Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T18:47:15.810Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Understanding mechanisms of reduced annual weed emergence in alfalfa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

H. R. Huarte  and
R. L Benech Arnold
H. R. Huarte
Affiliation:
Cátedra de Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora, Argentina
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out at the Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina (34°25′S, 58°25′W), to evaluate the possibility of reducing weed seedling emergence through the use of alfalfa cultivars with low levels of winter dormancy and by increasing plant density from 200 to 400 plants m−2. It was hypothesized that these treatments would alter the temperature regime and the red (R)–far-red (FR) ratio of radiation to which seeds were exposed. Responses to management treatments were recorded for bull thistle, cotton thistle, plumeless thistle, tall rocket, mustard, curly dock, and pigweed. During the alfalfa establishment year, pigweed and curly dock emergence was reduced by the nondormant cultivar established at high density. This reduction disappeared when soil beneath the canopy was fitted with heaters that mimicked bare-soil temperatures. Crop canopy presence during the establishment year was not effective in reducing mustard, cotton thistle, bull thistle, plumeless thistle, and tall rocket emergence. During the second and third years after crop establishment, the canopy of the nondormant alfalfa cultivar was effective in reducing germination of weed seeds placed on the soil surface during fall and winter. In contrast, the winter-dormant cultivar allowed the establishment of weeds during the winter period. These reductions in weed emergence were associated with a modification in the R–FR ratio perceived by the seeds located at the soil surface and could largely be removed by using FR filters to increase the R–FR ratio. These results suggest that the selection of a nondormant cultivar combined with an increase in plant density could effectively reduce weed populations in alfalfa.

Keywords

Bull thistle, Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. CIRVUcotton thistle, Onopordum acanthium L. ONRACcurly dock, Rumex crispus L. RUMCRmustard, Brassica campestris L. BRSRApigweed, Amaranthus quitensis H.B.K. AMAQUplumeless thistle, Carduus acanthoides L. CRUACtall rocket, Sisymbrium altíssimum L. SSYALalfalfa, Medicago sativa L.‘Zeneca 420’, ‘Zeneca 990’Cultural weed controlintegrated weed management systemsweed germination
Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Information
Weed Science , Volume 51 , Issue 6 , December 2003 , pp. 876 - 885
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

