Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T03:05:34.008Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Fertilizer Application Has No Effect on Large (Digitaria sanguinalis) or Smooth (Digitaria ischaemum) Crabgrass Germination and Emergence in Residential Turfgrass in a Northern Climate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Fawn A. Turner*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
Rene C. Van Acker
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Given the importance of emergence level and timing to the competitiveness and success of annual crabgrass species in turfgrass, particularly in the context of increasing synthetic pesticide bans and the common cultural practice of fertilization, a study was conducted in a northern region of North America (Ontario, Canada) to determine the effect of fertilizer application on large and smooth crabgrass emergence in residential lawns. In petri dish experiments, we reconfirmed that KNO3 has a significant positive effect on large and smooth crabgrass seed germination but we showed that there is only an effect on fresh seed and no effect on aged seed, suggesting that the treatment affects dormancy level and not germination per se. In two other experiments using turf cores and commercial lawn fertilizer in growth room conditions and in field trials at three sites, we confirmed this result showing that neither fall nor spring fertilizer application had any effect on the emergence level of either smooth or large crabgrass. These results have practical relevance to homeowners and turf managers in this region because they are dealing with crabgrass emerging in the spring from seed shed the previous fall. The results also show that fertilizer can be used to aid turf quality and competitiveness without impacting true infestation level (density) of crabgrass in the spring.

Type
Weed Management
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Aguyoh, JN, Masiunas, JB (2003) Interference of large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) with snap beans. Weed Sci. 51:171176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, CC, Baskin, JM (1988) Germination ecophysiology of herbaceous plant species in a temperate region. Am J Bot. 75:286305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burke, IC, Thomas, WE, Pline-Srnic, WA, Fisher, LR, Smith, WD, Wilcut, JW (2005) Yield and physiological response of flue-cured tobacco to simulated glyphosate drift. Weed Technol 19:225260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burnside, OC, Fenster, LL, Evetts, CR, Mumm, RF (1981) Germination of exhumed weed seed in Nebraska. Weed Sci. 29:577586.Google Scholar
Busey, P (2003) Cultural management of weeds in turfgrass: a review. Crop Sci. 43:18991911.Google Scholar
Cardina, J, Sparrow, DH (1996) A comparison of methods to predict weed seedling populations from the soil seedbank. Weed Sci. 44:4651.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crawley, MJ, Ross, GJS (1990) The population dynamics of plants. Philos Trans Roy Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 330:125140.Google Scholar
Cudney, DW, Elmore, CL (2000) Biology and control of crabgrass. Pages 12 in Proc 2000 Turfgrass and Landscape Mgmt Res Conf. Riverside, CA University of California Google Scholar
Danneberger, TK, Code, C (1993) Page 201 in Turfgrass ed. Code C, Ecology and Management. Cleveland, OH Franzak and Foster Google Scholar
De Corby, KA, Van Acker, RC, Brûlé-Babel, AL, Friesen, LF (2007) Emergence timing and recruitment of volunteer spring wheat. Weed Sci. 55:6069.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delouche, JC (1956) Dormancy in seeds of Agropyron smithii, Digitaria sanguinalis and Poa pratensis . Iowa State Coll J. Sci. 30:348349.Google Scholar
Dernoeden, PH, Carroll, MJ, Krouse, JM (1993) Weed management and tall fescue quality as influenced by mowing, nitrogen, and herbicides. Crop Sci. 33:10551061.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunn, JH, Nelson, CJ, Winfrey, RD (1981) Effects of mowing and fertilization on quality of ten Kentucky bluegrass cultivars. Pages 293301 in Proc 4th Intnl Turfgrass Res Conf. Guelph, ON.Google Scholar
Egley, GH, Chandler, JM (1978) Germination and viability of weed seeds after 2.5 years in a 50-year buried seed study. Weed Sci. 26:230239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forcella, F, Wilson, RG, Renner, KA, Dekker, J, Harvey, RG, Alm, DA, Buhler, DD, Cardina, J (1992) Weed seedbanks of the U.S. com belt: magnitude, variation, emergence, and application. Weed Sci. 40:636644.Google Scholar
Gallart, M, Verdu, AMC, Mas, MT (2008) Dormancy breaking in Digitaria sanguinalis seeds: the role of the caryopsis covering structures. Seed Sci Technol 36:259270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gianfagna, AJ, Pridham, AMS (1951) Some aspects of dormancy and germination of crabgrass seed, Digitaria-sanguinalis Scop. Pages 291297 in Proc Amer Soc Hort Sci. Ithaca, NY Google Scholar
