Beneficial Management Practices to Combat Herbicide-resistant Grass Weeds in the Northern Great Plains

Hugh J. Beckie

doi:10.1614/wt-06-083.1

Interference and management of herbicide-resistant crop volunteers

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/wsc.2021.3 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-69

Author(s):

Amit J. Jhala ◽

Hugh J. Beckie ◽

Thomas J. Peters ◽

A. Stanley Culpepper ◽

Jason K. Norsworthy

Keyword(s):

Great Plains ◽

Management Practices ◽

Yield Loss ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

High Fecundity ◽

Record Keeping ◽

Herbicide Resistant ◽

Seed Loss ◽

The Impact

Abstract Since the commercialization of herbicide-resistant (HR) crops, primarily glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops, their adoption increased rapidly. Multiple HR traits in crops such as canola (Brassica napus L.), corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] are available in recent years, and management of their volunteers need attention to prevent interference and yield loss in rotational crops. The objectives of this review were to summarize HR crop traits in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), canola, corn, cotton, rice (Oryza sativa L.), soybean, sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.); assess their potential for volunteerism; and review existing literature on the interference of HR crop volunteers, yield loss, and their management in rotational crops. Herbicide-resistant crop volunteers are problem weeds in agronomic cropping systems, and the impact of volunteerism depends on several factors such as crop grown in rotation, the density of volunteers, management practices, and micro-climate. Interference of imidazolinone-resistant (IR) barley or wheat volunteers can be a problem in rotational crops, particularly when IR crops such as canola or wheat are grown. Herbicide-resistant canola volunteers are abundant in the Northern Great Plains due to high fecundity, seed loss before or during harvest, secondary seed dormancy, and can interfere in crops grown in rotation such as flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), field peas (Pisum sativum L.), and soybean. Herbicide-resistant corn volunteers are competitive in crops grown in rotation such as corn, cotton, soybean, and sugarbeet, with yield loss depending on the density of HR corn volunteers. Volunteers of HR cotton, rice, soybean, and sugarbeet are not major concerns and can be controlled with existing herbicides. Herbicide options would be limited if the crop volunteers are multiple HR; therefore, a record-keeping of cultivar planted the previous year and selecting herbicide is important. The increasing use of 2,4-D, dicamba, glufosinate, and glyphosate in North American cropping systems requires research on herbicide interactions and alternative herbicides or methods for controlling multiple HR crop volunteers.

Download Full-text

Cultural weed management practices shorten the critical weed-free period for soybean grown in the Northern Great Plains

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/wsc.2019.60 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Jonathan D. Rosset ◽

Robert H. Gulden

Keyword(s):

Great Plains ◽

Weed Management ◽

Competitive Ability ◽

Management Practices ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Herbicide Resistant ◽

Soybean Cultivars ◽

Rotational Crop

Abstract Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] has recently become a popular rotational crop in the Canadian Northern Great Plains where herbicide-resistant (HR) soybean cultivars have been widely adopted. Intense reliance on herbicides has contributed to the development of HR weeds in soybean and other crops. Cultural weed management practices reduce the need for herbicides and lower the selection pressure for HR weed biotypes by improving the competitiveness of the crop. The effects of two row spacings, three target densities, and three cultivars on the critical weed-free period (CWFP) in soybean were evaluated as three separate experiments in southern Manitoba. In the row-spacing experiment, soybean grown in narrow rows shortened the CWFP by up to three soybean developmental stages at site-years with increased weed pressure. In the target density experiment, low-density soybean stands lengthened the CWFP by one soybean developmental stage compared with higher-density soybean stands. The effect of soybean cultivar varied among locations, yet tended to be consistent within location over the 2-yr study, suggesting that competitive ability in these soybean cultivars was linked to edaphic and/or environmental factors. Generally, the cultivar with the shortest days to maturity, which also had the shortest stature, consistently had a longer CWFP. Each of these cultural practices were effective at reducing the need for in-crop herbicide applications.

