Abstract
Summer grass weed species are a particular problem in the northeast cropping region of Australia because they are prolific seeders and favor no-till systems. Information on weed seed persistence levels can be used for the development of effective and sustainable integrated weed management programs. A field study was conducted over 42 months to evaluate the seedbank persistence of Chloris truncata, C. virgata, Dactyloctenium radulans, and Urochloa panicoides as affected by burial depth (0, 2, and 10 cm). Regardless of species, buried seeds persisted longer than surface seeds and there was no difference in seed persistence between 2 and 10 cm depths. Surface seeds of C. truncata depleted completely in 12 months and buried seeds in 24 months. Similarly, C. virgata seeds placed on the soil surface depleted in 12 months. Buried seeds of this species took 18 months to completely deplete, suggesting that C. truncata seeds persist longer than C. virgata seeds. Surface seeds of D. radulans took 36 months to completely deplete, whereas about 7% of buried seeds were still viable at 42 months. U. panicoides took 24 and 42 months to completely exhaust the surface and buried seeds, respectively. These results suggest that leaving seeds on the soil surface will result in a more rapid depletion of the seedbank. Information on seed persistence will help to manage these weeds using strategic tillage operations.
Highlights
Crop production is affected by numerous biotic and abiotic factors
Our results show that seed persistence varies between weed species and seed placement depth
C. virgata seeds were found to be the least persistent followed by C. truncata and U. panicoides, whereas D. radulans had the most persistent seedbank
Summary
Crop production is affected by numerous biotic and abiotic factors. Weeds are considered the most important biological constraints to agricultural production in both high-income and low-income countries. In Australia, weeds cost more than 3.3 billion per annum to grain growers [1]. They cost a significant amount of money to cotton and vegetable growers. Summer weed species are a particular problem in the northeast cropping region of Australia. (feathertop Rhodes grass), Dactyloctenium radulans (R.Br.) P.Beauv. (liverseed grass) are the dominating grass weed species in summer fallows and crops, such as cotton, mungbean, and sorghum Chloris truncata R.Br. (windmill grass), Chloris virgata Sw. (feathertop Rhodes grass), Dactyloctenium radulans (R.Br.) P.Beauv. (button grass), and Urochloa panicoides Beauv. (liverseed grass) are the dominating grass weed species in summer fallows and crops, such as cotton, mungbean, and sorghum
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