Hoyle, JA, Yelverton, FH, Miller, G, Tredway, LP (2008) Effect of mowing height on crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) incidence in turf. in Proc Am Soc Agron, Crop Sci Soc Am, and Soil Sci Soc Am: 2008 Joint annual meeting. Houston, TX The Conference Exchange Google Scholar
[ISTA] International Seeding Testing Association (1985) International rules for seed testing. Rules and annexes 1985. Seed Sci Technol 13:299513.Google Scholar
Jagschitz, JA, Ebdon, JS (1985) Influence of mowing, fertilizer and herbicide on crabgrass infestation in red fescue turf. Pages 699704 in Proc 5th Intl Turfgrass Res Conf. Avignon, France.Google Scholar
Johnson, BJ (1981) Effect of herbicide and fertilizer treatments on weeds and quality of Kentucky bluegrass turf. Pages 369376 in Proc 4th Intl Turfgrass Res Conf. Guelph, ON Canada: University of Guelph Google Scholar
Johnson, BJ, Bowyer, TH (1982) Management of herbicide and fertility levels on weeds and Kentucky bluegrass turf. Agron J. 74:845850.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, WC, Coble, HD (1986) Effects of three weed residues on weed and crop growth. Weed Sci. 34:403408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
King, CA, Oliver, LR (1994) A model for predicting large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) emergence as influenced by temperature and water potential. Weed Sci. 42:561567.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Long, SP (1983) C4 photosynthesis at low temperatures: commissioned review article. Plant Cell Environ. 6:345363.Google Scholar
Masin, R, Zuin, MC, Otto, S, Zanin, G (2006) Seed longevity and dormancy of four summer annual grass weeds in turf. Weed Res 46:362370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Melichar, M, Loughner, D, Alexander, A, Smith, R, Breuninger, J (2008) Postemergent application of dithiopyr for control of crabgrass (Digitaria species) in turfgrass. Proc. Am Soc Agron, Crop Sci Soc Am, and Soil Sci Soc Am: 2008 Joint annual meeting. Houston, TX The Conference Exchange Google Scholar
Morris, KN, Shearman, RC (2008) Turfgrass Evaluation Guidelines. National Turfgrass Evaluation Program 15.Google Scholar
Murray, JJ, Klingman, DL, Nash, RG, Woolson, EA (1983) Eight years of herbicide and nitrogen fertilizer treatments on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) turf. Weed Sci. 31:825831.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peters, RA, Dunn, S (1971) Life history studies as related to weed control in the Northeast: large and small crabgrass. Northeast Reg. Publ. 6:131.Google Scholar
Ratkowsky, DA (1990) Handbook of Nonlinear Regression Models. New York Marcel Dekker, 19.Google Scholar
Royer, F, Dickinson, R (1999) Large crabgrass. Pages 178179 in Weeds of Canada and the Northern United States. Edmonton, AB Canada: Lone Pine Publishing Google Scholar
Saxton, AM (1998) A macro for converting mean separation output to letter groupings in Proc Mixed. Pagges 12431246 in Proc 23rd SAS Users Group. Intl. Cary, NC SAS Institute Google Scholar
Seefeldt, SS, Jensen, JE, Fuerst, EP (1995) Log-logistic analysis of herbicide dose-response relationships. Weed Technol 9:218227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylorson, RB, Brown, MM (1977) Accelerated after-ripening for overcoming seed dormancy in grass weeds. Weed Sci. 25:473476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Toole, EH, Toole, VK (1941) Progress of germination of seed of Digitaria as influenced by germination temperature and other factors. J Agric Res 63:6590.Google Scholar
Turner, F (2012) Emergence Timing and the Effect of Fertilization on the Recruitment of Large (Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.) and Small (Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb.) ex Muhl.) Crabgrass in Residential Turfgrass. . Guelph, ON, Canada University of Guelph, 145.Google Scholar
Turner, FA, Jordan, KS, Van Acker, RC (2012) Review: the recruitment biology and ecology of large and small crabgrass in turfgrass: implications for management in the context of a cosmetic pesticide ban. Can J Plant Sci. 92:829845.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turner, FA, Van Acker, RC (2013) In situ emergence timing of large and small crabgrass in residential turfgrass of southern Ontario. Can J Plant Sci. 93:503509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Voigt, TB, Fermanian, TW, Haley, JE (2001) Influence of mowing and nitrogen fertility on tall fescue turf. Intl Turf Soc Res J. 9:953956.Google Scholar
Wang, Y, Zhao, L, Shao, Y (2005) Comparative analysis of the drought-resistances for turfgrass and main weeds in the temperate semi-arid region. Chin. J Ecol 24:1 [In Chinese, English abstract]Google Scholar
Webster, TM, Cardina, J, White, AD (2003) Weed seed rain, soil seedbanks, and seedling recruitment in no-tillage crop rotations. Weed Sci. 51:569575.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiese, AF, Vandiver, CW (1970) Soil moisture effects on competitive ability of weeds. Weed Sci. 18:518519.CrossRefGoogle Scholar