CROP COMPETITION AIDS EFFICACY OF WILD OAT HERBICIDES

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted over a 2-yr period to evaluate the need for competition by crop plants along with the application of postemergence herbicides for wild oat (Avena fatua L.) control in barley and wheat. Barban, difenzoquat, and barban plus difenzoquat were used in barley and barban, benzoylprop ethyl, diclofop methyl, flamprop methyl, and barban plus benzoylprop ethyl were used in wheat, at the two-leaf stage and the four-leaf stage of wild oats seeded alone or in a crop. Barban and diclofop methyl were effective for wild oat control at both the two-leaf and four-leaf stage of wild oats. Benzoylprop ethyl, difenzoquat and flamprop methyl alone or in combination with barban were more effective at the four-leaf than at the two-leaf stage of wild oats. Herbicide treatments increased barley yield up to 84% and wheat yield up to 177%. In the absence of herbicide treatments, crop competition from barley or wheat reduced the wild oat dry weight by about 50%. Competition by crop plants was essential for effective wild oat control with all foliage-applied wild oat herbicides included in this study.Key words: Competition, crop, wild oat, herbicides, wheat, barley