Weed Biology

Weed Classifications
Life cycle
annuals

summer annuals
winter annuals

biennials
perennials
simple
creeping

Weed Reproduction
Two means
sexual

seed or spores

asexual

vegetative reproduction

Weed Reproduction
Sexual

many weeds cross-pollination

or outcrossing not necessary
weeds are self-compatible

important weed characteristic

Weed Reproduction
Sexual

weeds colonize wide variety

disturbed habitats

breeding system in relation to

ability to colonize varied
habitats is of interest

adaptive value of uniparental

reproduction with occasional
outcrossing - Bakers Rule (1974)

Weed Reproduction
Sexual

many weeds use inbreeding

produce stable duplicate

individuals adapted to local
environment
occasional outcrossing for
recombination to occupy new or
changing microenvironments

Weed Reproduction
Asexual/vegetative reproduction
common weed characteristic

most common to perennials

not restricted to perennials

Definitions

ramet is a single unit of clonal

growth
genet genetically distinct
individuals

Weed Reproduction
Types vegetative reproduction:
stolons

above ground shoots grow along

surface

produce adventitious roots at nodes

bermudagrass - perennial
large crabgrass - annual

Weed Reproduction
Types vegetative reproduction:
rhizomes

underground shoots

produce adventitious roots usually at

nodes

johnsongrass - perennial
quackgrass - perennial
yellow nutsedge - perennial

Weed Reproduction
Types vegetative reproduction:
tubers

enlarged terminal portions of

rhizomes

extensive storage tissue & axillary buds

yellow nutsedge - perennial

Jerusalem artichoke - perennial

Weed Reproduction
Types vegetative reproduction:
bulbs

underground modified buds

shoot & fleshy scale leaves
nutrient storage in leaves

wild garlic - perennial

Bulbous
bluegrass
bulbs

Bulbous bluegrass bulbils;

replace seed formation;
longevity is unknown

Weed Reproduction
Types vegetative reproduction:
corms

enlarged vertical underground shoot

covered with one or more layers of
leaf bases
nutrient storage

bulbous buttercup - perennial

Weed Reproduction
Types vegetative reproduction:
roots

usually, long, extensive

horizontal sections produce
adventitious shoots & new roots
often form buds

Canada thistle - perennial

Leafy spurge - perennial

Weed Reproduction
Types vegetative reproduction:
shoots or stems

some spp produce adventitious roots &

new shoots near branch tips
tamarisk species

sprout from base or stump

dandelion
locoweed

Tamarix parviflora shoots from broken

Fragment of stem washed downstream

Weed Reproduction
Types vegetative reproduction:
fragmentation

spread/establishment from excised

plant part
most underground tissues capable
also from leaves or foliar shoots
purslane - annual
field bindweed - perennial

Weed Dispersal
Dissemination/dispersal
scattering of propagules

re-infest site or transport new site

seeds most important mechanism

movement of vegetative propagules also

occurs, but less important, particularly
long distance dispersal
management difficulty increased
human activities often involved

Weed Seed Dispersal

Dissemination/dispersal

seeds dispersed in space and

time

Weed Dispersal
Seeds dispersed in space

adaptations to move away from

parents

most fall close to parent

probability seedling mortality
(competition) decreases w/distance

optimum distance seed/seedling numbers

population establishment
creeping infestation occurs

Weed Dispersal
Seeds dispersed in space
wind, water, wildlife, humans

main dispersal vehicles or forces

weeds evolved appendages, coatings,
palatability aid in dispersal
fruits or seeds