Download Full-text

Utilizing Pruning and Leaf Removal to Optimize Ripening of Vitis riparia-Based ‘Frontenac Gris’ and ‘Marquette’ Wine Grapes in the Northern Great Plains

Horticulturae ◽

10.3390/horticulturae6010018 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 18 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andrew Aipperspach ◽

James Hammond ◽

Harlene Hatterman-Valenti

Keyword(s):

North Dakota ◽

Great Plains ◽

Fruit Quality ◽

Management Practices ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Wine Grape ◽

Leaf Removal ◽

Wine Grapes ◽

Production Region

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of three pruning levels (20, 30 and 40 nodes per vine) and three fruit-zone leaf removal levels (0%, 50%, and 100%) on the yield and fruit quality of Frontenac gris and Marquette wine grapes in a northern production region. The study was conducted at three North Dakota vineyards located near Buffalo, Clifford, and Wahpeton, North Dakota, in 2011 and 2012. Increasing the number of buds retained increased yields and reduced pruning weights in both cultivars. Frontenac gris and Marquette yields were greatest when vines had 50% of the fruit-zone leaves removed due to heavier clusters, suggesting that the 100% fruit-zone leaf removal level was too severe. Individual berries in clusters were also heavier when vines were pruned to retain 40 buds. Frontenac gris fruit quality was similar both years and was not influenced by pruning or leaf removal levels. Marquette fruit total soluble solids content was greater in 2012 due to the warmer and longer growing season. Marquette fruit titratable acidity was lower when 100% of the fruit-zone leaves were removed. These results suggest that for the two cold-hardy hybrid wine grapes used in this study, greater bud retention levels should be investigated. Results also warrant further research into cultivar adaptiveness to northern Great Plains conditions. With further research, it is anticipated that wine grape cultivars and management practices will be identified to produce acceptable yields and fruit quality for commercial wine grape production.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Elite Wheat Germ Plasm for Resistance to Tan Spot

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pd-90-1320 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 90 (10) ◽

pp. 1320-1325 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

P. K. Singh ◽

M. Mergoum ◽

S. Ali ◽

T. B. Adhikari ◽

E. M. Elias ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Great Plains ◽

Wheat Germ ◽

Management Practices ◽

Germ Plasm ◽

The United States ◽

Tan Spot ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Breeding Lines ◽

Resistant Varieties

Tan spot, caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, is a serious foliar disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in North America. Control of tan spot through management practices and fungicide application is possible; however, the use of resistant varieties is the most effective and economical means of controlling tan spot. This study was conducted to determine the disease reaction of 126 elite hard red spring, white, and durum wheat varieties and advanced breeding lines collected from the northern Great Plains of the United States and Canada to individual races/toxins of P. tritici-repentis. Seedling evaluation of the 126 genotypes was done under controlled environmental conditions with virulent races 2, 3, and 5 of P. tritici-repentis and toxins Ptr ToxA and Ptr ToxB. Based on disease reactions, two resistant varieties and two advanced breeding lines adapted to the northern Great Plains were found to be resistant to all the races and insensitive to the toxins tested. Additionally, six genetically diverse lines/varieties were identified to be resistant to tan spot; however, these sources may not be well adapted to the northern Great Plains. These results suggest that the wheat germ plasm contains a broad genetic base for resistance to the most prevalent races of P. tritici-repentis in North America, and the resistant sources identified in this study may be utilized in wheat breeding programs to develop tan spot resistant varieties.

Download Full-text

Revegetating Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)-Infested Rangeland with Native Tallgrasses

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/s0890037x00043979 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 381-390 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Robert A. Masters ◽

Scott J. Nissen

Keyword(s):

Great Plains ◽

Native Species ◽

Management Practices ◽

Leafy Spurge ◽

Plant Residue ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Big Bluestem ◽

