natural dispersal mechanisms. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates and herbicides also are known to influence weed community structure, although their interaction has not been reported in the literature. A growth room experiment was conducted using three weed species (green foxtail, redroot pigweed, and velvetleaf) and five herbicides (nicosulfuron, atrazine, glufosinate, glyphosate, and mesotrione) differing in their mode of action and efficacy to the selected species. The experiment was conducted in growth chambers with two levels of N fertilization (low: 0.7 mM N and high: 7.7 mM N). Weeds were grown to the two- to five-leaf stage (depending on species), treated with the appropriate herbicide, and harvested approximately 2 wk after treatment. The herbicide dose at which a 50% reduction in biomass occurred (GR50) was determined using log-logistic analysis. Herbicide susceptibility of the different weed species was influenced by N level. Green foxtail grown under low N required approximately six times the dose of nicosulfuron compared with plants grown under high N. Similarly, higher doses of nicosulfuron, glufosinate, mesotrione, and glyphosate were required to achieve a 50% reduction in redroot pigweed biomass grown under low N. In contrast, N did not influence the efficacy of mesotrione, glufosinate, or atrazine when applied to velvetleaf. This indicated specificity among herbicide–species combinations. Differences in herbicide efficacy resulting from soil N levels may alter weed community structure and may potentially explain possible weed control failures on farm fields.

Keywords

Atrazineglufosinateglyphosatemesotrionenicosulfurongreen foxtail, Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. SETVIredroot pigweed, Amaranthus retroflexus L. AMAREvelvetleaf, Abutilon theophrasti Medic. ABUTHCommunity structurecompetitionherbicide sensitivitylog-logistic analysissoil fertility
Type
Weed Management
Information
Weed Science , Volume 52 , Issue 2 , April 2004 , pp. 291 - 296
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Andreasen, C., Streibig, J. C., and Haas, H. 1991. Soil properties affecting the distribution of 37 weed species in Danish fields. Weed Res 31:181–187.Google Scholar
Benner, B. L. and Bazzaz, F. A. 1985. Response of the annual Abutilon theophrasti Medic. (Malvaceae) to timing of nutrient availability. Am. J. Bot 72:320–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Booth, B. D. and Swanton, C. J. 2002. Assembly theory applied to weed communities. Weed Sci 50:2–13.Google Scholar
Clements, D. R., Weise, S. F., and Swanton, C. J. 1994. Integrated weed management and weed species diversity. Phytoprotection 75:1–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Costea, M., Weaver, S., and Tardif, F. J. 2003. The biology of Canadian weeds. Amaranthus retroflexus L., A. powellii, S. Watson. and A. hybridus L. Can. J. Plant Sci. In press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cousens, R. D. and Woolcock, J. L. 1997. Spatial dynamics of weeds: an overview. Pages 613–619 in Proceedings of the Brighton Crop Protection Conference—Weeds; Brighton, U.K.: BCPC.Google Scholar
Derksen, D. A., Thomas, A. G., Lafond, G. P., Loeppky, H. A., and Swanton, C. J. 1995. Impact of post-emergence herbicides on weed community diversity within conservation-tillage systems. Weed Res 35:311–320.Google Scholar
Dickson, R. L., Andrews, M., Field, R. J., and Dickson, E. L. 1990. Effect of water stress, nitrogen, and gibberellic acid on fluazifop and glyphosate activity on oats (Avena sativa). Weed Sci 38:54–61.Google Scholar
Dortenzio, W. A. and Norris, R. F. 1980. The influence of soil moisture on the foliar activity of diclofop. Weed Sci 28:534–539.Google Scholar
Douglas, B. J., Thomas, A. G., Morrison, I. A., and Maw, M. G. 1985. The biology of Canadian weeds. 70. Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. Can. J. Plant Sci 65:669–690.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frick, B. and Thomas, A. G. 1992. Weed surveys in different tillage systems in southwestern Ontario field crops. Can. J. Plant Sci 72:1337–1347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gregorich, E. G. and Anderson, D. W. 1985. Effects of cultivation and erosion on soils of four toposequences in the Canadian prairies. Geoderma 36:355–356.Google Scholar
