Weed Technology (2007) 21, 59-65

Oleg Daugovish, James Downer, Ben Faber and Milton McGiffen (2007)
Weed survival in yard waste mulch
Weed Technology 21 (1), 59-65
Abstract: Field studies were conducted near Oxnard, CA, to assess propagule survivability of two annual and two perennial weed species in 7.6m3 static piles of fresh or aged yard waste mulch over a 56d period. Mulch temperatures >60C generated at depths >30cm in fresh mulch caused all weed propagule mortality, whereas sublethal temperatures at shallower depths in fresh, and at all depths in aged piles allowed propagule survival. A controlled environment laboratory experiment suggested 1d exposure provides 100% mortality of seed of little mallow at 72C, California burclover seed (without burs) at 85C, rhizomes of bermudagrass at 69C, and nutlets of yellow nutsedge at 70C. These studies indicate that reinfested, aged mulch does not produce sufficient heat to destroy weed propagules and, therefore, may become a weed-carrying substrate. Fresh mulch should be mixed to expose surviving weed propagules at shallow depths to lethal temperatures found at 30cm or deeper in fresh mulch piles.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Oleg Daugovish

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Cynodon dactylon (weed)		U.S.A. (SW)
	Cyperus esculentus (weed)		U.S.A. (SW)
	Malva parviflora (weed)		U.S.A. (SW)
	Medicago polymorpha (weed)		U.S.A. (SW)