Weed Dispersal
Seeds dispersed in space
wildlife & humans
barbs, hooks

adhere hooves, hair, clothing

palatable fruits/seeds
eaten & excreted

harvested with crops

seed or hay crops

autos & other vehicles

Weed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in space

wind

dust

spores of Equisetum

winged

toadflaxes

plumed

pappus of many Asteraceae

tumbling

diffuse knapweed, Russian thistle, kochia

Dalmatian toadflax seeds

Weed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in space

water

irrigation water

1920, CO, 81 weed spp., 156 ditches

1980, NE, 77 weed spp
2-5X more in canals than North Platte

1975, WA

125,000,000/ha non-irrigated
500,000,000/ha irrigated 5 yr

rivers, streams, creeks

invasive weeds

Weed Seed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in time

dormancy

arrest in seed embryo

development under suitable
germination conditions
dormancy is dispersal in time

Weed Seed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in time

Classification of dormancy
several schemes

seasonal dormancy

predictable, e.g. based on

daylength

opportunistic dormancy

take advantage of favorable

conditions in unpredictable
environment

Weed Reproduction
Seeds dispersed in time

Classification of dormancy
seasonal v opportunistic

not mutually exclusive

more mechanistic description
desirable

Weed Seed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in time
Harper 1977

some seeds born dormant

(innate)
some achieve dormancy
(induced)
some have it thrust upon them
(enforced)

Weed Seed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in time

Classification of dormancy
primary dormancy:

innate dormancy is an arrested

state of embryo at dispersal
incomplete embryo development
afteripening

chemical inhibitors fruit or seed coat

Weed Seed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in time

Classification of dormancy
primary dormancy:

innate dormancy is an arrested

state of embryo at dispersal
somatic polymorphisms good e.g.
production of seed from same
parent but with different
morphologies and/or behaviors
e.g. 2 cocklebur seeds/fruit

Weed Seed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in time

Classification of dormancy

secondary dormancy

enforced dormancy is the arrested

state of embryo maintained in a
limited environment
e.g. inadequate O2, temp., pH,
moisture
seed will germinate when conditions
corrected

Weed Seed Dispersal

Seeds dispersed in time

Classification of dormancy
secondary dormancy

induced dormancy
seed shed from parent not dormant;
but limiting environment causes
arrested embryo state that will persist
even after germination conditions
optimal
internal changes within embryo

Germination & Establishment

Germination
from seed to seedling or bud to
ramet most critical phase in
plants life
environmental factors influencing
transition not well understood
control weeds with preemergence
techniques or postemergence
do not prevent or break dormancy
under field conditions

Germination & Establishment

Germination
difficult to separate
environmental factors that cause
dormancy break from simple
germination:
light
temperature
pH
aeration (O2, CO2)

Germination & Establishment

Germination
light requirement
long known seeds need light to
germinate
light flash mechanism may
allow/assist weeds or pioneer plants
to exploit disturbed environments

Germination & Establishment

Germination
light requirement
most weed seeds abundant shallow
soil depths
germinate best shallow soil

deep burial major cause weed

seedling mortality

although also causes increased seed

survival
enforced or induced dormancy

Germination & Establishment

Germination

light requirement

burial eliminates exposure to

red light

excavation causes exposure then

germination
phytochrome give clue to
potential as to position in or on
soil
or presence or absence of plant
community (canopy); competition

Germination & Establishment

Germination

light requirement

phytochrome system involved

two forms

Pr & Pfr
forms regulated by ratio of red
(660 nm) to far red (730 nm) light

Germination & Establishment

Germination

light requirement
Pr inactive form

absorbs red light and converted

to Pfr, which is the active form
Pfr then stimulates germination
process
seed must be imbibed

in absence of light Pfr gradually

returns to Pr

Germination & Establishment

Germination
light requirement
unfiltered light lots of red wavelength

bare soil or open canopy promotes germination

leaf canopy filters red light (chlorophyll)

far red passes thru depressing germination

freshly harvested seed no light

requirement
light requirement enforced dormancy

Germination & Establishment

Propagule dispersal in space
and time

important mechanisms for

establishment and survival of
weeds

Weed Seed Dynamics

Soil seed reserve

major component of weed

populations

previous primarily & recent

dispersals

locally produced & imports

previous & recent

short seed survival can be

managed

http://www.ipm.msu.edu/new-ag/issues07/5-23Soil.htm
John Masiunas; University of Illinois

