Premium
Phosphorus fertilizer effects on the competition between wheat and several weed species
Author(s) -
BLACKSHAW ROBERT E.,
BRANDT RANDALL N.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
weed biology and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.351
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1445-6664
pISSN - 1444-6162
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-6664.2008.00317.x
Subject(s) - weed , biology , competition (biology) , fertilizer , agronomy , phosphorus , crop , weed control , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry
Information on phosphorus (P) fertilizer affecting crop–weed competitive interactions might aid in developing improved weed management systems. A controlled environment study was conducted to examine the effect of three P doses on the competitive ability of four weed species that were grown with wheat. Two grass and two broad‐leaved weed species were chosen to represent the species that varied in their growth responsiveness to P: wild oat (medium), Persian darnel (low), round‐leaved mallow (high), and kochia (low). Wheat and each weed species were grown in a replacement series design at P doses of 5, 15, and 45 mg P kg −1 soil. The competitive ability of the low P‐responsive species, Persian darnel and kochia, decreased as the P dose increased, supporting our hypothesis that the competitiveness of species responding minimally to P would remain unchanged or decrease at higher P levels. As expected, the competitiveness of the high P‐responsive species, round‐leaved mallow, progressively improved as the P dose increased. However, wild oat's competitive ability with wheat was not affected by the P fertilizer. The results suggest that fertilizer management strategies that favor crops over weeds might deserve greater attention when weed infestations consist of species known to be highly responsive to higher soil P levels. The information gained in this study could be used to advise farmers of the importance of strategic fertilizer management in terms of both weed management and crop yield.