Integrated Wild Oat (Avena fatua) Management Affects Spring Barley (Hordeum vulgare) Yield and Economics

Abstract

The effect of barley seeding rate and row spacing, and triallate, diclofop, and difenzoquat herbicide rate on barley grain yield and quality, and wild oat control were evaluated in field experiments near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, in 1989 and 1990. The purpose of the study was to develop integrated control strategies for wild oat in spring barley. Barley row spacing (9 and 18 cm) did not affect barley grain yield. Barley grain yield was greatest when barley was seeded at 134 or 201 kg ha–1compared to 67 kg ha–1. Wild oat control increased as wild oat herbicide rate increased and barley grain yield was greatest when wild oat herbicides were applied. However, barley grain yield was similar when wild oat biomass was reduced by either 65 or 85% by applications of half and full herbicide rates, respectively. Net return was greatest when the half rate of herbicide was applied to 100 wild oat plants per m2and was greatest when half or full herbicide rates were applied to 290 wild oat plants per m2. Net return increased when the seeding rate was increased to 134 or 201 kg ha–1when no herbicide was applied and when 290 wild oat plants per m2were present.