Weed Seed Dynamics

Soil seed reserve

Harper - deposits &

withdrawals

deposits from reproduction

withdrawals from germination,
senescence & death, and predation

storage occurs with vertical

distribution thru soil profile
weeds mostly at shallow depths

Loamy sand

Silty loam

Menallad & Schonbeck 2011

http://www.extension.org/pages/18527/manage-the-weedseed-bank-minimize-deposits-and-maximize-withdrawals

Germination & Establishment

Safe site concept:

derived from observations that

all of seed in seed bank do not
germinate at once
small % per unit of time
most that germinate do not
survive
kochia

Germination & Establishment

Safe site concept:

safe site provides (Harper, 1977)

stimuli for dormancy break

suitable germination conditions
available resources for growth
absence of hazards

placement of seed in safe site critical

for survival
although typically a chance event

Germination & Establishment

Create safe site for crops:
weeds adapt to safe site

or develop mechanisms to avoid death

light requirement
somatic polymorphisms

seed w/different morphologies/behaviors

nitrophiles (tolerance high N)

enzyme induction or signal

Germination & Establishment

Create safe site for crops:
weeds adapt to safe site

or develop mechanisms to avoid death

awns allow seed to twist into soil with
alternate wetting & drying cycles
pappus can be hygroscopic
mucilaginous coats that are hygroscopic

Wild oat
caryopses;
awns

Germination & Establishment

Safe site:

weeds (plants) can evolve

adaptations to improve finding or
creating safe site

but largely a chance event

capability of any species to occupy a
site in abundance function of
predecessors leaving behind well
adapted progeny

Germination & Establishment

Risk of death:

seedling is weak link

knowing biology helps select mgmt

tools to exploit this weakness

probability of mortality
critical risk of death

determines initial weed density in field

Germination & Establishment

Critical risk of death:

each species specific requirements

dormancy break & germination
some spp favored, some discouraged
by modification of safe site (mgmt)
eventually all safe sites filled

further germ unlikely, high risk of death

environmental signals keep withdrawals
to minimum
adopt cultural practices that affect safe
sites is good mgmt practice

Treatments
Mowing

Litter & seed

Herbicide

None

Leave

None

None

Leave

Plateau 8 fl oz

2 inches tall

Leave

None

2 inches tall

Leave

Plateau 8 fl oz

2 inches tall

Collect

None

2 inches tall

Collect

Plateau 8 fl oz

6 inches tall

Leave

None

6 inches tall

Leave

Plateau 8 fl oz

6 inches tall

Collect

None

6 inches tall

Collect

Plateau 8 fl oz

October 2010 % Cover (1YAT)

30

a
a
ab b

25

20

ab
15

abc
bcd

10

cd
d

November 2010 % Cover (1YAT)

45

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

cd

bc

bc

cd
d

Germination & Establishment

Critical risk of death:

11 yr study wild oats illustrates

7 yr fall tillage increased WO density

400/m2

followed 4 yr spring tillage & barley

1st yr decreased WO to 85/m2
stabilized succeeding yr at 5/m2

Germination & Establishment

Adopting cultural practices to
influence safe site:

wild oats germinate fall and spring

different ecotypes
fall tillage killed fall germinating wild
oats but favored spring germinators
spring tillage decreased spring
germinating populations

Germination & Establishment

Adopting cultural practices to
influence safe site:
perennial weeds different story

changing from fall to spring tillage

may control seedlings better
but will transplant rapidly growing
perennials

need different cultivation intervals to

exhaust root nutrient stores
generally multiple per season

Germination & Establishment

Predicting weed infestations:

value in knowing soil seed reserve &

knowing factors that affect
probable mortality for predicting
weed infestations
several demographic models
most success with annuals