Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Asteraceae) is an annual herbacious weed that is a troublesome pest in carrot fields of Southwestern Quebec. Over the past decade, ragweed has shown resistance to linuron, the only herbicide that is registered for post-emergence control of this weed in carrots. In this research, the degree of resistance to linuron was investigated for a ragweed biotype collected from a carrot field in Sherrington, Quebec, where a decreased performance of linuron had been noted. This biotype showed a linuron resistance ratio (I50) of 9.09, when compared with ragweed plants collected from a field never sprayed with this herbicide. The fungal pathogen Phoma sp., which had been initially isolated from diseased ragweed leaves in 1993, was considered as a potentially effective biological agent for the control of common ragweed. The pathogenicity of Phoma sp. was re-evaluated during the current research. This fungus was found not to have any appreciable virulence towards common ragweed; it is likely that virulence was lost during storage. Hence, twenty other fungal species were isolated from diseased common ragweed plants and assayed to determine their potential as biological agents against this noxious weed. Varying dew periods, temperatures, spore concentrations, host growth stages, and different types of carrier were evaluated. Only isolates ATT#9, INNA4a, INNA4b, ATT#10, ISO#65, and ISO#68 were able to induce lesions on ragweed foliage at spore concentrations of 106 to 107 spores ml-1, but only after an extended dew period of 48 hrs. No interaction effects on the degree of ragweed control were found when combining five fungal isolates and the insect, Ophraella communa LeSage. However, a possible interactive effect was detected when the fungal isolate ISO#65 and linuron were used in combination.

The intercropping of corn with legumes is an alternative cropping strategy to corn monocropping which may help reduce inputs into the production of silage for livestock feed. The reduction of inputs will decrease costs to producers and potential damage to the environment. Two experiments were carried out at each of two sites in 1993 and 1994. The first experiment investigated the effects on silage yield and weed control of seeding soybean or lupin alone or in combination with one of three forages (annual ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum Lam.; perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L.; and red clover, Trifolium pratense L.). The second experiment examined the effects on silage yield and weed control of seeding date (simultaneous with corn or three weeks later) and number of rows of large-seeded legumes (one or two) seeded between the corn rows. For both experiments intercropped plots received 90 kg ha$ sp{-1}$ less nitrogen fertilizer than monocropped plots (which received 180 kg ha$ sp{-1})$. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Canola is a cool-season, oilseed crop grown throughout Europe, Canada, and the Northern Great Plains region of the United States. The expansion of canola production into new growing regions, such as the Southern Plains region, has resulted in new production challenges. The Southern Plains region cultivates canola as a winter annual compared to a spring annual for the Northern Great Plains and Canada. Given the difference in climate and weed spectrum, region-specific weed management systems need to be developed. Agronomic practices can affect seed oil content, protein content, and fatty acid composition, however the effect of herbicides on these and other characteristic of canola are unknown. Therefore, experiments were conducted in 2010 and 2011 to evaluate a broad spectrum of herbicides for potential use in South Texas canola production with respect to crop injury, effects on canola seed oil content, fatty acid composition, weed control, biomass yield, and forage quality. Visual crop injury at 42 DAE was unacceptable for saflufenacil at both 0.12 and 0.06 kg ai ha-1 and ethalfluralin at 1.05 kg ai ha-1. Trifluralin at 1.12 and 0.56 kg ai ha-1, S-metolachlor at 2.14 and 1.07 kg ai ha-1, pyroxasulfone at 0.24 and 0.12 kg ai ha-1, and pendimethalin at 0.8 kg ai ha-1 had lowest visual injury of all treatments. Fluroxypyr applied EPOST caused severe injury at both 0.21 and 0.11 kg ae ha-1. All other EPOST treatments did not cause any visible injury. Seed oil content was not affected by the herbicides evaluated. Fatty acid composition, specifically stearic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic to linolenic acid ratio, was affected by herbicide treatments. This research found that protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPG oxidase) inhibitor herbicides, such as carfentrazone-ethyl and saflufenacil, negatively affect canola oil quality. Biomass yield was improved for all herbicide treatments except pendimethalin PRE when compared to the untreated plots. Crude protein content of canola forage was not affected by herbicide treatment. Digestible dry matter appeared to be reduced by treatments that included an EPOST application of sethoxydim. The research shows that pendimethalin and S-metolachlor may be suitable for canola production in South Texas based on low crop injury and effective weed control. Neither pendimethalin nor S-metolachlor is currently labeled for use in canola. The herbicides trifluralin, ethalfluralin, quizalofop P-ethyl, ethametsulfuron-methyl, sethoxydim, glyphosate, clethodim, and clopyralid are currently labeled for use in canola and were confirmed suitable for canola production in South Texas. Carfentrazone-ethyl is currently labeled for use in canola but the effects on oil quality should be considered.

