Effects of two pathogens on the performance of Cirsium arvense in a successional fallow

Biological control of weeds by natural antagonists is of increasing interest. To reduce densities of the weed Cirsium arvense (creeping thistle) in a successional fallow, we applied spores of two pathogens, the biotrophic rust Puccinia punctiformis and the perthotrophic Phoma destructiva, for three consecutive years individually at different dates and combined. The proportion of systemically Puccinia punctiformis-infected C. arvense was not influenced by the treatments, but local rust infection was a good predictor of systemic infection in the following season. Artificial inoculations with P. destructiva increased the incidence of this pathogen in the third year as a result of synergistic effects, when co-inoculated with P. punctiformis. Inoculations with either pathogen had little effect on C. arvense shoot density, although there were transient reductions after combined inoculations with both fungi compared with the fungicide treatment. Cirsium arvense decreased from 60% to 5% cover within 3 years, while the cover of the co-occurring fallow vegetation increased. Under field conditions, with an already high degree of natural P. punctiformis infection, the effects of inoculations of the single pathogens were minor, but reductions in shoot density after combined inoculations indicate that this inoculation may have the potential to cause a decline of this weed.     

Assessment of the compensation point of Cirsium arvense and effects of competition,root weight and burial depth on below‐ground dry weight – leaf stage trajectories

Farmers are recommended to employ mechanical control when Cirsium arvense is most sensitive to disturbance. Earlier studies suggest that this occurs at a stage of minimum below‐ground dry weight, coinciding with three to seven or seven to ten leaves per shoot, depending on the definition of below‐ground dry weight. However, some farmers notice better effects when mechanical control is performed at earlier leaf stages. To estimate the compensation point (CP), defined as the minimum weight of the entire below‐ground structure of C. arvense and to further understand links between initial root weight, planting depth and crop competition, three outdoor pot experiments were performed in Sweden in 2013‐2014. We hypothesised that (i) CP likely occurs before C. arvense has developed three leaves, (ii) relative depletion of the below‐ground system at CP is less at lower initial root weight compared with higher weight, and (iii) methodological variations in CP estimations have minor impact on the results. We found that the CP for C. arvense in all treatments occurred before shoots had developed three leaves and that treatment effects were minor (<0.5 leaf stages). Leaf and leaf stage definitions, choice of leaf range and model also had minor effects on CP estimates. Depletion of planted root fragments ceased around leaf stages 3‐4, and their partial replenishment also constitutes evidence for a CP at early leaf stages. For agronomy, our results imply that mechanical control of C. arvense should be performed earlier than previously recommended, probably before reaching an average of three to four leaves per shoot.     

Effects of selective cutting and timing of herbicide application on growth and development of Cirsium arvense in spring barley

Recently, a new implement for controlling weeds in cereals (CombCut) has been developed. It cuts weeds in growing cereals without damaging them by using the physical differences (in height, stem thickness, straw stiffness and branching pattern) between crops and weeds. To evaluate and compare the effects of selective cutting with different timings of herbicide application on Cirsium arvense in spring barley, a randomised block experiment was conducted in Sweden in 2015–2017, in a field with a naturally occurring C. arvense population. Treatments consisted of control (C), herbicide application at 4–5‐leaf stage of C. arvense (H1), herbicide application at 8–10‐leaf stage (H2) and selective cutting at 10‐leaf stage (S). The treatments were performed in 2015 and repeated in 2016 in the same plots, and a final evaluation was performed in 2017. Compared to the control, S, H1 and H2 were equally efficient in reducing above‐ground biomass production of C. arvense and increasing spring barley grain yield per unit area. The number of C. arvense shoots per area was, however, higher in S compared to H1 and H2. No differences in control effects on shoot number were observed between H1 and H2. Our study indicates that (i) selective cutting (S) reduces C. arvense equally efficient as herbicide application and (ii) early herbicide spraying is as efficient as spraying later in the season.     

