The Effect of Integrated Crop Management on Weed Phenology and Weed Persistance

Weeds can adapt to diverse crop management practices altering their growth, phenology (timing of developmental events such as emergence, flowering, seed production etc), and seed persistence (seed viability and dormancy). Managing herbicide resistance in weeds with integrated weed management and reducing greenhouse gas emissions with integrated nutrient management are becoming the two most important crop production strategies in the prairies at present. In this research project, our goal is to determine the effect of INM and IWM practices and their interactions on weed abundance, phenology (emergence, time to flowering and seed shatter), and persistence (germination traits). The interns will be engaged in establishing the field and greenhouse experiments, collecting weed and crop growth and development data using conventional methods (density, biomass, plant height etc) as well as using drone-based remote sensing data. All these data will be utilized to determine how crop-weed competition is altered due to changes in IWM and INM practices and how weeds demonstrate adaptations to changes in crop production practices. This project other than training HQPs, will generate new knowledge on weed adaptation and how farm management practices can influence weed persistence.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dilshan Benaragama;Robert Gulden

Student:

Partner:

Manitoba Crop Alliance;Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture; Other services (except public administration)

University:

University of Manitoba

Program: