Noxious Weed Species in Wheat Production Areas: Siirt Province Sample

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence and density of weeds that cause problems in wheat cultivation areas. In accordance with this purpose; survey studies were conducted in the wheat fields of Siirt province, located in the Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia Region, during vegetation period (March-May) of 2017 and 2018. In this research, a total of 84 sites were randomly surveyed to represent the area. A total of 137 weed species belonging to 30 families (1 seedlees, 4 monocotyledon and 25 dicotyledon) were recorded during the surveys in the province. These most important and problematic weed species were belonged to; Asteraceae (26 species), Poaceae (22 species), Fabaceae (13 species), Brassicaceae (10 species), Apiacecae (8 species), Caryophyllaceae (6 species), Eupharbiaceae (6 species), Boraginaceae (5 species) and Lamiaceae (5 species). Slight differences were observed in the prevalence and density of weed species among the surveyed districts. However, the most noxious weed species based on prevalence and density in the province were Wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.), Wild oat (Avena spp.), Common poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.), Cleaver (Galium aparine Dandy.), Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis L.), cowcockle, (Vaccaria pyramidata Medik.), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and vetch (Vicia sativa L.) Although some weed species such as Wall barley (Hordeum murinum L.), Italian thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus L.),Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), Corn buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis L.), Corn chamomile (Anthemis arvensis L.), Italian alkanet (Anchusa azurea Miller.) and Ivy-leaved Speedwell (Veronica hederifolia L.), were not widespread in the region, but can reach high concentrations and have been found to cause significant yield losses. Therefore, region-specific weed management strategies should be applied by considering the results of the study.