Hyvönen, T. and Salonen, J. 2002. Weed species diversity and community composition in cropping practices at two intensity levels—a six-year experiment. Plant Ecol 154:73–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Inouye, R. S. and Tilman, D. 1988. Convergence and divergence of old-field plant communities along experimental gradients. Ecology 69:995–1004.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Inouye, R. S. and Tilman, D. 1995. Convergence and divergence of old-field vegetation after 11 yr of nitrogen addition. Ecology 76:1872–1887.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kachanoski, R. G., De Jong, E., and Rolston, D. E. 1985a. Spatial and spectral relationships of soil properties and microtopography: II. Density and thickness of B Horizon. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J 49:812–816.Google Scholar
Kachanoski, R. G., Rolston, D. E., and De Jong, E. 1985b. Spatial variability of a cultivated soil as affected by past and present microtopography. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J 49:1082–1087.Google Scholar
Liebl, R. A., Zehr, V. B., and Teyker, R. H. 1992. Influence of nitrogen form on extracellular pH and bentazon uptake by cultured soybean (Glycine max) cells. Weed Sci 40:418–423.Google Scholar
Mahn, E. G. 1984. Structural changes of weed communities and populations. Vegetation 58:79–85.Google Scholar
McCullough, D. E., Girardin, P., Mihajlovic, M., Aguilera, A., and Tollenaar, M. 1994. Influence of N supply on development and dry matter accumulation of an old and new maize hybrid. Can. J. Plant Sci 74:471–477.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morton, C. A. and Harvey, R. G. 1994. Simulated environments influence primisulfuron efficacy. Weed Sci 42:424–429.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nalewaja, J. D. and Matysiak, R. 1993a. Influence of diammonium sulfate and other salts on glyphosate phytotoxicity. Pestic. Sci 38:77–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nalewaja, J. D. and Matysiak, R. 1993b. Spray carrier salts affect herbicide toxicity to kochia. Weed Technol 7:154–158.Google Scholar
Nalewaja, J. D., Praczyk, T., and Matysiak, R. 1998. Nitrogen fertilizer, oil, and surfactant adjuvants with nicosulfuron. Weed Technol 12:585–589.Google Scholar
[OMAFRA] Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. 2001. Publication 75: Guide to Weed Control. Toronto: Queens Printer for Ontario. 325 p.Google Scholar
Pyšec, P. and Lepš, J. 1991. Response of a weed community to nitrogen fertilization: a multivariate analysis. J. Veg. Sci 2:237–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[SAS] Statistical Analysis Systems. 1990. SAS Procedures Guide. Version 6. 3rd ed. Cary, NC: Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 705 p.Google Scholar
Seefeldt, S. S., Jensen, J. E., and Fuerst, E. P. 1995. Log-logistic analysis of herbicide dose-response relationships. Weed Technol 9:218–227.Google Scholar
Stevenson, F. C., Legere, A., Simard, R. R., Angers, D. A., Pageau, D., and Lafond, J. 1997. Weed species diversity in spring barley varies with crop rotation and tillage, but not with nutrient source. Weed Sci 45:798–806.Google Scholar
Tilman, D. 1985. The resource ratio hypothesis of succession. Am. Nat 125:827–852.Google Scholar
Tilman, D. 1986. Nitrogen limited growth in plants from different successional stages. Ecology 67:555–563.Google Scholar
Warwick, S. I. and Black, L. D. 1988. The biology of Canadian weeds. 90. Abutilon theophrasti . Can. J. Plant Sci 68:1069–1085.Google Scholar
Wedin, D. A. and Tilman, D. 1996. Influence of nitrogen loading and species composition on the carbon balance of grasslands. Science 274:1720–1723.Google Scholar
Wilson, S. D. and Tilman, D. 1993. Plant competition and resource availability in response to disturbance and fertilization. Ecology 74:599–611.Google Scholar