- Author: Sonia Rios
- Posted by: Gale Perez
Control of weeds has always been a major economic cost in subtropical fruit production because of favorable climate that allows for weed germination and year-round growth. The use of chemical weed control has increased dramatically due to labor costs, equipment costs, product costs and availability, the shift to more narrowly spaced tree rows, and installation of low volume irrigation systems that prohibit the operation of mowing or tillage equipment under the tree canopy area (Futch...
- Author: Lynn M. Sosnoskie
In a recent blog post, Dr. Clyde Elmore discussed weed species changes in urban environments in response to the ongoing drought. One weed that can thrive under dry conditions is field bindweed, a significant weedy pest for homeowners, land managers, and farmers, alike.
NOMENCLATURE:
Field bindweed was first named by Linnaeus in 1753; its Latin binomial (Convolvulus arvensis) is derived from convolvere ("to roll together") and arvense ("in the field"). Which is pretty appropriate, if you ask me.
BINDWEED BIOLOGY
Field bindweed is a persistent perennial in...
- Author: Lynn M. Sosnoskie
When we think about weed control in crop production, we often think about 'short-term' result, i.e. weed control after 30 days, weed control after 60 days, weed control at harvest, etc. But weeds and weed control efforts in one crop can significantly influence the density and composition of weeds in following years. The carryover between commodities and seasons is accomplished via the weed seedbank, which serves, in my opinion, as the memory of crop production practices. Weed control successes and failures are reflected by changes that occur in this genetic reservoir. In good years, weeds are successfully controlled and few to no seeds enter the seedbank; in bad years, when weeds escape management strategies, rogue plants...
- Author: Richard Smith
- Posted by: Gale Perez
From the Cooperative Extension Monterey County Crop Notes newsletter :: Mar-Apr 2015
The Apiaceae or carrot family includes important vegetable crops such as carrots, celery, cilantro, dill, fennel and parsley. All of these crops have a distinctive inflorescence known as an umbel. They also produce aromatic oils that give these plants their characteristic aromas and flavors. Many of these crops germinate slowly and are quite susceptible to weed pressure early in the production cycle. As a result, crops like celery are nearly 100% transplanted to give the crop a head start in the...
- Author: Richard Smith
- Posted by: Gale Perez
Weed control in cool-season vegetables can be quite challenging. However, there are a number of practices that provide growers with certain advantages:
- Short-season crops such as lettuce and spinach that allow for rapid turnover of the crops (e.g. 30 to 65 days), frequent cultivation (lettuce) and/or complete hand removal of weeds prior to mechanical harvest (clipped spinach and baby lettuce)
- High value of the crops allows for the use of intensive hand-removal of weeds, often prior to seed set
- Small production blocks that allow for careful observation and intensive management
All of these strategies have basically made some of the most troublesome weeds such as field bindweed and yellow...
