The use of chemical fertilizers is among the main innovations brought by the 1960s Green Revolution. In Ethiopia, fertilizer application during the last four decades has led to significant yield gains, yet yield remains below its potential across much of the country. One of the main challenges responsible for low yield response to fertilizer application has been the use of ‘blanket’ recommendations, whereby no tailoring of fertilizer amount and frequency is done based on soil requirements. As a result, the amount of fertilizer applied ranges widely, and can be either sub- or supra-optimal. There is thus an increasing need for site-specific fertilizer recommendations which take into account site characteristics such as climate variables (temperature, rainfall, and solar radiation); soil factors (soil organic carbon, moisture, pH, texture, cation exchange capacity, and level of macro- and micronutrients); and topographic position indices. This article reports on a data-mining approach we developed on a large dataset of 6585 wheat (Triticum aestivum) field trials. The dataset includes detailed, site-specific biophysical variables to create nutrient response functions that can guide optimal site-specific fertilizer application. The approach used a machine-learning model (random forest) to capture the relationship between nutrients – nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) – and wheat yield. The model explained about 83, 82, 47, and 69% of variances of yield for N, P, K, and S omission, respectively, with consistent performance across training and testing datasets. Expectedly, for N and P omission data, the most important explanatory variables are nutrient rate, followed by soil organic carbon and soil pH. For K and S, however, climatic variables played an important role alongside nutrient rates. The site-specific yield–fertilizer response curves derived from our model are highly variable from location to location, as they are affected by the climatic, soil, or topographic conditions of the site. Importantly, using principal component analysis, we showed that the shape of the fertilizer response curves is a result of the multiple environmental factors (including soil, topography, and climate) that are at play at a given site, rather than of a specific dominant one. The research output is expected to respond to the national policy demands for a sound method to identify the optimal fertilizer rate to increase economic returns of fertilizer investments and take fertilizer utilization research one step further.

Prevalence of wild oat (Avena fatua L.) and sterile oat [Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana (Durieu) Gillet & Magne; referred to as A. sterilis hereafter], winter-season weeds, is increasing in the eastern grain region of Australia. Biological attributes of these weeds enable them to survive in a wide range of environments and under different weed infestation levels. The interference of A. fatua and A. sterilis in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop was examined in southeast Queensland, Australia, through field studies in 2019 and 2020. Different infestation levels (0, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 plants m−2) of A. fatua and A. sterilis were evaluated for their potential to cause yield losses in wheat. Based on a three-parameter logarithmic model, the A. fatua and A. sterilis infestation levels corresponding to 50% wheat yield loss were 15 and 16 plants m−2, respectively. The yield reduction was due to a reduced spike number per unit area because of an increased weed infestation level. At the highest weed infestation level (48 plants m−2), A. fatua and A. sterilis produced a maximum of 4,800 and 3,970 seeds m−2, respectively. Avena fatua exhibited lower seed retention (17% to 39%) than A. sterilis (64% to 80%) at wheat harvest, as most of the seeds of A. fatua had shattered at crop maturity. Our results implied that there is a good opportunity for harvest weed seed control if the paddock is infested with A. sterilis. This study suggests that in the absence of an integrated weed management strategy (using both chemical and nonchemical options), a high infestation of these weeds could cause a severe crop yield loss, increase weed seed production, and replenish the weed seedbank in the soil.

Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of CGA184927 rate, weed growth stage, and tank mixes with various broadleaf herbicides on the control of green foxtail and wild oat in spring wheat. CGA 184927 controlled green foxtail and wild oat equally well when applied at the 2- to 3- or 4- to 5-leaf stages. Green foxtail and wild oat were controlled at similar rates of CGA 184927 but the application rate giving > 90% control ranged from 22 to 90 g/ha over locations and years, indicating that CGA 184927 efficacy is sensitive to environmental conditions. CGA 184927 in tank mixtures was compatible with bromoxynil, clopyralid, and 2,4-D ester. However, tank mixing with metsulfuron or dicamba reduced activity on green foxtail and wild oat. Broadleaf herbicide activity on kochia and redroot pigweed was not reduced when such herbicides were tank-mixed with CGA 184927. Spring wheat tolerated 120 g/ha of CGA 184927. CGA 184927 provides growers with another herbicide option to control green foxtail and wild oat in wheat.