Impacts of applied Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on the dynamics of a Cirsium arvense population

A field experiment was conducted from October 1992 to March 1997 in a sheep‐grazed pasture in Canterbury, New Zealand, to determine the effects of the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on the long‐term dynamics of a population of Cirsium arvense. The pathogen was applied in mid‐spring either once or in three consecutive years when the C. arvense shoots were vegetative rosettes, using a granular, mycelium‐on‐wheat preparation that lodged on the C. arvense leaves, stems and in the leaf axils. The single application caused disease in the C. arvense that was confined to the application year. The disease resulted in a temporary (17 months) reduction in population size through initial mortalities among treated shoots and resultant reductions in root growth, adventitious root bud, subterranean shoot and, subsequently, aerial shoot population sizes. The soil seedbank was 80% lower in the treated plots than in the control plots in the first year. Seedlings were never found. The annually repeated application of S. sclerotiorum did not result in the expected continuing decline in the C. arvense population relative to the control population.     

Sprouting capacity from intact root systems of Cirsium arvense and Sonchus arvensis decrease in autumn

Perennial weeds are often controlled by mechanical means, which aim at stimulating axillary and adventitious buds to sprout. This happens when the apical dominance of the main shoot is removed by defoliation or when the underground system is fragmented. By repeating the measures, the result is a depletion of storage compounds, which weakens the plants and reduces their capacity to grow and reproduce. However, timing is critical. Earlier research has indicated that emergence from fragments of Sonchus arvensis cease during a period in autumn, while the seasonal pattern of sprouting in Cirsium arvense appears to be inconsistent. We studied the emergence pattern of defoliated plants with undisturbed root systems, from late summer to early spring. Potted plants grown outdoors were exhumed at regular intervals, put under forcing conditions for 4 weeks, after which shoots above and below soil level were counted and weighed together with the remaining root systems. In both species, the number and weight of emerged shoots decreased during a period in the autumn. In C. arvense, underground shoots were constantly produced during the same period, while fewer underground shoots were present in S. arvensis. For the latter species, apical dominance does not fully explain the effect; thus, endodormancy might be involved. Root weight increased until withering and did not explain the lack of emergence. Our results suggest an impaired sprouting capacity of undisturbed root systems of C. arvense and S. arvensis during September–October, which has implications for the timing and method of control of these species.     

Floral attractants for the female soybean looper, Thysanoplusia orichalcea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

BACKGROUND: The soybean looper, Thysanoplusia orichalcea (F.), is a polyphagous insect pest of vegetable crops. Indonesian in origin, it has spread to Europe, India, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The identification of an attractant for female T. orichalcea could enable the development of alternative pest management strategies to those provided by insecticides or sex pheromones, which are often only attractive to males. RESULTS: Traps baited with synthetic lures derived from Canada thistle, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., floral volatiles attracted female T. orichalcea. Phenylacetaldehyde, a floral compound attractive to many Lepidoptera and present in C. arvense, was tested alone as an attractant for the soybean looper and caught significantly more female than male T. orichalcea. Trap catch was greatest when phenylacetaldehyde was combined with five prevalent volatiles present in C. arvense headspace collections: 2‐phenylethyl alcohol, methyl salicylate, dimethyl salicylate, benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol. Twice as many female moths as males were collected. CONCLUSION: Successful trapping of female T. orichalcea in either a lure‐and‐kill or a mass trapping system may offer an effective way to manage its population size. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Tracing the origins of White Tip disease of Cirsium arvense and its causal agent,Phoma macrostoma

Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae) is known as creeping thistle in its native range in the UK and Canada thistle in its invasive North American range. Recently, the fungus Phoma macrostoma was registered in Canada as a bioherbicide in turfgrass, where it causes severe chlorosis (White Tip disease) and death of C. arvense and other broadleaved weeds. It was hypothesised that the disease originated in the UK on its thistle host and, therefore, that fungal isolates from both countries should be biologically and genetically similar. Twenty‐six strains in the genus Phoma– isolated during surveys in the UK – were compared morphologically with the type culture of P. macrostoma, tested for bioherbicidal activity using the inoculum mat bioassay and genetically screened with bioherbicide‐specific primers. White tip disease was found to be restricted to the eastern and southern counties of England. Phoma macrostoma was isolated consistently from diseased bleached tissues. Bioherbicidal isolates of P. macrostoma occupy a unique clade, which is phylogenetically distinct but morphologically indistinguishable from the type culture. Most isolates from the UK had the same bioherbicidal activity and similar genetic make‐up as strain SRC 94‐44B, the active ingredient in the registered Canadian product. The origin of all bioherbicidal strains found to date has a clear presence in both Canada and the UK, with strong genetic similarities, supporting the view of a common ancestry. Thus, on the evidence presented, the ‘white tip’ clade of P. macrostoma evolved in southern England. Therefore, the bioherbicide based on strain SRC 94‐44B should also be eligible for registration in the UK, based on the pest risk assessment data already available.     

