Developing novel technologies for controlling herbicide resistant wild oat in wheat

• Term:  4 years, beginning 2019

• Status: Ongoing

• Funding Amount: $ 120,000

• Lead Researcher(s): Dr. Steven Shirtliffe (University of Saskatchewan)

• Funding Partners: Alberta Wheat Commission and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture -Agriculture Development Fund (ADF)

Project Description

The overall objective of this research project is to develop an effective weed control system for herbicide resistant wild oat in wheat.

Wild oat is the second most common weed in Saskatchewan, and is becoming more common because of herbicide resistance. A recent herbicide survey by Beckie, (2018) reported that over 65% of the farm land in Saskatchewan has wild oat that are herbicide resistant, and the population of wild oat found in the weed survey has also increased recently.

Thus, this project will focus on developing techniques through a combination of alternative herbicide delivery systems (soil applied herbicides, inter-row application, and/or pre harvest to control seed production) possibly combined with mechanical weed control; developing specific product recommendations, and application guidelines for inter-row spraying of herbicide resistant wild oat in wheat; screening herbicides with alternative modes of action to determine wild oat control efficacy, and effect on wild oat seed production; and determining the efficacy of rotary hoeing and interrow cultivation to control wild oat.

The outcomes from testing combinations of mechanical weed control, and alternative herbicide application strategies will provide good control of herbicide resistant wild oat in wheat.