Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T15:08:16.515Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Weed Seedbank Comparison in Conservation Reserve Program and Adjacent Fields Under Continuous Cultivation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Joel Felix*
Affiliation:
Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1101
Micheal D. K. Owen
Affiliation:
Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1101
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: felix.15@osu.edu

Abstract

In 1998, 1,260 soil samples were collected from 63 of 99 Iowa counties to characterize the weed seedbanks in fields under the conservation reserve program (CRP) and adjacent fields under continuous cultivation. Five annual grass and 13 broadleaf weed species were identified in both the CRP and adjacent cultivated fields. Seedbank differences between CRP and adjacent cultivated fields were evident only for foxtails, common lambsquarters, pigweeds, and sweetclover, with the average of 3,288, 10,681, 38, and 1,709 seeds/m2, respectively; the corresponding seed population in adjacent CRP fields was 59, 57, 1,924, and 74%, respectively. However, weed species diversity was not significantly different between fields in CRP and continuous cultivation. Only CRP fields in the northwest Iowa crop-reporting district had a higher foxtail species seed population (4,915 seeds/m2) than the adjacent cultivated fields (1,782 seeds/m2). Land under CRP in northern (N), eastern, and southern (S) districts had 58% (4,158 seeds/m2), 6% (312 seeds/m2), and 18% (594 seeds/m2) of the continuously cultivated foxtail species seedbank. Common lambsquarters seed populations were 4,128 and 3,801 seeds/m2 in the cultivated fields of the N and central (C) districts, compared with 772 and 252 seeds/m2 in adjacent CRP fields, respectively. Pigweed species seeds were more numerous in the cultivated fields than in adjacent CRP fields in the northeast, C, and S Iowa districts. Sweetclover seed population was consistently higher in CRP land because it was included as part of the CRP covers seeding. Overall, broadleaf weed seeds comprised 90% of the seedbanks in both CRP and adjacent cultivated land. A competitive cover crop canopy in CRP probably reduced weed seedbanks by suppression of weeds and seed production. Also, annual seed production, differences in weed biology, and differential herbicide performance in cultivated fields may have contributed to higher seed populations.

Type
Research
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Buhler, D. D., Hartzler, R. G., Forcella, F., and Gunsolus, J. L. 1997. Relative Emergence Sequence for Weeds of Corn and Soybeans. Iowa State University, University Extension Bull. SA-11. 4 p.Google Scholar
Cavers, P. B. 1994. Seed banks: memory in soil. Can. J. Soil Sci 75:1113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Derksen, D. A., Thomas, A. G., Lafond, G. P., Loeppky, H. A., and Swanton, C. J. 1995. Impact of post-emergence herbicides on weed community diversity within conservation-tillage systems. Weed Res 35:311320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fenner, M. 1985. Seed Ecology. London, U.K.: Chapman and Hill. 151 p.Google Scholar
Froud-Williams, R. J., Chancellor, R. J., and Brennan, D. S. H. 1983. Influence of cultivation regime upon buried weed seeds in arable cropping systems. J. Appl. Ecol 20:199208.Google Scholar
Fryer, J. D. and Chancellor, R. J. 1970. Evidence of changing weed populations in arable land. Proc. Br. Weed Control Conf 3:958964.Google Scholar
Hendry, G. A., Thompson, K., Moss, C. J., Edwards, E., and Thorpe, P. C. 1994. Seed persistence: a correlation between seed longevity in the soil and ortho-dihydroxyphenol concentration. Funct. Ecol 8:658664.Google Scholar
Holt, S. J. 1988. Ecological and physiological characteristics of weeds. in Altieri, M. A. and Liebman, M., eds. Weed Management in Agroecosystems: Ecological Approaches. Boca Raton, FL: CRC. Pp. 723.Google Scholar
Kelly, A. D. and Bruns, V. F. 1975. Dissemination of weeds by irrigation water. Weed Sci. 23:486493.Google Scholar
Kivilaan, A. and Bandurski, R. S. 1981. One-hundred year period for Dr. Beal's seed viability experiment. Am. J. Bot 68:12901292.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kropac, Z. C. 1966. Estimation of weed seed in arable soil. Pedobiogia 6:105128.Google Scholar
Lewis, J. 1973. Longevity of crop and weed seeds: survival after 20 years in soil. Weed Res 13:179191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magurran, A. E. 1988. Ecological Diversity and its Measurement. Kent, U.K.: Croom Helm. 179 p.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pareja, M. R. and Staniforth, D. W. 1985. Seed-soil microsite characteristics in relation to weed seed germination. Weed Sci. 33:190195.Google Scholar
[SAS®] Statistical Analysis Systems. 1988. SAS Procedures Guide. Version 6, 3rd ed. Cary, NC: Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 441 p.Google Scholar
Schafer, D. E. and Chilote, D. O. 1970. Factors influencing persistence and depletion in buried weed populations. II. Effects of soil temperature and moisture. Crop Sci 10:342345.Google Scholar
Schreiber, M. M. 1965. Effect of date of planting and stage of cutting on seed production of giant foxtail. Weeds 13:6062.Google Scholar
Schweizer, E. E., Westra, P., and Lybecker, D. W. 1998. Seedbank and emerged annual weed populations in cornfields (Zea mays) in Colorado. Weed Technol. 12:3247.Google Scholar
Standifer, C. 1980. A technique for estimating weed seed populations in cultivated soil. Weed Sci. 28:134138.Google Scholar
Stevens, O. A. 1932. The number and weight of seeds produced by weeds. Am. J. Bot 19:784794.Google Scholar
Stevenson, F. C., Légère, A., Simard, R. R., and Pageau, D. 1997. Weed species diversity in spring barley varies with crop rotation and tillage, but not with nutrient source. Weed Sci. 45:798806.Google Scholar
Terpstra, R. 1986. Behavior of weed seed in soil clods. Weed Sci. 34:889895.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, A. G., Banting, D. J., and Bowes, G. 1986. Longevity of green foxtail seeds in a Canadian prairie soil. Can. J. Plant Sci 66:189192.Google Scholar
Thompson, K. and Grime, P. J. 1979. Seasonal variation in the seedbanks of herbaceous species in ten contrasting habitats. J. Ecol 67:893921.Google Scholar
Thompson, K. and Grime, P. J. 1983. A comparative study of germination response to diurnally fluctuating temperatures. J. Appl. Ecol 20:141156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[USDA] U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1992. Conservation in the 1990 Farm Bill. FACT 2. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.Google Scholar
Wilson, R. G., Kerr, E., and Nelson, L. A. 1985. Potential for using weed seed content in the soil to predict future weed problems. Weed Sci. 33:171175.Google Scholar