Seasonal dynamics of ground cover in Cirsium arvense – a basis for estimating grazing losses and economic impacts

Analysis of the economics of managing Cirsium arvense in grazed pastures worldwide has been hampered by a lack of data on the within‐year seasonal dynamics of the weed and its impact on the yield of palatable herbage. To redress this, the seasonal pattern in within‐patch percentage ground cover of the weed was determined from measurements on 39 dairy and 66 sheep and/or beef cattle farms in New Zealand during 2009–2010 and 2010–2011. This pattern was then scaled using farmer estimates of peak whole‐farm cover to derive mean monthly covers for dairy, beef, sheep/beef, sheep and deer farms. These monthly covers corresponded, respectively, to mean annual percentage covers of 2.7, 1.7, 3.0, 5.9 and 2.9% and to mean annual percentage losses in pasture growth (palatable herbage yield) of 3.6, 2.3, 4.0, 7.8 and 3.9%. The latter, in combination with 2011–2012 farm statistics, revealed that C. arvense caused a national loss in pastoral farm gross revenue in New Zealand in 2011–2012 of $685 million ($446 m dairy, $233 m sheep/beef, $6 m deer). Beyond the scope of this paper, the monthly covers and their corresponding monthly losses in pasture growth provide a basis for modelling the economic impacts of C. arvense and its management at a farm scale. More generally, the analytical method that we have developed is appropriate for evaluating the economic impact of any weed in a grazed pasture, particularly those exhibiting pronounced seasonal patterns in occupancy, such as annuals and deciduous perennials.     

The allelopathic activity of Californian thistle (Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.) in Tasmania

The phytotoxicity of extracts from the roots and foliage of Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop, was studied using seven test species. Water and alcohol extracts of C. arvense inhibited the germination of its own and Trifolium subterraneum L. seed, and inhibited the growth of its own seedlings, three annual thistles, and Lolium perenne L., T. subterraneum and Hordeum distichon L. The results are related to phytosociological patterns observed in the field, and it is suggest that the presence of phytotoxins in the soil may make the establishment of some pasture and crop species difficult in areas infested with C. arvense. Activité allélopathique du chardon Cirsium arvense L. Scop, en Tasmanie La phytotoxicityé d'extraits obtenus à partir des racines et du feuillage de Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop, a étéétudiée en tulisant sept espèces servant de tests. Des extraits aqueux et alcooliques de C. arvense inhibèrent sa propre germination et celle des semences de Trifolium subterraneum L. Ils inhibèrent également la croissance de ses propres plantules, de trois chardons annuels, de Lolium perenne L. de T. subterraneum et de Hordeum distichon L. Les résultats sont rapprochés des évolutions phytosociologiques observées au champ, et il est suggéré que la présence de phytotoxines dans le sol puisse rendre difficile l'implantation de certaines espèces fourragères ou autres dans les endroits infestés par C. arvense. Die allelopathische Aktivität von Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. in Tasmanien Wurzel- und Blattextrakte von Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. wurden auf ihre phytotoxische Wirkung mit sieben Test-pflanzen geprüft. Wasser- und Alkoholauszüge von C. arvense hemmten die Keimung der eigcnen und der Samen von Trifolium subterraneum L. Das Wachstum der eigenen Keimlinge, sowie von drei annuellen Distelarten, von Lolium perenne L., T. subterraneum und von Hordeum distichon L, wurde gehemmt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen einen Zusammenhang mit pflanzensoziologischen Feldbeobachtungen und es ist denkbar, dass die Gegenwart von Phytotoxinen im Boden den Aufwuchs von Grünlandpflanzen und Feldfrüchten in Fiächen, die mit C. arcense verseucht sind, erschweren kann.     

