Plant Protection Science (2017) 53, 118-125
Roland Gerhards, Kostyantyn Bezhin and Hans-Joachim Santel (2017)
Sugar beet yield loss predicted by relative weed cover, weed biomass and weed density
Plant Protection Science 53 (2), 118-125
Abstract: Sugar beet yield loss was predicted from early observations of weed density, relative weed cover, and weed biomass using non-linear regression models. Six field experiments were conducted in Germany and in the Russian Federation in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Average weed densities varied from 20 to 131 with typical weed species compositions for sugar beet fields at both locations. Sugar beet yielded higher in Germany and relative yield losses were lower than in Russia. Data of weed density, relative weed cover, weed biomass and relative yield loss fitted well to the non-linear regression models. Competitive weed species such as Chenopodium album and Amaranthus retroflexus caused more than 80% yield loss. Relative weed cover regression models provided more accurate predictions of sugar beet yield losses than weed biomass and weed density.
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
damage/losses/economics