Anderson, R. L. 2000. Cultural systems to aid weed management in semiarid corn (Zea mays). Weed Technol 14:630–634.Google Scholar
Ball, D. A. 1992. Weed seedbank response to tillage, herbicide, and crop rotation sequence. Weed Sci 40:654–659.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ballaré, C. L. 1994. Light gaps: sensing the light opportunities in highly dynamic canopy environments. Pages 73–110 in Caldwell, M. M. and Percy, R. N. eds. Physiological Ecology of Environmental Heterogeneity by Plants. San Diego, CA: Academic.Google Scholar
Ballaré, C. L., Scopel, A. L., and Sánchez, R. A. 1991. On the opportunity cost of the photosynthate invested in stem elongation reactions mediated by phytochrome. Oecologia 86:531–567.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baskin, J. M. and Baskin, C. C. 1985. Does seed dormancy play a role in the germination ecology of Rumex crispus? Weed Sci 33:340–343.Google Scholar
Benech Arnold, R. L., Ghersa, C. M., Sánchez, R. A., and García Fernandez, A. E. 1988. The role of fluctuating temperatures in the germination and establishment of Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. Regulation of germination under leaf canopies. Funct. Ecol 2:311–318.Google Scholar
Bewley, J. D. and Black, M. 1994. Some ecophysiological aspect of germination. Pages 273–289 in Bewley, J. D. and Black, M. eds. Seeds: Physiology of Development and Germination. New York: Plenum.Google Scholar
Blackshaw, R. E., Semach, G. P., Li, X., O'Donovan, J. T., and Harker, K. N. 1999. An integrated weed management approach to manage foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum) in conservation tillage systems. Weed Technol 13:347–353.Google Scholar
Buhler, D. D., Hartzler, R. G., and Forcella, F. 1998. Weed seed bank dynamics: implications to weed management. J. Crop Prod 1:145–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burnside, O. C. 1993. Weed science—the step child. Weed Technol 7:515–518.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cavers, P. B., Qaderi, M. M., Downs, M. P., Doucet, C., Manku, R., and Meier, L. 1998. The thistles: a spectrum of seed banks. Asp. Appl. Biol 51:135–141.Google Scholar
Challaiah, R. E. R., Burnside, O. C., Wicks, G. A., and Johnson, V. A. 1986. Competition between winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars and downy brome (Bromus tectorum). Weed Sci 34:689–693.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deregibus, V. A., Iglesias, V. A., and Zizke, C. E. 1992. Establecimiento de individuos de alfalfa y especies acompañantes en pasturas sembradas en invierno. Revista Argentina de Producción Animal 121:47–56.Google Scholar
Doucet, C. and Cavers, P. B. 1996. A persistent seed bank of bull thistle Cirsium vulgare . Can. J. Bot 74:1386–1391.Google Scholar
Ford, G. T. and Mt. Pleasant, J. 1994. Competitive abilities of six corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids with four weed control practices. Weed Technol 8:124–128.Google Scholar
Foster, L. 1989. The biology and non-chemical control of dock species Rumex obtusifolius and R. crispus . Biol. Agric. Hortic 6:11–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, R. G. and McNevin, G. R. 1990. Combining cultural practices and herbicides to control wild-proso millet (Panicum millaceum). Weed Technol 4:433–439.Google Scholar
Holm, L., Doll, J., Holm, E., Pancho, J., and Herberger, J. 1997. Brassica campestris L. Pages 117–124 in Holm, L. and LeRoy, G. eds. World Weeds: Natural Histories and Distribution. New York: J. Wiley.Google Scholar
Holt, J. S. 1995. Plant responses to light: a potential tool for weed management. Weed Sci 43:474–482.Google Scholar
Marquez-Ortiz, J. J., Johnson, L. D., Barnes, D. K., and Basigalup, D. H. 1996. Crown morphology relationships among alfalfa plant introductions and cultivars. Crop Sci 36:766–770.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKenzie, J. S., Paquin, R., and Duke, S. H. 1988. Cold and heat tolerance. Pages 259–302 in Hanson, A. A., Barnes, D. K., and Hill, R. R. Jr. eds. Alfalfa and Alfalfa Improvement. Agronomy Monograph No. 29. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy.Google Scholar
Murdoch, A. J. 1998. Dormancy cycles of weed seeds in soil. Weed seedbanks: determination, dynamics and manipulation. Asp. Appl. Biol 51:119–126.Google Scholar
Ni, H., Moody, K., Robles, R. P., Paller, E. C. Jr., and Lales, J. S. 2000. Oryza sativa plant traits conferring competitive ability against weeds. Weed Sci 48:200–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nisensohn, L. and Faccini, D. 1993. Persistencia de semillas de yuyo colorado en un suelo sin remoción. Turrialba 43:138–142.Google Scholar
O'Donovan, J. T., Harker, K. N., Clayton, G. W., and Hall, L. M. 2000. Wild oat (Avena fatua) interference in barley (Hordeum vulgare) is influenced by barley variety and seeding rate. Weed Technol 14:624–629.Google Scholar
Ogg, A. G. Jr. and Seefeldt, S. S. 1999. Characterizing traits that enhance the competitiveness of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) against jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica). Weed Sci 47:74–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ominski, P. D., Entz, M. H., and Kendel, N. 1999. Weed suppression by Medicago sativa in subsequent cereal crops: a comparative survey. Weed Sci 47:282–290.Google Scholar
Perez García, F. 1993. Effect of the origin of the cypsela on germination of Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae). Seed Sci. Technol 21:187–195.Google Scholar
Peters, E. J. and Linscott, D. L. 1988. Weed and weeds control. Pages 705–735 in Hanson, A. A., Barnes, D. K., and Hill, R. R. Jr. eds. Alfalfa and Alfalfa Improvement. Agronomy Monograph No. 29. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy.Google Scholar
Pike, D. R. and Stritzke, J. F. 1984. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)-cheat (Bromus secalinus) competition. Weed Sci 32:751–756.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pons, T. L. 1992. Seeds responses to light. Pages 259–284 in Fenner, M. ed. Seeds. The Ecology of the Regeneration in Plant Communities. Melksham, U.K.: CAB International.Google Scholar
Radosevich, S. R., Holt, J. S., and Ghersa, C. M. 1997. Methods and tools of weed management. Pages 335–394 in Radosevich, S. R., Holt, J. S., and Ghersa, C. M. eds. Weed Ecology: Implications for Management. New York: J. Wiley.Google Scholar
Roberts, H. A. and Chancellor, R. J. 1979. Periodicity of seedling emergence and achene survival in some species of Carduus, Cirsium and Onopordum . J. Appl. Ecol 16:641–647.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodriguez, N. M. 1983. Malezas en alfalfares y pasturas polifíticas: los problemas reales y sus alternativas de control. Publicación Técnica Numero 28. INTA Anguil.Google Scholar
Romero, L. A., Bruno, O. A., Fossati, J. L., and Quaino, O. R. 1991. Densidad de siembra de alfalfa cultivar CUF 101. Número de plantas y producción. Revista Argentina de Producción Animal. Número 11:411–417.Google Scholar
Rossanigo, R. O., Spada, M. C., and Bruno, O. A. 1994. Evaluación de cultivares de alfalfa y panorama varietal en la Argentina. Pages 63–81 in Hijano, E. H. and Navarro, A. eds. La alfalfa en la Argentina. Mendoza, Argentina: INTA Cuyo.Google Scholar
Scursoni, J., Benech Arnold, R. L., and Hirchoren, H. 1999. Demography of wild oat in barley crops: effect of crop, sowing rate, and herbicide treatment. Agron. J 91:478–485.Google Scholar
Seefeldt, S. S., Ogg, A. G. Jr., and Hou, Y. 1999. Near isogenic lines for Triticum aestivum height and crop competitiveness. Weed Sci 47:316–320.Google Scholar
Sindel, B. M. 1991. A review of the ecology and control of thistles in Australia. Weed Res 31:189–201.Google Scholar
Spitters, C. J. T. 1989. Weeds population dynamics, germination, and competition. Pages 182–216 in Rabbinge, R., Ward, S. A., and Van Laar, H. H. eds. Simulation and Systems Management in Crop Protection. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Pudoc.Google Scholar
Vanasse, A. and Leroux, G. D. 2000. Floristic diversity, size, and vertical distribution of the weed seedbank in ridge and conventional tillage systems. Weed Sci 48:454–460.Google Scholar
Wyse, D. L. 1994. New technologies and approaches for weed management in sustainable agriculture systems. Weed Technol 8:403–407.Google Scholar
Young, J. A. and Evans, R. A. 1972. Germination and persistence of achenes of Scotch thistle. Weed Sci 20:98–101.Google Scholar