Research

Background

Weed persistence and herbicide resistance are significant challenges for crop production in the Prairies. Over the years, many crop production and weed management strategies focused on reducing the abundance of weeds by controlling their above-ground presence. All the success and failures of weed management strategies were assessed in terms of weed density and biomass and sometimes on weed seed production. However, it is rarely studied how crop and weed management strategies can affect long-term weed persistence via altered phenological development and seed persistence. Increasing the crop's competitive ability is the fundamental component of most integrated weed management (IWM) programs, often practiced by producers to reduce the reliance on herbicides. IWM practices can alter the maternal environment, changing weed dynamics beyond crop competition. Recognizing the long-term benefits of IWM in weed adaptation (phenology and persistence) can enhance the adoption of IWM, thus reducing the risk of developing HR weeds and reducing the use of herbicide.

Objectives

1. To determine the effect of integrated crop management (integrated nutrient and weed management) on weed phenology and weed persistence in wheat.
2. To determine how crop management-induced maternal effects will alter weed seed persistence traits in the following generation of seeds.