YIELD LOSSES IN WHEAT DUE TO WEED COMMUNITIES DOMINATED BY GREEN FOXTAIL [Setaria viridis (L.) BEAUV.]: A MULTISPECIES APPROACH

A model was developed to predict wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) loss due to interference by multi-species weed communities dominated by green foxtail [Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv.], 3–4 wk after seeding. Results indicated that green foxtail-dominated weed communities averaging 427 plants m−2 over 4 yr reduced yield by about 7.8%. When plots were kept free of green foxtail, different species became important components of a second model developed to predict the yield loss. The combined effect of precipitation and growing degree days was an important component of both models. It is postulated that these environmental variables reflected the relative time of emergence of the weeds and the crop. Advantages of models based upon multispecies tests over those determined from one-weed one-crop tests are discussed as they relate to crop loss in multispecies situations.Key words: Setaria viridis, green foxtail, crop loss, multispecies competition, weed communities, modeling