A novel approach to estimating the competitive ability of Cirsium arvense in cereals using unmanned aerial vehicle imagery

Eight experiments were carried out in Denmark to determine the yield loss of spring barley due to Cirsium arvense in farmers' fields and to suggest and evaluate a novel approach for quantifying C. arvense infestation in large plots. Literature about the competitive ability of C. arvense is old, scattered and inconclusive, and existing models for estimating crop yield loss are based on data from North America. This study showed that C. arvense coverage could be quantified from unmanned aerial vehicle imagery using a manual image analysis procedure. This gave similar results as scoring the coverage. Yield loss of spring barley due to C. arvense infestation assessed at harvest was given by Y = 100·(1−exp(−0.00170·X)) where Y is the percentage of crop yield loss and X is the percentage of C. arvense coverage. The yield loss was much lower than estimates from models that have been developed in North America. It is speculated that the main reason for this is the later emergence of C. arvense than the crop due to lower soil temperatures in spring. Grain moisture increased linearly with C. arvense coverage: M = 0.0310·X where M is the proportional (%) increase in grain moisture and X is the proportion (%) of C. arvense coverage. Automated image analysis procedures are needed to estimate C. arvense coverage on field scales, and further experiments are needed to reveal whether the low competitive ability of C. arvense found in this study is representative for Northern Europe.     

Seasonal restrictions of bud growth on roots of Cirsium arvense and Sonchus arvensis and rhizomes of Elymus repens

Brandsæter LO, Fogelfors H, Fykse H, Graglia E, Jensen RK, Melander B, Salonen J & Vanhala P (2010). Seasonal restrictions of bud growth on roots of Cirsium arvense and Sonchus arvensis and rhizomes of Elymus repens. Weed Research 50 , 102–109.

Summary

The success of weed management aimed at depleting the regenerative structures of perennial weeds depends largely on the sprouting activity of rhizome and root buds. Seasonal variation in sprouting of these buds on Cirsium arvense, Sonchus arvensis and Elymus repens was studied for plants collected from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. At 2‐week intervals from July to October, 5‐cm fragments of roots or rhizomes were cut from plants grown in buckets and planted into soil in pots, half of which were placed immediately into growth chambers at 18°C for 4 weeks. The other half of the pots were initially placed in a dark room at 2°C for 4 weeks before being transferred to the same growth chamber, also for 4 weeks. During the growth chamber period, the numbers of emerged shoots in each pot were counted weekly. The sprouting activity of C. arvense and E. repens was relatively uniform during this period and bud dormancy was not apparent. In all ecotypes of S. arvensis, innate bud dormancy developed during the latter part of the growing season. For all three species, differences in sprouting readiness were found among ecotypes. The results imply that C. arvense and E. repens are more likely to be controlled by mechanical measures in autumn than S. arvensis.     

Mechanical and cultural strategies to control Cirsium arvense in organic arable cropping systems

Infestation with Cirsium arvense in organic cropping is an increasing problem in many parts of Europe. Non‐chemical management strategies against C. arvense, based on cultivation tactics and/or different cutting regimes, have received very little attention for many years. This study presents results from four experiments, undertaken under organic growing conditions, on the effects of repeated mowing or hoeing during the first part of the growing season, used in combination with competition from a suppressive crop (grass/white clover mixture or red clover). The strategies were mainly aimed at diminishing the regenerative capacity of C. arvense and the effects were thus measured in the subsequent year in spring barley crops, in the absence of any weed control. In general, number of passes of mowing and hoeing linearly reduced the amount of aboveground C. arvense biomass in the subsequent year. Increased competition induced by the competitive crops further reduced C. arvense biomass. Differences in barley yield were explained by the amount of C. arvense biomass only in one experiment, where this weed was most abundant. Our results suggest that an acceptable level of C. arvense control can be achieved through an intensive hoeing or mowing campaign, within one growing season only. This may lead to increased crop yield in the subsequent year.     