Field experiments over 3 yr at Lethbridge, Alberta, determined the effect of various downy brome densities and times of its emergence on winter wheat biomass and seed yield. Downy brome reduced wheat biomass up to 59% and seed yield up to 68%. Time of downy brome emergence relative to wheat affected the magnitude of these yield reductions more than the density of downy brome. At comparable densities, downy brome caused 2- to 5-fold greater reductions in yield when it emerged within 3 wk after winter wheat than when it emerged 6 wk after wheat or in early spring. Late-emerging downy brome caused significant wheat yield or biomass losses only at densities of 200 to 400 plants m-2. Late-emerging downy brome plants were strongly shaded (70 to 90%) by winter wheat throughout much of the growing season.

Field experiments were conducted to determine suitable application timings and rates of MON 37500 for downy brome control in winter wheat. MON 37500 applied preemergence (PRE) or in fall postemergence (POST) provided better control of downy brome than when applied spring POST. MON 37500 at rates ranging from 19 to 33 g ai/ha applied PRE or fall POST controlled downy brome >85%. MON 37500 applied spring POST at 60 g/ha only suppressed growth of downy brome. Winter wheat was not visibly injured and maturity was not delayed by MON 37500 applied up to 60 g/ha at any of the application timings. Winter wheat yield responded positively to all MON 37500 treatments but PRE or fall POST applications usually resulted in greater yields than spring POST applications. Wheat yields progressively increased with increasing rates of MON 37500 up to 30–40 g/ha, above which yields tended to plateau or, in two instances, decline slightly. MON 37500 is an important new herbicide that should enable growers to better manage downy brome in winter wheat production systems.

Downy brome control in winter wheat is often inadequate. The effects of three crop rotations and two tillage intensities on downy brome populations and associated crop yields were determined in an experiment at Lethbridge, Alberta from 1987 to 1993. Downy brome densities in continuous winter wheat increased from 24 to 970 plants/m2 between 1988 and 1993; and were often higher with zero tillage. Inclusion of fallow or spring canola in rotation with winter wheat suppressed downy brome densities to less than 55 and 100 plants/m2, respectively, over the six years. In continuous winter wheat, yields decreased as downy brome densities increased progressively over years, indicating that monoculture winter wheat production will not be viable in regions where downy brome is prevalent unless effective herbicides are developed. In the more arid areas of the Canadian prairies, a winter wheat-fallow rotation may be most suitable but in higher precipitation areas, a winter wheat-canola rotation is a viable alternative. Crop rotation is a key component of an improved management system for control of downy brome.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yields were reduced an average of 4.2% for every 10 Italian ryegrass [Lolium multiflorum (Lam.) # LOLMU] plants/m2 within the range of 0 to 100 Italian ryegrass plants/m2. Yield reductions caused by Italian ryegrass were attributed primarily to decreased crop tillering. Italian ryegrass densities as high as 80 plants/m2 had little effect on wheat head or kernel weights. In greenhouse experiments, the growth response of Italian ryegrass to increasing concentrations of NO3– and K+ was greater than that of wheat. Net uptake rates for NO3– by both species growing in nutrient solution were 1.5 times greater than net uptake rates for K+. Nitrate and potassium Imax values for Italian ryegrass were approximately twice the corresponding values for wheat. Although Italian ryegrass responded more to changes in nutrients and had greater ion uptake rates compared to wheat, Italian ryegrass accumulated more biomass when grown in monoculture than when grown in association with wheat. This difference was probably due to the initial size of the seedlings. Wheat seedlings were much larger than Italian ryegrass seedlings during the first 20 days following emergence.

