A Visual Guide to Help Producers Manage Jointed Goatgrass

Abstract

Jointed goatgrass is a prominent weed infesting winter wheat in the western United States. Individual control tactics often are ineffective and inconsistent, but management systems comprised of several tactics designed to disrupt population dynamics of jointed goatgrass can reduce infestation levels in winter wheat. Tactics are planned to favor decline of seedbank density, reduce seedling emergence in winter wheat, and minimize seed production of plants established in winter wheat. We describe a visual guide that will help producers plan management systems for jointed goatgrass with a diversity of cultural tactics. The guide organizes cultural tactics by decision times of producers during the winter wheat production cycle. Scientists are effectively managing jointed goatgrass in a diversity of production systems by integrating cultural tactics across decision times.