Weight loss in overwintering below‐ground parts of Sonchus arvensis under current and temperature‐elevated climate scenarios in Sweden

Weight loss in overwintering below‐ground parts of perennial weeds has been attributed to respiration, but neither its temperature dependence nor its relevance for biomass dynamics under changing climate conditions have been investigated. In two experiments, we quantified weight loss of the perennial weed Sonchus arvensis, by measuring weight changes over time of sprouting roots in dark rooms at temperatures of 4, 8 and 18°C. Dry weight loss rates were 0.47, 0.64 and 1.47% day^?1 at 4, 8 and 18°C, respectively, giving a half‐life time of 149, 110 and 47 days, respectively. A factor by which weight loss rates increase for every 10° rise in temperature (Q₁₀) was equal to about 2.3. Cumulative weight loss may comprise >40% of the below‐ground biomass during overwintering periods. Applying weight loss rates and Q₁₀ to elevated soil temperature projections showed that losses during winter seasons in central Sweden will remain basically constant, the effect of increased weight loss at higher temperatures being balanced by shorter winters. This implies that need for control of S. arvensis in a changing climate will persist, but that shorter winter seasons will provide a longer time window for control of S. arvensis prior to sowing crops.     

Biological control of weeds in European crops: recent achievements and future work

Approaches to the biological control of weeds in arable crops and integration of biological weed control with other methods of weed management are broadly discussed. Various types of integrative approaches to biological control of weeds in crops have been studied within the framework of a concerted European Research Programme (COST‐816). During the period 1994–99, some 25 institutions from 16 countries have concentrated on five target weed complexes. Some major scientific achievements of COST‐816 are: (i) combination of the pathogen Ascochyta caulina with an isolated phytotoxin produced by this fungus to control Chenopodium album in maize and sugar beet; (ii) the elaboration and preliminary field application of a system management approach using the weed:pathogen system Senecio vulgaris:Puccinia lagenophorae to reduce the competitiveness of the weed by inducing and stimulating a disease epidemic; (iii) combination of underseeded green cover with the application of spores of Stagonospora convolvuli to control Convolvulus species in maize; (iv) assessment of the response of different provenances of Amaranthus spp. to infection by Alternaria alternata and Trematophoma lignicola, the development of formulation and delivery techniques and a field survey of native insect species to control Amaranthus spp. in sugar beet and maize; (v) isolation of strains of different Fusarium spp. that infect all the economically important Orobanche spp. and development of novel, storable formulations using mycelia from liquid culture. Although no practical control has yet been reached for any of the five target weeds, potential solutions have been clearly identified. Two major routes may be followed in future work. The first is a technological approach focusing on a single, highly destructive disease cycle of the control agent and optimizing the efficacy and specificity of the agent. The second is an ecological approach based on a better understanding of the interactions among the crop, the weed, the natural antagonist and the environment, which must be managed in order to maximize the spread and impact of an indigenous antagonist on the weed.     

我国杂草生防现状及若干问题的讨论

杂草生防就是利用寄主范围较专一的植食性动物(如昆虫、螨类、线虫、鱼类等)或植物病原微生物,将影响人类经济活动的杂草种群控制在为害阈限下。这一门学科已有百年历史,近年来发展很快。生物防治杂草与化学除草相比,具有不污染环境、不产生药害、经济效益高等优点。有时一次成功的天敌引种可一劳永逸地解决草害。对一些除草剂难以奏效的多年生     

Composition of the stubble weed flora and its role for Heterodera schachtii in the year preceding sugar beet production

In Germany, sugar beet is often rotated with 2 years of cereal. Extensive fallow periods between cereal harvest and autumn primary tillage allow for a weed flora to develop. Broad‐leaved weeds could potentially be alternate hosts for the common nematode Heterodera schachtii, one of the most important pests of sugar beet. Between 2009 and 2012, annual weeds developing in cereal stubble fields during July to mid‐October in the season prior to sugar beet were surveyed, including known hosts of H. schachtii. Yearly weather patterns and agronomic practices possibly impacted weed species composition and weed population densities. During September, Chenopodium album, Cirsium arvense, Convolvulus arvensis, Mercurialis annua, Polygonum spp., Solanum nigrum and Sonchus spp. occurred at the highest frequencies. Weed hosts of H. schachtii were present, but densities, frequencies and uniformity were limited. In 2010 and 2011, staining for nematodes in roots revealed juvenile penetration of some weeds but few adult stages. No indication of nematode reproduction of H. schachtii was found on these weed hosts. A fairly stable weed flora was detected on stubble fields that could provide some carry over for weed species. An elevated risk for nematode population density build‐up on these weeds was not found and management of these weeds at the observed densities during the stubble period for nematological reasons appeared unnecessary.     

