Abstract Ecological based weed management strategies are imperative in cropping systems when herbicide use is limited or prohibited. Herbicides are not applicable in controlling wild oat (Avena fatua L.) in oat (Avena sativa L.) cropping systems, as they are closely related. Moreover, herbicide use is prohibited in organic oat cultivation, resulting in a need for developing alternative weed management strategies. Enhancing the crop competitive ability (CA) can be an essential strategy in managing weeds in such instances. Two studies were carried with the objectives to: 1) evaluate newly developed oat genotypes for their CA against wild oat; and 2) develop a competitive organic oat cropping system integrating mechanical and cultural weed control practices. In the first study, seven oat lines deliberately bred for enhanced CA and their two parental cultivars were evaluated for the CA with wild oat. The genotypes yielded similarly in the presence and in the absence of wild oat competition. The tall oat line SA050479 with greater seedling leaf size was more wild oat suppressive among all lines. Moreover, SA050479 had greater yield potential and grain quality; thus, it has the potential to be developed as a commercial wild oat suppressive cultivar. The second study used two contrasting levels of genotype, row spacing, crop density and a post-emergence harrowing and a non-harrowed control in two organic oat fields to develop an integrated weed management system. High crop density and harrowing increased the grain yield by 11% and 13% respectively. The competitive cultivar CDC Baler and high crop density (500 plants m-2) reduced weed biomass by 22% and 52% respectively. Harrowing reduced weed density by more than 50% in three site-years. The cultural and mechanical weed control practices when combined were additive in increasing grain yield and reducing weed biomass. Oat seed yields were increased by 25% when high crop density planting and harrowing were combined. Similarly, the combined effect of competitive cultivar, high crop density, and post-emergence harrowing were greater as weed biomass was reduced by 71%. The outcome of this project implies the importance of enhancing the crop CA by means of crop breeding and integrating cultural and mechanical weed control strategies. Furthermore, this study was able to identify the importance of ecological based weed management strategies in order to overcome the constraints in weed management in present oat cropping systems.

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The goal of the project was to enhance the period of weed growth prior to seeding in order to reduce weed emergence and weed competition after the crop has been planted. Weed growth was stimulated using either light tillage or by applying nitrogen fertilizer early in the spring. Light disturbance significantly increased pre-seed weed emergence while early applied nitrogen did not appear to have an effect. Post seeding weed emergence levels and weed biomass were similar among the light tillage and early nitrogen treatments. Therefore the goal of decreasing weed competition after seeding was not attained. Future research should focus on long-term strategies to reduce weed populations in field rather than seasonal strategies.

The goal of the project was to enhance the period of weed growth prior to seeding in order to reduce weed emergence and weed competition after the crop has been planted. Weed growth was stimulated using either light tillage or by applying nitrogen fertilizer early in the spring. Light disturbance significantly increased pre-seed weed emergence while early applied nitrogen did not appear to have an effect. Post seeding weed emergence levels and weed biomass were similar among the light tillage and early nitrogen treatments. Therefore the goal of decreasing weed competition after seeding was not attained. Future research should focus on long-term strategies to reduce weed populations in field rather than seasonal strategies.

Integrating cultural weed management practices with herbicides is an important strategy to reduce wild oat (Avena fatua L.) populations in Alberta, Canada. The purpose of this thesis is to expand the knowledge on wild oat seed banks and seedling emergence within integrated weed management systems. Field experiments were conducted from 2006-2007 to examine the impact of crop rotation, barley cultivar, barley seeding rate and herbicide rate on wild oat seed bank density, seed mortality, seedling emergence and seedling survivorship. Management systems consisting of diverse crop rotations, tall barley cultivars and increased barley seeding rates reduced wild oat seed bank density, seedling emergence and seedling survivorship, especially at low herbicide rates. Wild oat seed banks predicted subsequent wild oat emergence, whereas biomass and emergence strongly predicted seed banks. Lastly, 50% wild oat emergence was achieved at 537 and 509 growing degree days in 2006 and 2007, respectively, in Lacombe, Alberta. / Plant Science

Bibliography: leaves 128-146. / x, 146 leaves : ill. (some col.), maps ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Study was undertaken to determine the occurence and species incidence of wild oats in a major cropping region of southern Australia. Population dynamic studies were undertaken at two sites to define the seed bank decline and emergence pattern of several wild oat populations over a three year period. Management studies were conducted to determine appropriate strategies for the control of wild oats in southern Australian farming systems. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dept. of Agronomy and Farming Systems, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, 1998