The growth of Arrhenatherum elatius var bulbosum (Willd.) Spenn. in spring barley, as influenced by cultivation |
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| Authors: | P AYRES |
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| Institution: | Agricultural Research Council Weed Research Organization, Begbroke Hill, Yarnton, Oxford 0X5 1PF. UK |
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| Abstract: | Populations of Arrhenatherum elatius var bulbosum were established either from seed or vegetatively and studied under four cultivation regimes. Treatments were carried out in the autumn and winter and the experiment was sown with barley in the following spring. Winter mouldboard ploughing gave the greatest reduction of tillers and bulbs of established plants, but was less effective when preceded by rotary cultivation in the early autumn. Tine cultivations increased the numbers of tillers and bulbs, but the largest increase in growth was recorded on plots that were not cultivated. The germination of seeds was not affected by early autumn cultivations. Mouldboard ploughing, tine cultivation and paraquat at 060 kg a. i. /ha each gave complete control of seedlings in winter. A simple test on the morphology of plants grown from seed agreed with earlier conclusions that the bulbous form is not a distinct variety. It is suggested, nonetheless, that the bulbous form should be named seperately as in practice it alone succeeds as an arable weed. |
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