Host specificity of Puccinia canaliculata,a potential biocontrol agent for Cyperus esculentus

Aim was to clarify the rust fungusPuccinia canaliculata for release in a new environment where it may be utilized as a microbial herbicide. A strain of the rust was introduced from the USA into the Netherlands and kept in quarantaine. The susceptibility ofCyperus esculentus and several other species of the Cyperaceae was tested. C. esculentus leptostachyus from five locations was susceptible toP. canaliculata. C. esculentus of a yet unidentified biotype from two locations was moderately susceptible (fewer and smaller pustules than on leptostachyus), whereas plants of the same biotype from a third location were resistant to the rust.C. esculentus esculentus (from one location) andC. esculentus sativus (a crop) were also resistant to the rust. C. albostriatus, C. alternifolius, C. flavescens, C. rotundus, Carex hirta, Eleocharis palustris, andScirpus maritimus were resistant toP. canaliculata. OnCyperus fuscus, P. canaliculata produced very small urediniosori (less then 1 mm in diameter); the sori were surrounded by a zone of necrotic plant tissue.From the observations onC. fuscus we concluded that the (potential) host range ofP. canaliculata is wider than we originally expected. For safety reasons, it was decided not to release it in the Netherlands.     

氟氯吡啶酯与双氟磺草胺复配的田间除草效果及其对作物安全性评价

氟氯吡啶酯属于人工合成激素类除草剂全新类别,是芳香基吡啶甲酸类家族的第1位成员,为明确其作用特点、除草活性、与双氟磺草胺复配后的除草效果以及对小麦和后茬作物的安全性,连续2年分别于小麦越冬前和返青初期施药,在冬小麦田进行了田间试验。结果表明,7.5 g/L氟氯吡啶酯EC在7.5 g/hm2用量下,对猪殃殃、播娘蒿防效较好,2次施药末次调查对猪殃殃防效为96.5%和100%,对播娘蒿防效为94.1%和81.1%;对麦瓶草防效较差,末次调查为57.1%和27.9%,对麦家公无效。复配制剂20%氟氯吡啶酯·双氟磺草胺WG在15、20、30 g/hm2用量下,对猪殃殃、播娘蒿、麦瓶草防效均较好,株防效为90.5%~100%,对麦家公防效略差,越冬前施药株防效为78.8%~98.6%,返青初期施药株防效为20.9%~82.5%;末次调查时杂草总鲜重防效为90.1%~98.2%,2次施药结果差异不显著。小麦田喷施该复配制剂15~45 g/hm2剂量,对小麦安全,未见任何药害症状;且对后茬作物玉米、大豆、花生、棉花、谷子均安全。     

喹草酮与辛酰溴苯腈复配应用于小麦田的除草效果及对小麦的安全性

为明确新型除草剂喹草酮应用于小麦田的除草效果及对小麦的安全性,在温室内采用共毒系数法对喹草酮与辛酰溴苯腈联合作用进行测定,并验证喹草酮与辛酰溴苯腈两者混用以及与双氟磺草胺三者混用时对小麦田杂草的防效,以及对小麦的安全性。温室试验结果表明,喹草酮对阿拉伯婆婆纳Veronica persica防效优,试验剂量下全部死亡,对播娘蒿Descurainia sophia和麦家公Lithospermum arvense的GR₅₀分别为12.67 g (a.i.)/hm²和152.99 g (a.i.)/hm²;辛酰溴苯腈对播娘蒿和麦家公防效优,其GR₅₀分别为26.22 g (a.i.)/hm²和13.36 g (a.i.)/hm²,对阿拉伯婆婆纳防效略差,GR₅₀为85.12 g (a.i.)/hm²。喹草酮与辛酰溴苯腈按有效成分用量1∶1～1∶2.5配比时,阿拉伯婆婆纳全部死亡,对播娘蒿的共毒系数在140.34～202....