Potential Corn Yield Losses from Weeds in North America

• Published in: Weed technology Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 979 - 984
• Main Authors: Soltani, Nader, Dille, J. Anita, Burke, Ian C, Everman, Wesley J, VanGessel, Mark J, Davis, Vince M, Sikkema, Peter H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence The Weed Science Society of America 01-10-2016; Weed Science Society of America; Cambridge University Press
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Arithmetic mean; Best management practices; Canada; Corn; Corn prices; Crop loss; crop losses; Crop science; Crop yield; economic loss; EDUCATION/EXTENSION; Estimates; Herbicides; Provinces; Science; Seeding; Studies; USA; Vegetable production; Vegetables; Weed control; weed management; Weeds; United States > US
• ISSN: 0890-037X; 1550-2740
• DOI: 10.1614/WT-D-16-00046.1

Crop losses from weed interference have a significant effect on net returns for producers. Herein, potential corn yield loss because of weed interference across the primary corn-producing regions of the United States and Canada are documented. Yield-loss estimates were determined from comparative, quantitative observations of corn yields between nontreated and treatments providing greater than 95% weed control in studies conducted from 2007 to 2013. Researchers from each state and province provided data from replicated, small-plot studies from at least 3 and up to 10 individual comparisons per year, which were then averaged within a year, and then averaged over the seven years. The resulting percent yield-loss values were used to determine potential total corn yield loss in t ha−1 and bu acre−1 based on average corn yield for each state or province, as well as corn commodity price for each year as summarized by USDA-NASS (2014) and Statistics Canada (2015). Averaged across the seven years, weed interference in corn in the United States and Canada caused an average of 50% yield loss, which equates to a loss of 148 million tonnes of corn valued at over U.S.$26.7 billion annually. Nomenclature: Corn, Zea mays L.