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Temperature and Water Potential as Parameters for Modeling WeedEmergence in Central-Northern Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Roberta Masin*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Agronomia Ambientale e Produzioni Vegetali, Università di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
Donato Loddo
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Agronomia Ambientale e Produzioni Vegetali, Università di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
Stefano Benvenuti
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia delle Piante Agrarie, Viale delle Piagge 23, 56100, Pisa, Italy
Maria Clara Zuin
Affiliation:
Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale–CNR, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
Mario Macchia
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Agronomia e Gestione dell'Agroecosistema, Via S. Michele 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
Giuseppe Zanin
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Agronomia Ambientale e Produzioni Vegetali, Università di Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: roberta.masin@unipd.it

Abstract

Predicting weed emergence dynamics can help farmers to plan more effectiveweed control. The hydrothermal time concept has been used to model emergenceas a function of temperature and water potential. Application of thisconcept is possible if the specific biological thresholds are known. Thisarticle provides a data set of base temperature and water potential of eightmaize weeds (velvetleaf, redroot pigweed, common lambsquarters, largecrabgrass, barnyardgrass, yellow foxtail, green foxtail, and johnsongrass).For five of these species, two ecotypes from two extreme regions of thepredominant maize-growing area in Italy (Veneto and Tuscany), were collectedand compared to check possible differences that may arise from using thesame thresholds for different populations. Seedling emergence of velvetleafand johnsongrass were modeled using three different approaches: (1) thermaltime calculated assuming 5 C as base temperature for both species; (2)thermal time using the specific estimated base temperatures; and (3)hydrothermal time using the specific, estimated base temperatures and waterpotentials. All the species had base temperatures greater than 10 C, withthe exception of velvetleaf (3.9 to 4.4 C) and common lambsquarters (2.0 to2.6 C). All species showed a calculated base-water potential equal or up to−1.00 MPa. The thresholds of the two ecotypes were similar for all thestudied species, with the exception of redroot pigweed, for which the Venetoecotype showed a water potential lower than −0.41 MPa, whereas it was −0.62MPa for the Tuscany ecotype. Similar thresholds have been found to be usefulin hydrothermal time models covering two climatic regions where maize isgrown in Italy. Furthermore, a comparison between the use of specific,estimated, and common thresholds for modeling weed emergence showed that,for a better determination of weed control timing, it is often necessary toestimate the specific thresholds.

Information

Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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