Weed control was evaluated in no-till planted soybean in both burned and standing wheat stubble for 3 yr. High, intermediate, low, and no weed management following no-till planting of soybean were compared with a tilled treatment with high weed management. Herbicides for the high weed management were metribuzin plus metolachlor PRE followed by POST applications, as needed, of bentazon, acifluorfen, and fluazifop or quizalofop. Intermediate management included all of the above except metolachlor, plus the as-needed use of chlorimuron or lactofen POST. Low management had no PRE herbicide applications but included the above POST herbicides. Glyphosate was used as a preplant foliar applied desiccant in the stubble-planted soybean of all weed management levels. Yield of soybean was not affected by standing, burned, or tilled wheat stubble. Soil organic matter in the 0 to 2.5 cm of soil was not significantly affected at the end of the 3 yr. Yield of wheat was reduced by standing wheat stubble in the first year of the study. Total POST weed control was sufficient for maximum soybean yields in the second and third years of the study. The weed spectrum changed during the experiment for the no-weed-control treatment in soybean and in wheat. The major weeds present in soybean after 3 yr of no-till were southern crabgrass, nodding spurge, redvine, prickly sida, barnyardgrass, and johnsongrass; in wheat they were Italian ryegrass, little barley, mayweed chamomile, and hairy buttercup.

Field research was conducted in Arkansas for 3 yr to evaluate imazamox for control of diclofop-resistant Italian ryegrass in imidazolinone-tolerant wheat. Italian ryegrass was controlled at least 89% 49 d after wheat emergence (DAE) in year 2 and 3 by imazamox at 36 g ai/ha applied to one- to two-leaf wheat (POST1), by imazamox at 54 g ai/ha applied sequentially at POST1 followed by (fb) application to three- to four-leaf wheat (POST2), by pendimethalin at 1120 g ai/ha preemergence (PRE) fb imazamox at 36 or 54 g/ha POST1, and by chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron at 22 plus 4 g ai/ha PRE. Italian ryegrass was controlled at least 95% 150 DAE with all applications in year 1 because of extremely cold temperatures and snowfall in December and January. Only sequential imazamox applications or pendimethalin PRE fb imazamox POST1 equaled the commercial standard, chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron, for control of Italian ryegrass 150 DAE in years 2 and 3. These treatments controlled Italian ryegrass greater than 80% 150 DAE. Sequential postemergence applications of imazamox or programs containing pendimethalin PRE fb imazamox POST1 are necessary to optimize Italian ryegrass control and wheat yield in an imidazolinone-tolerant wheat production system.

Glyphosate-resistant spring wheat is being developed and may soon be available to growers. Field experiments were conducted to examine the effect of various rates and application timings of glyphosate on the tolerance of glyphosate-resistant spring wheat and the level of weed control attained with glyphosate in wheat. Glyphosate-resistant wheat exhibited excellent tolerance to glyphosate applied at the one- to two- or four- to five-leaf stages at rates up to 1,780 g ae/ha, representing a fourfold safety margin to the proposed field use rate. Glyphosate at 445 g/ha reduced shoot biomass of green foxtail, wild oat, redroot pigweed, and wild mustard > 95% in glyphosate-resistant wheat in all years, but wild buckwheat biomass was only reduced 67 to 75% at doses up to 890 g/ha. Glyphosate applied in-crop at 667 g/ha reduced quackgrass biomass by 97 to 99%. Comparison of glyphosate with other spring wheat herbicides indicated that glyphosate provided similar or better in-crop control of several weed species. Yield of weed-infested glyphosate-resistant spring wheat responded positively to glyphosate in all years.

Strategic fertilizer management is an important component of integrated weed management systems. A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various application methods of phosphorus (P) fertilizer on weed growth and wheat yield. Weed species were chosen to represent species that varied in their growth responsiveness to P: redroot pigweed (medium), wild mustard (medium), wild oat (medium), green foxtail (high), redstem filaree (high), and round-leaved mallow (high). P fertilizer application methods were seed placed at a 5-cm depth, midrow banded at a 10-cm depth, surface broadcast immediately before seeding, and surface broadcast immediately after seeding of wheat. An unfertilized control was included. P treatments were applied to the same plot in four consecutive years to determine annual and cumulative effects over years. Shoot P concentration and biomass of weeds were often lower with seed-placed or subsurface-banded P fertilizer compared with either surface-broadcast application method. This result occurred more frequently with the highly P-responsive weeds and was more evident in the latter study years. P application method had little effect on weed-free wheat yield but often had a large effect on weed-infested wheat yield. Seed-placed or midrow-banded P compared with surface-broadcast P fertilizer often resulted in higher yields when wheat was in the presence of competitive weeds. Seedbank determinations at the conclusion of the study indicated that the seed density of five of six weed species was reduced with seed-placed or subsurface-banded P compared with surface-broadcast P. Information gained in this study will aid development of more effective weed management systems in wheat.

