Integrated weed management in wheat cultivation

Publication date: 31/07/2016
Extent: 24 pages

Contributions by: K. Neil Harker and John O’Donovan, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada; and Breanne Tidemann, University of Alberta, Canada

Chapter synopsis: Weed management in wheat cultivation is dominated by one control method – use of herbicides. Their overuse has led to weed resistance to herbicides and the need for alternative weed control strategies that will preserve herbicide efficacy as well as agricultural and environmental sustainability. The focus of this chapter is on cultural strategies that can be used in wheat cultivation as part of an integrated weed management (IWM) strategy. Practices that improve wheat plant health including diverse crop rotations, the proper placement and timing of balanced nutrients, and no-till or direct-seeding are encouraged. Practices that promote wheat canopy closure such as growing competitive cultivars, increasing wheat density, decreasing wheat row spacing, planting wheat in uniform patterns and intercropping are also shown to facilitate IWM.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2016.0004.26