Canola (Brassica rapa) Plant Density Influences Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) Interference, Biomass, and Seed Yield

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Vegreville, Alberta, in 1990, 1991, and 1992 to investigate the influence of canola plant density and row spacing (1991 and 1992 only) on interference from Tartary buckwheat. Nonlinear regression equations incorporating both canola and Tartary buckwheat density provided good descriptions of the data. Parameter estimates for both weed and crop density were significant (P < 0.05) but did not differ between row spacings. Where no Tartary buckwheat plants were present, canola yield was little affected by canola plant density. At a given Tartary buckwheat density, canola seed yield increased as canola plant density increased, while Tartary buckwheat shoot weight and seed yield decreased. None of the factors significantly affected canola 1000-seed weight, or oil or protein levels in the canola seed. The results suggest that seeding canola to achieve a density of approximately 200 plants m–2will significantly reduce the impact of weeds on canola yield, as well as reduce weed biomass and seed yield.