Sixteen field experiments were conducted across Oklahoma to evaluate the effects of MON 37500 time of application on cheat control, and winter wheat injury and yield. Winter wheat injury from MON 37500 applied preemergence (PRE) was slight and was influenced by cumulative precipitation for 10 d after application. Winter wheat injury was more frequent with early vs. late postemergence (POST) applications and was influenced by wheat growth stage and mean, high, and low air temperatures before and after application. Cheat control averaged 75% (n = 16 treatments with four to six replicates) when applied PRE and 88% (n = 126 treatments with four to six replicates) when applied POST. Cheat control from MON 37500 applied POST declined with increasing cheat growth stage at application and with decreasing mean diurnal low temperatures 0 to 14 d and 0 to 21 d before application. MON 37500 applied PRE increased yields 52 and 66% compared with the untreated control in Year 1 and Year 2, averaged over eight experiments each year. MON 37500 applied POST increased wheat yields 68 to 69% compared with the untreated check in Year 1 and Year 2, when averaged over all applications in eight experiments each year. Wheat yields were greater from fall POST applications than from late-winter applications.

Soft red winter wheat response to the herbicides AE F130060 00 plus AE F115008 00 applied alone or with the safener AE F107892 at the three-leaf, two-tiller, and six-tiller growth stages was determined in a field experiment in North Carolina. AE F130060 00 at 25 g ai/ha plus AE F115008 00 at 5 g ai/ha, twice the anticipated use rate, applied with safener injured wheat 9% but did not affect grain yield, grain test weight, number of spikes, number of kernels per spike, or kernel weight. Results were similar with safener at herbicide–safener ratios of 1:1 and 1:3 regardless of the wheat growth stage at application. Without the safener, AE F130060 00 plus AE F115008 00 applied at the three-leaf, two-tiller, and six-tiller growth stages injured wheat an average of 27% and reduced grain yields 5, 5, and 11%, respectively. Yield losses were attributed to reduced numbers of kernels per spike. AE F130060 00 at 12.5 g/ha plus AE F115008 00 at 2.5 g/ha plus AE F107892 at 15 g ai/ha did not affect grain yield or yield components.

The potential for future commercialization of glyphosate-resistant wheat necessitates evaluation of agronomic merits of this technology. Experiments were established to evaluate glyphosate-resistant wheat and weed responses to glyphosate rate, application timing, and tank mixtures. Glyphosate at 1,680 g/ha did not injure wheat. Wheat response to glyphosate applied to one- to three- or three- to five-leaf wheat was not different from that of untreated wheat. Wheat was injured more from glyphosate plus thifensulfuron or glyphosate plus dicamba than from individual herbicides at one of six locations, but grain yield was not affected by glyphosate tank mixtures. Glyphosate application timing did not affect control of wild oat or common lambsquarters 56 d after treatment. Glyphosate when applied to one- to three-leaf wheat provided better control of wild buckwheat than later glyphosate application, whereas glyphosate applied to three- to five-leaf wheat provided the best control of green and yellow foxtail, redroot pigweed, and Canada thistle. Weed control with glyphosate tended to be better than with conventional herbicides, and wheat treated with glyphosate produced approximately 10% more grain than wheat treated with conventional herbicide tank mixes.

