Weed interference period and economic threshold level of ryegrass in wheat

Abstract

The study of weed interference periods and the economic threshold level (ETL) of weeds on crops allows the adoption of management methods and the rationalized use of herbicides. The objective of this study was to determine the periods of interference and to test mathematical models to determine the economic threshold level of ryegrass in the wheat crop. Two experiments were carried out in a randomized block design with four replications. The first experiment was conducted in the 2014/2015 agricultural season. The periods of interference and control of ryegrass were studied in wheat. The periods of interference and/or control were: 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 120 days after emergence (DAE). The second experiment was conducted in the 2016/2017 agricultural season. The ETLs were studied, being the treatments composed of wheat cultivars and 12 populations of ryegrass, in competition with the respective cultivars. The results allowed concluding that the management methods of weed ryegrass must be adopted in the period between 11 and 21 days after crop emergence, which is described as a critical period of control of this weed. The wheat grain yield loss competing with ryegrass reached 59% when grown with ryegrass. For ETL, the linear regression model of the rectangular hyperbola adequately estimates grain yield losses in the presence of ryegrass. The cultivar presenting the lowest values of ETL, that is, less capacity to live with the weed, was TBIO Alvorada. The other cultivars presented similar ETL values.