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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Northwest Sustainable Agroecosystems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #316579
Title: Integrated management of downy brome in winter wheat

Author
item Young, Francis
item LYON, DREW - Washington State University
item HULTING, ANDREW - Oregon State University
item MORISHITA, DON - University Of Idaho

Submitted to: Pacific Northwest Extension Publication
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2015
Publication Date: 9/16/2015
Citation: Young, F.L., Lyon, D.J., Hulting, A.G., Morishita, D.W. 2015. Integrated management of downy brome in winter wheat. Pacific Northwest Extension Publication. PNW 668:1-6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.), also known as cheatgrass, was introduced into North America from the Mediterranean area of Europe. It was first identified in the eastern United States in 1861, and by 1914 this invasive weed had spread throughout the continent. Downy brome is adapted to climates with annual precipitation ranging from 6 to 22 inches. It can colonize both disturbed and undisturbed sites with a wide range of soil conditions. Downy brome is a major weed problem in winter wheat (Figure 1). In eastern Washington, 54 downy brome plants per square foot reduced winter wheat yield by 92 percent. Downy brome is especially troublesome in low precipitation production areas where crop rotations are mostly limited to winter wheat followed by a year of summer fallow. Downy brome is best controlled in wheat using integrated weed management (IWM). This approach involves a combination of management tools to reduce a weed population to an acceptable level while preserving the quality of natural resources.