Influence of temperature, photoperiod, and irradiance on the phenological development of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

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Abstract
Implementation of an integrated weed management system requires prediction of the effect of weed competition on crop yield. Predicting outcomes of weed competition is complicated by genetic and environmental variation across years, locations, and management. Mechanistic models have the potential to account for this variability. Weed phenological development is an essential component of such models. Growth cabinet studies were conducted to characterize common ragweed's phenological response to temperature, photoperiod, and irradiance. Ragweed development occurred over a temperature range of 8.0 to 31.7 C, and this response to temperature was best characterized using a nonlinear function. A maximum leaf appearance rate of 1.02 leaves d−1occurred at 31.7 C. Ragweed has a short juvenile phase, during which it was not sensitive to photoperiod. Following this juvenile phase, sensitivity to photoperiod was constant and continued until pistillate flowers were observed. Photoperiods of 14 h or less were optimal and resulted in maximum rates of development. Irradiance level affected ragweed phenological development only when combined with the additional stress of low temperatures. Data generated in this study can be used for the development of mechanistic weed competition models.