Distribution, significance and control of foxtail, Setaria spp. and crabgrass, Digitaria spp. in the Netherlands, and the situation within Europe

After its introduction in the early 1960s, maize (silage) became the largest arable crop in the Netherlands. It is often grown in monoculture or in rotation with grass leys as in a large part of Europe too. Its introduction and monoculture induced weed shifts. Although initially not considered problematic, the C4 species Setaria viridis and Digitaria ischaemum became more prominent due to changing crop husbandry systems since the mid 1990s. Tolerance of these weeds to triazines and metolachlor forced farmers to adapt weed control strategies, i.e. use of herbicides with other modes of action. A... Mehr ...