Diss. (sammanfattning). Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

In spite of the relative simple vegetation structure, the Grassland biome has surprisingly high species diversity. The Grassland biome is also the most transformed biome in South Africa, with cultivation having the largest impact. When croplands are abandoned, secondary succession leads to low diversity Hyparrhenia hirta dominated grassland. A combination of two seed mixtures, two seeding densities and two establishment methods was established in plots on a recently abandoned cropland at Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve to evaluate their effect on secondary succession. The rip plots, where more resources were available between the rip lines, have shown higher densities of relic weeds as well as local perennials, showing some progressive successional movement. However, Hyparrhenia hirta was one of the non-sown perennials increasing in the rip plots. Hyparrhenia invasion and relic weeds were best controlled in the plough plots. Although Hyparrhenia was successfully controlled in plough plots, no secondary succession occurred in these treatments. / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Tech. (Nature Conservation)

This diplom thesis deals with the evaluation of quality machines work for soil cultivation used in minimalization soil cultivation technology and weed control in cereal crops. The machines were evaluated for incorporation of harvest residues, uniformity of depth and size of lumps. It was further performed an economic evaluation of selected cost per operation soil cultivation. In order to monitor the development of weeds was based small-plot experiment, where was monitored representation of individual weed species and the effectiveness of selected herbicide.

Os remanescentes florestais, refúgios de biodiversidade, estão sob grande pressão antrópica. A Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (Mata Atlântica do Interior) foi a formação florestal mais devastada no bioma Mata Atlântica. Frente ao quadro de destruição florestal, mudanças climáticas e problemas socioeconômicos, somos desafiadosa desenhar e adaptar novos modelos de restauração florestal, associados ao processo de desenvolvimento e geração de renda das comunidades locais. O objetivo deste estudo foi contribuir com a pesquisa em restauração florestal, avaliando práticas de cultivo intercalar de plantas leguminosas e/ou sistemas agroflorestais, como catalisadores da restauração ecológica, na região do Pontal do Paranapanema, estado de São Paulo. A hipótese central testada é se o controle de plantas espontâneas em plantios de restauração ecológica pode ser realizado através de cultivos intercalares e se os cultivos intercalares interferem na fertilidade do solo e no desenvolvimento das espécies florestais.Durante 24 meses foram monitorados e avaliados: a dinâmica das plantas espontâneas, a evolução da fertilidade do solo eo desenvolvimento das espécies florestais em cada tratamento proposto.O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com 4 tratamentos em 4 repetições, sendo: (TE) - Testemunha, sem nenhum cultivo intercalar; (SAF) - Sistema Agroflorestal, plantio de feijão na entrelinha da cultura florestal; (FG) - Feijão guandu, plantado na entrelinha da cultura florestal; (LAB) - Labe-labe, plantado na entrelinha da cultura florestal.Os dados foram analisados em ambiente R, através da ANOVA e testeTUKEY a posteriori. Os resultados das plantas espontâneas apontam para a Brachiaria brizantha como a espécie dominante no tratamento TE e que todos os tratamentos foram capazes de controlar a Brachiaria brizantha. Para a fertilidade do solo, não foram observadasdiferenças significativas entre os tratamentos e/ou anos para as variáveis Ca,H+Al, Mg, M.O., N, SB e V%. Foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os tratamentos e/ou anos para as variáveis P, K, CTC e pH.Em relação ao desenvolvimento das espécies florestais, quando comparados ambos os grupos ecológicos (pioneiras e não pioneiras), observou-se que todos os tratamentos possuem menor mortalidade e maior altura média quando comparados aTE.Os resultados das análises de área basal, para ambos os grupos ecológicos, sugerem que um menor período de uso das entrelinhas favoreça o crescimento em área basal, porém promove alta mortalidade no grupo das não pioneiras.Conclui-se que os manejos de entrelinha com sistemas agroflorestais ou com cultivo de leguminosas, foram eficientes em criar condições favoráveis ao desenvolvimento de espécies florestais, porém o tempo de uso da entrelinha teve influência direta sobre a mortalidade das não pioneiras. / The remaining forests fragments, refuges for biodiversity, are under great anthropogenic pressure. Semi deciduousAtlantic Forest (Mata Atlantica Interior) was the most devastated forest formation in the Atlantic Forest biome. Facing forest destruction, climate change and socioeconomic problems, we are challenged to design and adapt new models of ecological restoration, associated with the rural development and income generation for local communities. The objective of this study was to contribute to research on ecological restoration, assessing management practices through the cultivation of leguminous speciesand agroforestry systems, as catalysts for ecological restoration in the region of Pontal Paranapanema, state of São Paulo. During 24 months it was monitored and evaluated the dynamic of weeds, the evolution of soil fertility and the development of forest species in each proposed treatment. The experimental design was completely randomized with 8 treatments and 1 control in 4 repetitions: (TE) - Control, without intercropping cultivation; (SAF) - Agroforestry System with beansintercropped; (FG) - pigeonpea intercropped with forest; (LAB) - Labe-labe intercropped with forest. Data were analyzed in R environment, by ANOVA and Tukey tests retrospectively. The results point to Brachiaria brizantha as dominant specie in TE, and that all treatments were able to control the spontaneous species. There were no significant differences between treatments and / or years for the variables Ca, H+Al, Mg, OM, N, SB and V%. Significant differences were found between treatments and / or years for the variables P, K, CTC and pH. When both functional groups compared, all treatments have lower mortality and higher average height, compared to the control plots. The results of basal area for both functional groups, suggest that a shorter period of use of lines favor the growth of basal area, but promotes high mortality in the group of non-pioneer tree species. The results suggestthat agroforestry and leguminous species cultivation of pigeonpea and labe-labe, are effective in creating favorable conditions for the development of forest species, but intercropping period has a direct influence on mortality of non-pioneer tree species.

