Bill JohnsonUniversity of Missouri
A Decision Support System for Weed Management
University of Nebraskaand
North-Central Partner States
ObjectiveObjective• Develop a biology and
economics based weed management decision support tool for crop managers
Development TeamDevelopment Team
• Weed Scientists
• Information systems specialist
• Listening group-Users
WeedSOFT Partner States
IllinoisIllinois MichiganMichiganIndianaIndiana MissouriMissouriKansasKansas NebraskaNebraska
WisconsinWisconsin
WeedSOFTWeedSOFT
Bioeconomic DecisionBioeconomic Decision
Groundwater VulnerabilityGroundwater VulnerabilityGroundwater Risk AssessmentGroundwater Risk Assessment
Weed IdentificationWeed Identification
EnviroFXEnviroFXSite and product specific assessment of groundwater contamination risk
MapVIEWMapVIEWColor coded county maps depicting vulnerability of groundwater to contamination
WeedVIEWWeedVIEWVisual images as an aid in weed identification
AdvisorAdvisorComputes crop yield and dollar loss based
on weed density, weed free yield and
crop price
Weed Management StrategiesWeed Management Strategies
• Cultivation
• Pre herbicide
• Post herbicide
• Combined strategies
Treatment Selection CriteriaTreatment Selection Criteria
• Geographical restrictions• Soil properties• Rotational crop• Ground and surface water
restrictions• Crop and weed growth stage
ADVISORADVISOREvaluation of pre,
post, pre+post weed management strategies in five crops:
corn, sorghum, soybeans, sugarbeets, wheat
State Specific Parameters
HerbicidesHerbicides Soil Properties Soil PropertiesHerbicide EfficacyHerbicide Efficacy Rotational Restrictions Rotational RestrictionsApplication Rates Application Rates Geographical Restrictions Geographical Restrictions Weed Species Weed Species Weed Competitive Index Weed Competitive Index
Input application informationInput application information
Input crop informationInput crop information
Input environmental informationInput environmental information
Input weed informationInput weed information
OutputOutput
• Ranking of strategies based on net return or yield
• Detailed economic and efficacy analysis of treatments
• Change in weed seed bank with each treatment
Treatment Ranking and AnalysisTreatment Ranking and Analysis
Seedbank change
WeedSOFT as a WeedSOFT as a Teaching ToolTeaching Tool
Biological FactorsBiological Factors• Crop and weed species competitiveness• Influence of crop and weed growth
stage on crop-weed interference• Influence of crop row spacing on crop
competitiveness• Influence of precipitation on herbicide
efficacy and rotational crop risk
17.2/40 = 43%
Corn, Weed free yield = 150 bu/ACorn, Weed free yield = 150 bu/A
Soybeans, Weed free yield = 40 bu/ASoybeans, Weed free yield = 40 bu/A
17.5/150 = 12%
Crop Species CompetitivenessCrop Species Competitiveness
Corn 0-5” height; weed free yield = 150 bu/ACorn 0-5” height; weed free yield = 150 bu/A
17.5/150 = 12%
8.9/150 = 6%
Weed Species CompetitivenessWeed Species Competitiveness
Common cockleburCommon cocklebur
Redroot pigweedRedroot pigweed
Corn 0-5” height; Weed free yield = 150 bu/ACorn 0-5” height; Weed free yield = 150 bu/A
17.5/150 = 12%
Weed Competitiveness Based on Weed HeightWeed Competitiveness Based on Weed Height
Cocklebur 2-4” heightCocklebur 2-4” height
Cocklebur 4-8” heightCocklebur 4-8” height25.1/150 = 17%
Corn 0-5” heightCorn 0-5” height
17.5/150 = 12%
Weed Competitiveness Based on Crop HeightWeed Competitiveness Based on Crop Height
11.4/150 = 7.6%
Corn 6-12” heightCorn 6-12” height
Corn weed free yield = 150 bu/ACorn weed free yield = 150 bu/A
Soybeans 1st trifoliate; weed free yield = 40 bu/ASoybeans 1st trifoliate; weed free yield = 40 bu/A
Weed Competitiveness Based on Row SpacingWeed Competitiveness Based on Row Spacing
30” Row Spacing30” Row Spacing
7.5” Row Spacing7.5” Row Spacing
12.1/40 = 30%
9.9/40 = 25%
Corn 0-5”; Weed free yield = 150 bu/ACorn 0-5”; Weed free yield = 150 bu/ACocklebur 2-4”Cocklebur 2-4”
Herbicide Efficacy Based on MoistureHerbicide Efficacy Based on Moisture
Moisture StressedMoisture Stressed
Excellent MoistureExcellent Moisture
77.9%77.9%
% Control
100%100%
% Control
Corn 0-5”; weed free yield = 150 bu/ACorn 0-5”; weed free yield = 150 bu/ACocklebur 2-4”Cocklebur 2-4”
Cultivation Efficacy Based on MoistureCultivation Efficacy Based on Moisture
Moisture StressedMoisture Stressed
Excellent MoistureExcellent Moisture
72.4 %72.4 %
54.9 %54.9 %
% Control
% Control
Missouri WeedSOFTMissouri WeedSOFT• Decision Support System• Teaching/Learning Tool• Available in 2002 on CD-Rom
–Initial price $195–Yearly updates will be $35-50
• WeedSOFT website–http://weedsoft.unl.edu
Missouri WeedSOFTMissouri WeedSOFT• To order:
–Make checks payable to WeedSOFT 2002
–Send to : Bulletins, P.O. Box 830918, Lincoln, NE 68583-0918
WeedSOFTWeedSOFTA State Specific Decision Support System for Weed
Management
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