The Critical Period of Weed Control in Lentil (Lens culinaris) in the Pacific Northwest

Abstract

The critical period of weed control (CPWC) for ‘Pardina’ and ‘Brewer’ lentil was determined in field experiments near Pullman, WA, in 2008 and 2009. Trial treatments were kept either weed free for periods of 0, 14, 25, 35, 45, 60, 75, or ∼90 d after emergence (DAE), or weeds were allowed to grow before removal for periods of 0, 14, 25, 35, 45, 60, 75, or ∼90 DAE. Averaged across varieties, lentil with season-long weed interference had 29.5 and 32% seed yield reduction compared to weed-free lentils in 2008 and 2009, respectively. When measured at crop maturity, a 1% loss in lentil seed yield resulted from each 5.68 g m−2of dry weed biomass. Based on a 5% yield loss threshold, the CPWC for lentil was estimated to be from 270 to 999 growing degree days (GDD), 22 to 57 DAE, or crop growth stage (CGS) 7 to the early pod stage during 2008. In 2009, the CPWC was 624 to 650 GDD, with no occurrence of a CPWC when estimated using DAE and CGS. Spiny sowthistle emerged and competed with the lentil crop later in the growing season than mayweed chamomile, indicating that mayweed chamomile may be an earlier and stronger competitor than spiny sowthistle.