Windrow Burning Eliminates Italian Ryegrass (Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum) Seed Viability

Abstract

Windrow burning is one of several harvest weed seed control strategies that have been developed and evaluated in Australia to address the widespread evolution of multiple herbicide resistance in annual weeds. Herbicide-resistant Italian ryegrass populations are common in the Palouse region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho. Field and greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of burning standing stubble and narrow windrows on the survival of Italian ryegrass seed on the soil surface and to determine the amount of crop residue remaining after both practices. Italian ryegrass emergence was 63, 48, and 1% for the nonburned check, burned standing stubble, and burned windrow treatments, respectively. Crop-residue dry weights were 9.94, 5.69, and 5.79 Mg ha−1 for these same treatments. Windrow burning can be an effective tactic in an integrated weed management strategy for Italian ryegrass control in the Palouse region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho.

Current outlook and future research needs for harvest weed seed control in North American cropping systems

“…multiflorum and could be effectively used as an IWM control strategy in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. 36 Seeds of L. perenne ssp. multiflorum and A. palmeri were also found to be effectively destroyed by burning wheat and soybean windrows in Virginia.…”

“…Conversely, winter annual grasses appear to be better suited for management with HWSC. 8,26,36 Among broadleaf weeds, species such as Erigeron canadensis L. and Taraxacum officinale F. H. Wigg. that disperse seeds by wind prior to harvest are also not good targets for HWSC.…”

Narrow windrow burning canola (Brassica napus L.) residue for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary sclerotia destruction

“…In order to control multiple herbicide‐resistant weed biotypes, agroecologists have developed numerous techniques that intercept and kill weed seeds before they enter the soil [collectively termed harvest weed seed control (HWSC)] . Of all HWSC techniques, narrow windrow burning is the most widely adopted in Australia, requiring growers to capture weed seeds mechanically at harvest and concentrate them into a narrow windrow, 0.7–1 m wide, at the rear of the harvester with the chaff fraction . In the following autumn, these narrow windrows are burnt, achieving sufficient temperatures for sufficient length of time to kill the intercepted weed seeds .…”

“…13 Of all HWSC techniques, narrow windrow burning is the most widely adopted in Australia, requiring growers to capture weed seeds mechanically at harvest and concentrate them into a narrow windrow, 0.7-1 m wide, at the rear of the harvester with the chaff fraction. [13][14][15][16] In the following autumn, these narrow windrows are burnt, achieving sufficient temperatures for sufficient length of time to kill the intercepted weed seeds. 13,17 Like weed seeds, S. sclerotiorum sclerotia are commonly found as contaminants in harvested canola seed, indicating that sclerotia located above a harvest cutting height are intercepted during grain harvest.…”

Dry Heat and Exposure Time Influence Divine Nightshade and Itchgrass Seed Emergence

“…The amount of post‐harvest residue deposited each year, and the often‐reported negative consequences of residue retention on the soil surface, allow for sugarcane growers to at least partially control weed seed using heat. Many studies have shown successful control of problematic weed seeds in numerous cropping systems across the world using heat (Bolfrey‐Arku et al, 2011; Lyon et al, 2016; Walsh et al, 2017; White and Boyd, 2016). Although few studies have investigated the effect of temperature on itchgrass seed mortality (Bolfrey‐Arku et al, 2011), none has reported on divine nightshade.…”