Proso millet, Panicum miliaceum L., has become a problem weed in corn-growing areas of Canada over the last 15 years. Several different biotypes of this weed exist, and one of the features by which they may be distinguished from one another is seed colour. Those plants with dark olive – bronze – black seeds that shatter readily are the most difficult to control. Part of their success as weeds is due to their ability to form a long-term viable seed bank in the soil, making quick elimination from an area impossible. Other biotypes closely resemble crop types and have little dormancy or ability to form a long-term seed bank. Between these two extremes are 'crown' and some 'golden' biotypes, some populations of which have weedy characteristics that may make them more aggressive weeds as the selection process continues. Some biotypes are more readily controlled than others by a combination of management practices, including rotation and spraying. Good chemical control is available for use in some broad-leaved crops (e.g., soybeans), but consistently effective control of this weed in corn has not yet been achieved. Thus, a knowledge of the ecology of the weed can assist in other forms of management. Each biotype that has been discovered in Canada is described and illustrated, together with an outline of ecological characteristics that may aid in its identification and control.
Survival, dormancy, and germination of buried seeds of 30 populations of proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) were investigated. The effects of duration and depth of burial and type of soil were considered. The 30 populations belong to three agronomic groups: crop, croplike weed, and black-seeded weed. Black seeds exhibited much greater overwinter survival and dormancy than did seeds of the other two groups. Crop seeds had almost no survival through the winter. Only one croplike weed population exhibited appreciable (13–40%) survival after one winter in the soil. A combination of endogenous and enforced dormancy in black seeds effected an adaptive germination pattern of little (1%) germination at both the surface and 20 cm deep and much greater (40%) germination at 5 cm deep. Surviving crop and croplike weed seeds germinated irrespective of position in or on the soil. In a longer term experiment with only three populations both the croplike weed and black-seeded populations survived best in a well-drained soil. For the black-seeded population greater germination in the well-drained soil depleted that seed bank earlier than those in the medium-drained or poorly drained soils. The crop and croplike weed populations produced only transient seed banks in all three soil types, whereas some black seeds survived for 4 years.
The infestations of two biotypes of Panicum miliaceum L. were monitored over a 5-year period (1981)(1982)(1983)(1984)(1985) as they occurred in two townships in southwestern Ontario, Canada, On average. 16-5'^ of the cultivated fields in Hullett township were infested with the black-seeded biotype while 12 9% ofthe fields in North Norwich township were infested with the golden-seeded biotype. Neither population showed clear signs of increasing. The two biotypes were similar in their ability to persist as adult infestations. The black-seeded biotype showed a greater potential for colonizing uninfested fields. The crops grown in this region showed different susceptibilities to infestation by P. miliaceum. Corn (maize) fields were susceptible while most grain fields were resistant to infestation. White beans were susceptible to infestation by the black-seeded biotype. Wheat and oat crops were more resistant to infestation by the golden-seeded biotype than to those ofthe blackseeded biotype.La propagation du panic faux millet fPanicum miliaceum L.) dans I Ontario. Canada. I. Niveau de propagation et sensibilite culturale.Les infestations de deux biotypes de Panicum miliaceum L ont fait l'objet d'un suivi pendant 5 * Preseni address:
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