A survey of the occurrence of seedling weeds in spring annual crops in Manitoba

Abstract

A floristic survey for weeds in spring annual crops throughout Manitoba from 1975 to 1978 indicated the occurrence of a total of 83 species in 654 fields. Field counts were done during June when the crop and weeds were in the seedling stage. In terms of total abundance, the 28 annual dicotyledonous weeds were found to be the most important group among the 50 species occurring in more than 1% of the fields. Wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus L.), wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.), redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and lamb's-quarters (Chenopodium album L.) were the most widespread and abundant species in this group with mean densities from 9.6 to 16.2 plants m−2. The combined abundance of green foxtail (Setaria viridis L.), wild oats (Avena fatua L.), and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv.), the three major annual monocotyledonous weeds, was nearly equal to that of the annual dicotyledonous weed group. Green foxtail was the most abundant weed, occurring in 89% of the fields at mean densities of 270.5 plants m−2. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.) and perennial sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis L.) were the most abundant species in the biennial and perennial weed group and had mean densities of 4.4–4.8 plants m−2 in infested fields. Key words: Weed survey, green foxtail, wild oats, wild buckwheat, wild mustard, Canada thistle