Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada

Alberta Weed Survey: 2009-2010

Irrigated and Dryland Fields
Julia Leeson & Chris Neeser

Content
Overall weed abundance Trends Distribution maps Results from weed management

questionnaire

Background
1st Weed Survey 1930-1931 Series of partial surveys 60s and 70s Intensive survey Fort Vermillion in 1985

(model for future surveys) 1st Province-wide survey 1997 (684 fields) 2001 survey 1153 fields surveyed

What we did in 2009

Irrigated Fields (12 districts) Surveyed 571 fields out 600 target Distributed 600 questionnaires, 239

were returned (38%)

What we did in 2010

Surveyed 959 dryland fields (target

1200) Covering 88 ecodistricts Mailed out 950 questionnaires, of which 235 were returned (25%)

Weed Survey Protocol

20 paces between samples

15

100 paces
Field corner or other convenient starting point

100 paces

10

20

Data Analysis
Relative Abundance = Relative Frequency + Relative Uniformity + Relative Density
Count by weed species Relative Frequency = Total weed count

Relative Uniformity =

Count of quadrats with a given weed species Total number of quadrats

Relative Density =

Count of a given weed species Total weed count

Irrigation Districts

Calgary

Brooks

Irrigation District: Western Eastern Bow River Lethbridge Northern St. Mary River Taber Raymond Magrath United Mountain View Leavitt Aetna Ross Creek

Medicine Hat

Lethbridge

Glenwood

Top 20 Species in Irrigated Broad-leaved crops

(beans, potatoes, sugar beets, canola)

Top 20 Species in Irrigated Annual Cereal Crops

(includes corn)

Top 20 Species in Irrigated Perennial Crops

(alfalfa, grass hay)

Total Weed Density by Crop

Top 20 Species in All Dryland Crops (2010)

Top 20 Species in Dryland Cereal Crops (2010)

Top 20 Species in Dryland Peas and Canola (2010)

Top 20 Species in Perennial Crops (2010)

Since the 70s

Since the 70s

Since the 70s

Since the 70s

Maps

Wild Buckwheat
2001 2010

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

Wild Oat
2001 2010

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

Dandelion
2001 2010

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

Canada Thistle
2001 2010

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

Cleavers
2001 2010

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

Annual Sow Thistle

2001 2010

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

Narrow-leaved Hawks-beard
2001 2010

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

Kochia
2001 2010

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

Canada Fleabane
2001

(Conyza canadensis)

Legend

(Relative Abundance)
Not included

absent 0.1 to 1 1.1 to 4 4.1 to 10 > 10

The Questionnaire
33 questions specific to the surveyed field weed management insect and disease management tillage, seeding, soil fertility, yield and rotations 18 questions about the farm operation
Overall weed management herbicide resistance Sprayer calibration

Herbicide Use: % untreated

Herbicide Use: Barley

* includes all Monsanto glyphosate products

Herbicide Use: Wheat

Herbicide Use: Canola

Herbicide Groups: 2010 Barley (56 fields)

Herbicide Groups: 2010 Wheat

(92 fields)

Herbicide Groups: 2010 Canola(61 fields)

Crop Rotations (2007-2010)

Herbicide Resistance
17 % of respondents suspected herbicide resistance.

Suspected species
Wild Oats Kochia Wild buckwheat Chickweed Cleavers

Nb of fields
34 12 4 2 1

Herbicide Groups
1, 2, 2, 4 2 2, 4 2

Herbicide Resistance
5 % of respondents had confirmed herbicide resistance.

Confirmed species Wild Oats Kochia Chickweed Hemp-nettle

Nb of fields 11 4 2 1

Herbicide Groups 1, 2, 2 2 2

Key Conclusions
Generally good weed control in high value

cash crops (potatoes, beans, sugar beets, canola). Weed control is better than in the 70s and 80s Annual sow thistle, narrow-leaved hawksbeard, and Canada fleabane continue to spread Herbicide resistance is a significant problem in spite of herbicide rotations

Acknowledgements
Julia Leeson and students at AAFC in Saskatoon Nicole Kimmel and Cindy Samborsky from the Pest

Surveillance Branch Maureen Vadnais from Ag Service Board Agricultural fieldmen Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (BRRG, CARA & SARA) Number of Crop Consultants Participating Farmers

Julia Leeson 306-956-7270 julia.leeson@agr.gc.ca

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada

Chris Neeser 403 362-1331 chris.neeser@gov.ab.ca

Herbicide Timing

Number of Herbicide Applications

Ratings of Weed Management Practices

Sources of Weed Management Advice

Objectives
To quantify weed populations in terms of

their diversity and density of the principal annual crops grown in Alberta, either with or without irrigation. To document the agronomic and weed control practices used on surveyed fields To examine correlations between weed management practices and weed populations.