Perennial Weed ◽

Research Areas ◽

No Till

Degradation of Great Plains rangelands can be linked to past management practices that reduced native species diversity and accelerated establishment and expansion of exotic weeds and less desirable native species. Leafy spurge is an exotic perennial weed that infests more than 1 million ha in the northern Great Plains and reduces rangeland carrying capacity by competing with desirable forages and causing infested areas to be undesirable to cattle and wildlife. Research was conducted to determine the feasibility of using herbicides to suppress leafy spurge and other resident vegetation, which facilitated planting and establishment of native tallgrasses. Four experiments were conducted where 0.28, 0.56, and 0.84 kg ai/ha imazapyr and 0.1 kg ai/ha sulfometuron were applied alone and in combination and 0.84 kg ai/ha glyphosate was applied to leafy spurge-infested range sites in fall 1991 near Ainsworth, NE, and in fall 1991, 1992, and 1993 near Ansley, NE. Research areas were burned about 200 d after herbicide application to reduce plant residue. Monoculture stands of big bluestem and switchgrass were then no-till planted in each experiment and indiangrass was no-till planted in experiments initiated at Ansley in 1992 and 1993. Yields of the planted grasses, leafy spurge, and other vegetation were measured in August at each location starting the year after planting. Imazapyr was an essential component of treatments applied before planting to facilitate establishment of highly productive stands of the tallgrasses. Generally, yields were maximized by fall treatments of 0.28 kg/ha imazapyr + 0.1 kg/ha sulfometuron for big bluestem, 0.84 kg/ha imazapyr for indiangrass, and 0.84 kg/ha imazapyr + 0.1 kg/ha sulfometuron for switchgrass. Yields of the planted grasses were frequently four times greater where these herbicides were applied compared to where glyphosate or no herbicide were applied. Leafy spurge yields were usually reduced in areas where tallgrass yields were greatest. The sequential combination of suppressing vegetation with fall-applied herbicides, burning standing dead plant residue, then no-till planting desirable native tallgrasses in the spring increased productivity of these leafy spurge-infested range sites.

Download Full-text

Optimizing soil and plant responses to land-applied manure nutrients in the Great Plains of North America

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/s05-115 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 86 (4) ◽

pp. 587-595 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

J J Schoenau ◽

J G Davis

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Great Plains ◽

Management Practices ◽

Nutrient Loading ◽

Nutrient Balance ◽

Nutrient Content ◽

Unit Weight ◽

Available N ◽

Animal Manures ◽

Beneficial Management Practices

Animal manures are recognized as valuable sources of plant nutrients in cropping systems and also play a role in soil improvement through the input of organic matter. Using recent research examples from Saskatchewan and Colorado, this paper covers beneficial management practices for effective recycling of manure nutrients applicable to the Great Plains region of North America. Challenges in using animal manures as fertilizers include low nutrient content per unit weight, variability and availability of nutrient content, and a balance of available nutrients that often does not meet the relative nutrient requirements of the crop. Examples of imbalances that may arise requiring special management considerations include low available N content relative to available P for many solid manures, and low available S relative to N for some liquid manures. Application decisions are best supported by manure and soil analyses, with nutrient balance issues addressed by rate adjustments and the addition of supplemental commercial fertilizer to avoid deficiency or loading of specific nutrients. Placement of manure into the soil by injection or incorporation is desirable in that nutrient losses by volatilization and runoff are reduced and crop recovery is increased. Balancing the rate of nutrient application with crop requirement and removal over time is key to avoiding nutrient loading on soils receiving repeated applications of manure. Key words: Manure management, nutrient cycling, beneficial management practices, Great Plains

Download Full-text

Kentucky Bluegrass Invasion in the Northern Great Plains and Prospective Management Approaches to Mitigate Its Spread

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10040817 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 817

Author(s):

Rakhi Palit ◽

Greta Gramig ◽

Edward S. DeKeyser

Keyword(s):

Great Plains ◽

Native Species ◽

Management Practices ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Kentucky Bluegrass ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Ecological Interactions ◽

Management Tools ◽

Management Approaches

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is one of the most aggressive grasses invading Northern Great Plains (NGP) grasslands, resulting in substantial native species losses. Highly diverse grasslands dominated by native species are gradually transforming into rangelands largely dominated by non-native Kentucky bluegrass. Several factors potentially associated with Kentucky bluegrass invasions, including high propagule pressure, thatch formation, climate change, and increasing nitrogen deposition, could determine the future dominance and spread of Kentucky bluegrass in the NGP. Because atmospheric CO2 is amplifying rapidly, a C3 grass like Kentucky bluegrass might be photosynthetically more efficient than native C4 grasses. As this exotic species shares similar morphological and phenological traits with many native cool-season grasses, controlling it with traditional management practices such as prescribed fire, grazing, herbicides, or combinations of these practices may also impair the growth of native species. Thus, developing effective management practices to combat Kentucky bluegrass spread while facilitating the native species cover is essential. Modifying traditional techniques and embracing science-based adaptive management tools that focus on the ecological interactions of Kentucky bluegrass with the surrounding native species could achieve these desired management goals. Enhancement of the competitiveness of surrounding native species could also be an important consideration for controlling this invasive species.

