Effects of Narrow-Windrow Burning on Weed Dynamics in Soybean in Louisiana

Katie M Patterson,Lauren M Schwartz-Lazaro,Daniel O Stephenson,Gabrielle Labiche

doi:10.3389/fagro.2021.730280

Katie M Patterson, Lauren M Schwartz-Lazaro + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2021.730280

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Abstract

The soil seedbank allows for long-term persistence of weed species in agricultural fields. Some weed species can persist in the soil seedbank for extended periods. Restricting inputs into the weed seedbank has a large impact on future population density and influences management practices of these weeds in soybean production systems. Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) tactics incorporate mechanical and cultural management strategies to target weed seeds present at harvest. A 3-year trial was initiated to determine if continual use of the HWSC method, narrow windrow burning, selects for earlier seed set and shattering in Louisiana soybean. No shifts in weed populations or shattering time were observed. However, there was a significant reduction in weed density and the weed seed present in the soil seedbank when HWSC and robust herbicide programs were used in combination. Therefore, utilizing multiple effective weed management strategies is imperative in reducing the soil seedbank.

Highlights

Herbicides have played a vital role in increasing global food production by providing the most reliable and least expensive weed management options (Heap, 2014)
With no new herbicide sites of action likely to be commercially available in the near future, it is critical that weed management be focused on ensuring future effectiveness of the currently used herbicides by employing diversified tactics
Without the use of narrow-windrow burning (NWB), an average of 28 and 6% increase in the amount of weed seeds entering the soil seedbank was observed in the POST only and PRE fb POST treatments, respectively (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

Herbicides have played a vital role in increasing global food production by providing the most reliable and least expensive weed management options (Heap, 2014). In recent years, confirmed cases of resistance to herbicides have been reported in Louisiana for dominant weeds such as Palmer amaranth Farmers are rapidly losing effective herbicide options, and the current reliance on rotating herbicide sites of action or using herbicide mixtures will not be sufficient to manage weeds in the wake of metabolic resistance to herbicides in weed populations (Yu and Powles, 2014). With no new herbicide sites of action likely to be commercially available in the near future, it is critical that weed management be focused on ensuring future effectiveness of the currently used herbicides by employing diversified tactics

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