Sustainable control pf grass weeds

The annuals grass weeds are some of the most important weed species in cereal production. Especially in areas dominated by winter cereals, the presence of species like black grass, loose silky bent and barren brome has increased significantly. The germination biology of this species, characterized by germination mainly in the fall, means that they are favored by a large proportion of winter crops. Another contributing factor to their success is increased element of reduced soil cultivation, which leaves a large percentage of the seeds near the surface where they can germinate. The close relationship with cereal crops limits the number of available herbicides, which increases the risk of developing herbicide resistance. In particular, black grass has been recognized internationally as one of the species that rapidly develops resistance, and resistant populations have been identified also in Sweden.
The aim of this long term control study is to increase awareness of the possibilities to control grass weeds, primarily black grass and loose silky bent, in a resource efficient manner by applying IPM. The experimental design is based on knowledge of the biology of the species (germination biology, seed ecology, growth etc.), resistance development and sensitivity to various control measures.

Project leader: Lars Andersson
Collaborators: Anders TS Nilsson

Partners: Swedish Board of Agriculture and HS.

Funding: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, NJ-faculty