Influence of Soil Temperature and Soil Moisture on Green Foxtail (<i>Setaria viridis</i>) Establishment in Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>)

Abstract

The rate and final germination percentage and emergence of green foxtail [ Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv.] was found to be very dependent on the soil temperature and moisture conditions at the time of seeding. In contrast, the germination and emergence of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. ‘Sinton’) was only slightly affected over the temperature and moisture range of the study. In laboratory studies, a temperature decrease from 20 to 15 C caused a 53- and 12-h delay in the time to reach 50% germination of green foxtail and wheat, respectively. Soil moisture was found to have a greater effect than soil temperature on green foxtail germination. At −5.3 bars water potential, the final germination percentage of green foxtail was less than at the higher water potentials. A further decrease in the water potential to −6.5 bars effectively reduced green foxtail germination to zero. Wheat germination was delayed only slightly, and the final germination percentage remained unchanged over the range of 0 to −15.3 bars water potential. In field studies, a soil temperature decrease from 22 to 14 C caused a 6-day delay in the time of 50% emergence of green foxtail, and the emergence of wheat was delayed only 1 day by a similar decrease in temperature. Field studies showed that when the soil was moist (0 to −4 bars) and soil temperatures were warm (20 to 25 C), green foxtail emerged within a few days of wheat. However, when the soil was dry (-4.0 to −6.5 bars) and soil temperatures were low (15 to 20 C), green foxtail emerged 7 to 14 days after wheat. The intensity of green foxtail competition was greater when green foxtail emerged within a few days of wheat than when green foxtail emerged 2 weeks after wheat.