Chapter 5: Interplant Interference and Competition

Chapter Authors

Dr. Deana Namuth-Covert, Professor and Ms. Amy Kohmetscher, Instructional Designer

Ohio State – Agricultural Technical Institute

College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

The Ohio State University

research plot of corn heavily infested with weeds
Figure 1.  Zero weed control in a corn (Zea mays) field. Image from Doug Doohan, Ohio State University/ OARDC, Bugwood.org.

It is intuitive for most people to understand that weeds can cause losses in crop yields.  This chapter will focus on exactly why this is the case.  We will discuss what the key resources are for any plant to survive, thrive and reproduce.  We will examine different types of competitions that are taking place in a field, as well as when the critical times are to reduce the competition effects from weeds in order to protect our crop’s greatest yield potential.

License

Principles of Weed Control Copyright © by Deana Namuth-Covert and Amy Kohmetscher. All Rights Reserved.