Field studies were conducted to evaluate the tolerance of Italian ryegrass and the metribuzin-sensitive winter wheat cultivar Dozier to metribuzin, chlorsulfuron, flufenacet plus metribuzin, chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron, diclofop, and combinations of these herbicides applied preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) to wheat in the two- to three-leaf (2–3 LF) at Feekes' stage 1 and to one to two tiller wheat (TILL) at Feekes' stage 3. Italian ryegrass control was 80% or greater with diclofop at all rates and application timings; flufenacet plus metribuzin PRE at all rates; metribuzin POST at 2–3 LF at all rates; and chlorsulfuron or chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron PRE followed by (fb) metribuzin POST at 2–3 LF. Control of 2–3 LF Italian ryegrass was inconsistent with flufenacet plus metribuzin, chlorsulfuron, and chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron. Italian ryegrass control was poor with flufenacet plus metribuzin TILL, metribuzin PRE, and metribuzin TILL. Metribuzin applied alone and after chlorsulfuron or chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron injured wheat. Wheat recovered from flufenacet plus metribuzin injury. However, injury from metribuzin at 280 g ai/ha PRE, 2–3 LF, and at 420 g/ha, 2–3 LF, resulted in season-long injury. Yields were significantly reduced because of metribuzin (PRE, 2–3 LF, or TILL) injury and also by chlorsulfuron or chlorsulfuron plus metsulfuron (PRE) fb metribuzin (2–3 LF).

Managing fertilizer in cropping systems may be an important component of integrated weed management programs. A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various application methods of the 15N-enriched nitrogen (N) fertilizer on N uptake in green foxtail, wild mustard, and spring wheat and on crop–weed competition. N application methods consisted of ammonium nitrate in solution applied broadcast on the soil surface, applied in pools on the soil surface at 20-cm intervals between every second wheat row, and point injected 10 cm deep at intervals similar to those of the surface pools. An unfertilized control treatment was also included. N uptake by green foxtail throughout the growing season was often greater from surface broadcast than from surface pools or point-injected N and was sometimes greater from surface pools than from point-injected N. In contrast, N uptake by wild mustard was rarely affected by the fertilizer placement method. In the presence of weeds, the ranking of N uptake by wheat usually was point injected > surface pools > surface broadcast. Weed biomass was often greater with surface broadcast than with either surface pools or point-injected N. In the absence of weeds, wheat yields were similar across the three N application methods. However, in the presence of green foxtail, wheat yields were greater with point-injected N than with surface broadcast N in two of the 3 yr and with surface pools of N in one of the 3 yr. In the presence of wild mustard, wheat yields were greater with surface pools and point-injected N compared with the unfertilized control in two of the 3 yr, whereas yields with broadcast N were never greater than the unfertilized control. Study findings suggest that point-injected N results in suppressed weed growth, not by reduced N uptake by weeds but instead by greater N uptake by wheat that increases its competitiveness with weeds. Information gained in this study will be utilized to develop a more integrated program for weed management in spring wheat.

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of increasing seed rates of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) on redstem filaree (Erodium cicutarium) biomass and seed production and on wheat yield in a zero-tillage cropping system. Wheat was sown at 50, 100, 150, 200, and 300 kg/ha in an experiment four consecutive years to determine annual and accumulated effects over time. Redstem filaree was most competitive with wheat when it emerged before or with wheat and when rainfall was plentiful during May and June. Redstem filaree biomass and seed production were markedly inhibited by drought conditions. An increase in wheat seed rate from 50 to 300 kg/ha reduced redstem filaree biomass and seed production by 53 to 95% over the years. There was little yield benefit to increasing the seed rate of weed-free wheat above 50 kg/ha. However, in the presence of redstem filaree, an increase in wheat seed rate from 50 to 300 kg/ha resulted in wheat yield being increased by 56 to 498%. Over four consecutive years, an increase in wheat seed rate from 50 to 300 kg/ha reduced redstem filaree in the soil seedbank by 79%. Higher seed rates of wheat can be an effective component of an improved program for redstem filaree management in conservation tillage cropping systems.

This paper quantifies advances of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station (KAES) wheat breeding program for two time periods: (1) 1911 to 2006 and (2) 1977 to 2006. Using multiple regression, increases in yields of wheat varieties grown in Kansas are quantified, holding growing conditions and other improvements in productivity constant. Differences in KAES variety yields and those released by other public and private breeders are quantified. During the “new age” of wheat breeding (1977-2006), wheat breeding alone is found to have increased yields by 6.182 bushels per acre, or an average increase of 0.206 bushels per year.