Two experiments were conducted to detect differences in growth and cold hardiness during establishment of northern grown wine grapevines. One experiment tested the use of four grow tube treatments and two pruning levels on vine establishment in the upper Midwest. The variables included leaf area, stem height, root growth, phenology, and hardiness. Overall, few significant differences occurred among treatments where grow tubes were utilized. In the second season, vines without grow tubes had superior measurements in nearly all leaf area categories. For this reason, it is recommended that growers refrain from grow tube use during establishment in northern growing regions. Vines pruned to three buds after transplanting varied little from those without pruning. For this reason, it is recommended that growers utilize the most efficient early pruning strategy for their particular situation. Another experiment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of different weed control measures. This experiment compared three kinds of mulches and an herbicide treatment on the growth and establishment of four wine grape varieties. Annual weed control, plant growth, phenology, soil water content and temperature, and vine hardiness were measured. Overall, vines receiving mulch had more consistent annual weed control and reduced early season growth when compared to chemically treated vines. For this reason, mulch is recommended in the vineyard for annual weed control during establishment in situations where vigor is not unacceptably low.

<p>Herbicide-resistant weed populations have become problematic throughout the Eastern Corn Belt, with 18 unique herbicide-resistant weed biotypes confirmed in Indiana alone. In response to these resistant populations, the agricultural chemical industry has responded by developing glyphosate-resistant crops paired with resistance to synthetic auxin herbicides such as dicamba and 2,4-D.</p><p>This research evaluates weed population shifts in cropping systems using row crops that are resistant to synthetic auxin herbicides. Identifying weed population shifts will allow future research to be targeted to weed species that would become more prevalent in cropping systems using synthetic auxin-resistant crops. The use of multiple sites of action will be needed in order to prevent weed shifts in both conventional and no-till corn-soybean production systems. Weed densities and species richness were reduced within field evaluations when six or more herbicide sites of action were implemented with residual herbicides in both corn and soybean years over a seven-year period. Additionally, soil seedbank weed densities and species richness were reduced within 2,4-D-resistant soybean production systems. Additional strategies other than the application of herbicides may be needed to manage weed populations in the future due to the high levels of herbicide-resistant weed populations in the Midwest.</p><p>Off-target movement of these synthetic auxin herbicides, has been a concern, and label-mandated buffer areas are required near sensitive areas. Investigation of whether cover crops can be an effective tactic in managing weeds in these label-mandated buffer areas was conducted. Cover crop utilization in buffer areas has not been investigated in Indiana. Additionally, termination timing is becoming more prominent as farm operators are increasingly terminating cover crops after planting. Our results demonstrate that using cover crops that utilize cereal rye and that are terminated at, or after the time of soybean planting will be beneficial in suppressing waterhemp, grasses, and sometimes horseweed within label-mandated buffer areas, but not for suppression of giant ragweed. However, delaying termination of cover crops can result in soybean yield reductions and caution should be used. Terminating cover crops with glyphosate and auxin and a residual herbicide was more effective than glyphosate alone, but would not be permitted within label-mandated buffer areas.L</p>