Economic Importance of Managing Spatially Heterogeneous Weed Population

Authors

John L. Lindquist, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
J. Anita Dieleman, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
David A. Mortensen, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Gregg A. Johnson, University of MinnesotaFollow
Dawn Y. Wyse-Pester, Colorado State University - Fort Collins

Date of this Version

1998

Citation

Weed Technology. 1998. Volume 12:7-13

Abstract

Three methods of predicting the impact of weed interference on crop yield and expected economic return were compared to evaluate the economic importance of weed spatial heterogeneity. Density of three weed species was obtained using a grid sampling scheme in 11 corn and 11 soybean fields. Crop yield loss was predicted assuming densities were homogeneous, aggregated following a negative binomial with known population mean and k, or aggregated with weed densities spatially mapped. Predicted crop loss was lowest and expected returns highest when spatial location of weed density was utilized to decide whether control was justified. Location-specific weed management resulted in economic gain as well as a reduction in the quantity of herbicide applied.