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Weed seed transport and weed establishment as affected by polyacrylamide in furrow-irrigated corn

El transporte de semillas de malezas y el establecimiento de malezas en maíz irrigado en surcos afectado por poliacrilamido

Sojka, R.E. and Morishita, D.W. and Foerster, J.A. and Wille, M.J. (2003) Weed seed transport and weed establishment as affected by polyacrylamide in furrow-irrigated corn. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 58(5):319-326.

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Abstract

Polyacrylamide (PAM) has been used successfully to reduce erosion and increase
infiltration on nearly a half million hectares of United States irrigated farmland. PAM is a potent
and environmentally safe flocculent that greatly accelerates separation of suspended solids from
water. It also improves particle cohesion, stabilizing soil structure. We hypothesized that in
irrigation furrows, PAM prevents loss of weed seed and might affect weed establishment and
management practices. We grew corn (Zea mays L.) in plots without herbicides, or that were
treated with either Eradicane ® (EPTC + dichlormid) or Dual ® II (S-Metolachlor) and irrigated in
furrows that had either no PAM, or that were treated either with 10 g m- 3 (io kg ML-1 or 10 ppm)
dissolved PAM during water advance, or with PAM applied as a powder patch at the furrow head.
As in previous studies, erosion was greatly reduced with PAM and infiltration was increased.
PAM use also reduced runoff loss of weed seeds (barnyardgrass, kochia, redroot pigweed,
common lambsquarters, and hairy nightshade) 62% to 90%. Interactions of herbicide
treatments and PAM on erosion, infiltration, and weed seed loss were related to the mulching
effect of weed vegetation. PAM is an effective and environmentally safe means of reducing weed
seed distribution in furrow irrigation water while simultaneously reducing erosion and increasing
infiltration in weed-free crop production.

Item Type: Article
NWISRL Publication Number: 1112
Subjects: Irrigated crops > Corn / maize
Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Runoff losses > Weed seeds
Polyacrylamide (PAM) > Water-soluble PAM (WSPAM) > Seedling emergence
Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User: Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited: 20 Nov 2010 21:50
Last Modified: 08 Nov 2016 15:43
Item ID: 169
URI: https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/169