Dog mustard (Erucastrum gallicum) response to crop competition

Abstract

Greenhouse studies suggested that dog mustard was less competitive than wheat, but of similar competitiveness to flax. In field studies, dog mustard growth and development were markedly affected by crop competition. Competition from flax and wheat reduced dog mustard leaf area, shoot dry weight, plant height, and seed production compared with the weed grown on summer-fallow. Dog mustard was a prolific seed producer when grown in the absence of interspecific competition. On summer-fallow, dog mustard produced as many as 79,100 seeds plant−1when moisture was not a limiting factor. However, average seed production was 19,400 and 8000 seeds plant−1in 1994 and 1995, respectively.