Crop seeding rate influences the performance of variable herbicide rates in a canola-barley-canola rotation

Glyphosate-resistant canola was seeded at Vegreville, Alberta, in 1997 and 1999 and barley in rotation with the canola in 1998 at three seeding rates. The effects, at each crop seeding rate, of variable glyphosate (canola) and tralkoxydim plus bromoxynil plus MCPA (barley) rates on crop yield, net economic return and seed production by wild oat, wild mustard, and wild buckwheat, and the amount of weed seed in the soil seed bank was determined. Crop seeding rate influenced the response of canola and barley yield and weed seed production to herbicide rate. At the lowest crop seeding rates, yield responses tended to be parabolic with yields increasing up to one-half and three-quarters of the recommended herbicide rates and trends toward reduced yields at the full rates. This response was not evident at the higher crop seeding rates, where, in most cases the yield reached a maximum between one-half and the full recommended rate. The effects of the herbicides on weed seed production, especially at the lowest rate, were often superior at the higher crop seeding rates. The results indicate that seeding canola and barley at relatively high rates may reduce risk associated with lower crop yields and increased weed seed production at lower than recommended herbicide rates. However, the current cost of herbicide-resistant canola seed may preclude the adoption of this integrated weed management practice by growers.