Cropping Systems Control Winter Annual Grass Weeds in Winter Wheat

Abstract

Downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.), jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica Host), and volunteer cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) are winter annual grass weeds that are increasingly troublesome in the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Thell.)-fallow rotation areas of the western USA. Six dryland cropping systems-continuous no-till winter wheat, winter wheat-fallow with fall tillage, winter wheat-fallow with fall applied herbicide, winter wheat-fallow-fallow, winter wheat-sunflower-fallow, and winter wheat-proso millet-fallow-were compared for their effect on winter annual grass densities in winter wheat. Winter annual grass densities averaged 145, 4.4, and 0.4 plants/sq yard for the 1-, 2-, and 3-yr systems, respectively. Eradication of the winter annual grasses was not achieved with any of the systems. Dockage and foreign material levels in wheat grain were lower in 3-yr than in 2-yr cropping systems. Jointed goatgrass was the most persistent annual grass investigated.