Barnyardgrass has been known to not only reduce yields in rice but also affects the quality of this crop through ad-mixtures often present after threshing. Timely control of this weed is therefore imperative.

1. BARNYARDGRASS (Echinochloa
crusgalli) IN PADDY RICE
KENNETH TEMBE ODUOR
A56/69956/2013
JAN, 2014

2. BARNYARDGRASS (Echinochloa
crusgalli)

3. barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgalli)
• Originally a European
weed-Exotic
• an annual grass that
propagates by seed
• Affectsrice,maize,barley,s
ugarcane and wheat,
• The plants have evolved
to resemble rice (Oryza),
enabling them to escape
weeding more easily

4. DESCRIPTION
• It grows in clumps by
rooting and branching
at the lower joints
(nodes) of the stems.
• Barnyardgrass does not
have a ligule or an
auricle. It is the only
common grass with no
hairs or membranes at
the collar

5. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
 Barnyardgrass infestations have been shown to be
capable of removal of 60% to 80% of the available
nitrogen from the soil (Holm et al., 1991).
 The competition for nutrients, moisture, space, and
sunlight can cause great losses in food crop yields
(Khanh et al., 2007)
 An alternate host of the viruses that produce tungro
and dwarf diseases of rice
 Seedsmatures with paddy, they are incuded in the
paddy harvest.After threshing it is difficult to separate
.

6. CONT ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
 Smith (1988) reported that rice yield losses of
70% occurred from season-long interference of
barnyardgrass in drill-seeded rice, and
 Stauber et al. (1991) found that just one
barnyardgrass plant placed 40-cm from a rice
plant reduced the rice yield by 27%
 Barnyardgrass has a high sugar content and is
occasionally used as a forage, but it may
accumulate nitrates to levels that are toxic to
farm animals

7. ECOLOGY
• Prefers rich, moist soils and continues to grow
even when partially submerged.
• favored by moist compact soils, temperatures
ranging from 24° to 35° C, and exposure to light.
• Shallow tillage frequently provides the warmth
and light that encourage its germination.
• One plant can produce 7,000 or more seeds,
which may germinate in four months or remain
dormant for three or four years with little or no
loss in viability. A weedy field can produce 1100
kg of seed per acre.

8. CONTROL MEASURES
• In cultivated areas, preventing this grass from
seeding is one of the best methods of control.
A disk harrow or rotary hoe may be used to kill
young plants before they form seeds
• Flooding in rice-cultural
• Rotations that include rice and soybeans or
oats are also effective-cultural

9. Cont’ Control Measures
• Experiments are being
conducted using the fungus
Cochliobolus lunatus as a
control agent for
barnyardgrass-biological
• Resistance-management
techniques such as using
herbicide programs with
different modes of action
can be put in place.
• Use of certified rice seeds
• IPM

10. REFERENCES
• Talbert, R.E. and N.R. Burgos. 2007. History and management of
herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in
Arkansas rice. Weed Technol. 21:324-331.
• Khanh, T.D., A.A. Elzaawely, I.M. Chung, J.K. Ahn, S. Tawata, and T.D.
Xuan. 2007. Role of allelochemicals for weed management in rice.
Allelopathy J. 19:85-96.
• Stauber, L.G., R.J. Smith, Jr., and R.E. Talbert. 1991. Density and
spatial interference of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) with
rice (Oryza sativa). Weed Sci. 39:163-168.
• Smith, R.J., Jr. 1988. Weed thresholds in southern U.S. rice, Oryza
sativa. Weed Technol. 2:232-241
• Holm, G.L., D.L. Plucknett, J.V. Pancho, and J.P. Herber. 1991. The
world’s worst weeds - Distribution and ecology. Kieger, Malabar, Fla.