Download Full-text

Soil and water management: opportunities to mitigate nutrient losses to surface waters in the Northern Great Plains

Environmental Reviews ◽

10.1139/er-2018-0101 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 447-477 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Helen M. Baulch ◽

Jane A. Elliott ◽

Marcos R.C. Cordeiro ◽

Don N. Flaten ◽

David A. Lobb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Great Plains ◽

Surface Waters ◽

Management Practices ◽

Nutrient Retention ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Nutrient Losses ◽

Nutrient Inputs ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

Soil And Water

The Northern Great Plains is a key region to global food production. It is also a region of water stress that includes poor water quality associated with high concentrations of nutrients. Agricultural nitrogen and phosphorus loads to surface waters need to be reduced, yet the unique characteristics of this environment create challenges. The biophysical reality of the Northern Great Plains is one where snowmelt is the major period of nutrient transport, and where nutrients are exported predominantly in dissolved form. This limits the efficacy of many beneficial management practices (BMPs) commonly used in other regions and necessitates place-based solutions. We discuss soil and water management BMPs through a regional lens—first understanding key aspects of hydrology and hydrochemistry affecting BMP efficacy, then discussing the merits of different BMPs for nutrient control. We recommend continued efforts to “keep water on the land” via wetlands and reservoirs. Adoption and expansion of reduced tillage and perennial forage may have contributed to current nutrient problems, but both practices have other environmental and agronomic benefits. The expansion of tile and surface drainage in the Northern Great Plains raises urgent questions about effects on nutrient export and options to mitigate drainage effects. Riparian vegetation is unlikely to significantly aid in nutrient retention, but when viewed against an alternative of extending cultivation and fertilization to the waters’ edge, the continued support of buffer strip management and refinement of best practices (e.g., harvesting vegetation) is merited. While the hydrology of the Northern Great Plains creates many challenges for mitigating nutrient losses, it also creates unique opportunities. For example, relocating winter bale-grazing to areas with low hydrologic connectivity should reduce loadings. Managing nutrient applications must be at the center of efforts to mitigate eutrophication. In this region, ensuring nutrients are not applied during hydrologically sensitive periods such as late autumn, on snow, or when soils are frozen will yield benefits. Working to ensure nutrient inputs are balanced with crop demands is crucial in all landscapes. Ultimately, a targeted approach to BMP implementation is required, and this must consider the agronomic and economic context but also the biophysical reality.

Download Full-text

Nature, Occurrence, and Cost of Herbicide-Resistant Wild Oat (Avena fatua) in Small-Grain Production Areas

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/s0890037x00046297 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 612-625 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Hugh J. Beckie ◽

A. Gordon Thomas ◽

Anne Légère ◽

David J. Kelner ◽

Rene C. van Acker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Great Plains ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Acetolactate Synthase ◽

Avena Fatua ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Wild Oat ◽

Herbicide Resistant ◽

Multiple Group ◽

Production Areas ◽

Group 1

Surveys were conducted across the northern Great Plains of Canada in 1996 and 1997 to determine the nature and occurrence of herbicide-resistant (HR) biotypes of wild oat (Avena fatua). The surveys indicated that resistance to acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors (Group 1) occurred most frequently relative to other herbicide groups. Group 1-HR wild oat occurred in over one-half of fields surveyed in each of the three prairie provinces. Of particular concern was the relatively high incidence of multiple-group resistance in wild oat in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In Saskatchewan, 18% of Group 1-HR populations were also resistant to acetolactate synthase inhibitors (imidazolinones), even though these herbicides were not frequently used. In Manitoba, 27% of fields surveyed had wild oat resistant to herbicides from more than one group. Four populations were resistant to all herbicides registered for use in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Depending on the nature of resistance in wild oat, alternative herbicides available for their control may substantially increase costs to the grower. The cost to growers of managing HR wild oat in Saskatchewan and Manitoba using alternative herbicides is estimated at over $4 million annually. For some HR biotypes, alternative herbicides either are not available or all have the same site of action, which restricts crop or herbicide rotation options and threatens the future sustainability of small-grain annual cropping systems where these infestations occur.

Download Full-text