WERA077: Managing Invasive Weeds in Wheat
Statement of Issues and Justification
In the United States invasive, alien plant infestations may cover over 100 million acres of land and spread rapidly each year. Impacts to U.S. agricultural production are enormous. Invasive weeds currently infest more than 20 million acres of winter wheat in the western U.S, costing producers over $500 million in yield losses annually. Dense infestations of weeds may result in complete crop failure while lower populations decrease yield, increase dockage, and decrease harvesting efficiency. Downy brome (Bromus tectorum) and jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica) remain difficult to manage weeds in many winter wheat production regions. In addition, feral rye (Secale cereale), ryegrass species (Lolium spp.), cheat (Bromus secalinus) and rip gut brome (Bromus diandrus) among other grass species threaten the economic viability of winter wheat production.A thorough understanding of weed biology, ecology, and genetics is required to develop best management practices for the management of feral rye, annual ryegrass, and other invasive weeds in wheat. Strategies to slow or stop the evolution of herbicide resistance, which can limit the effectiveness of current weed management technologies for many of these species, also need to be developed. Sharing research information and coordinating research and extension efforts among weed scientists (both public and private) in the western U.S. improves understanding of invasive weeds and their management and facilitates the rapid transmission of new knowledge to wheat growers. Currently, management information regarding many of these species is limited, particularly for annual ryegrass and feral rye. The overall goal of this coordinating committee is to develop a networking structure that ultimately ensures that wheat producers have the most accurate, non-biased information possible for economical and sustainable management of invasive weeds in wheat.
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