Altering the competitiveness of tame oat (Avena sativa L.) versus wild oat (Avena fatua L.) with phosphorus and seeding rate

W.E May,Christian Willenborg

doi:10.1139/cjps-2017-0184

Abstract

Currently, no in-crop herbicide is registered to control wild oat (Avena fatua L.) in tame oat (Avena sativa L.). Wild oat must be controlled in tame oat using other agronomic practices. The objective of this research was to determine if side-banded phosphorus (P) in combination with seeding rate would increase the competitiveness of tame oat with wild oat, increasing yield and quality. An experiment was conducted from 2003–2005 at Indian Head, SK. The experimental design was a strip-plot design with four replications. The strips were low and high wild oat density. A two-way factorial, seeding rate (150, 250, 350, and 450 plants m−2), and P rate (0, 15, and 30 kg P2O5 ha−1) were seeded across the strips. Phosphorus affected seed density, grain yield, oat biomass, and wild oat fecundity. Seeding rate affected most of the measured variables and interacted with wild oat and year. The application of P increased the competiveness of oat by increasing crop biomass by 7.6% and grain yield by 3.4% and decreasing wild oat seed from 1.26% to 0.76% in the harvested grain. Wild oat decreased grain yield by 23% in 2003, 4.4% in 2004, and 11% in 2005. Increasing the seeding rate increased grain yield by 5% when wild oat was present. Wild oat did not interfere with the uptake of side-banded P. Producers need to use both P fertilization and higher seeding rates to improve the competitiveness of tame oat and the management of wild oat in tame oat.

Highlights

IntroductionWeed surveys found that wild oat was the secondranked weed for western Canada (Leeson et al 2005)
Weed surveys found that wild oat was the secondranked weed for western Canada (Leeson et al 2005).Traditionally, tillage in combination with delayed seeding has been used to control wild oat (Avena fatua L.) in tame oat (Avena sativa L.)
The lack of effect by seeding rate in 2003 is probably due to the low seeding rate and only a slight increase in plant density as the seeding rate increased. These results indicate that increasing the P rate and seeding rate probably reduce the number of wild oat seeds being added to the seed bank in the soil

Summary

Introduction

Weed surveys found that wild oat was the secondranked weed for western Canada (Leeson et al 2005). Tillage in combination with delayed seeding has been used to control wild oat (Avena fatua L.) in tame oat (Avena sativa L.). Research in oat captured the Received 14 June 2017. W.E. May. Indian Head Research Farm, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 760, Indian Head, SK S0G 2K0, Canada

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Conclusion