Evaluating Feral Rye Competition with Wheat

In order to analyze the competition of volunteer rye (Secale cereale) with wheat (Triticum aestivum), two experiments were carried out at Mashhad and Gonabad Agricultural Research Stations during the 1998-1999 growing season. In this study, wheat at 450, 460, 470, 490 and 530 plant m -2 and feral rye at of 10, 20, 40, and 80 plants m -2 in association with 450 wheat plants m -2 were considered as the main treatments. The second factor included two weed free and weedy checks. Results indicated that volunteer rye had a higher competitive ability compared to wheat. Wheat yield was significantly lower in treatments associated with rye plants compared to pure stands of wheat. However, at a density of 20 plants m -2 of rye weed, no significant differences in grain as well as biological yield were observed. There were significant differences between weed free and weedy treatments considering grain yield, biological yield and yield components.