HPIPM:Foxtail barley

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Magnoliophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Superorder	Lilianae
Order	Poales
Family	Poaceae
Genus	Hordeum

Scientific Name

Hordeum jubatum

Common Name

foxtail barley

Foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum)

Compiled by Jane Mangold, Montana State University

and Marjolein Schat, Montana State University from the following sources:

http://akweeds.uaa.alaska.edu/pdfs/species_bios_pdfs/Species_bios_HOJU.pdf

http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/news/topics/daa63d12.html

http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/graminoid/horjub/all.html

Identification and Life Cycle

Foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum) is a shallow-rooted, annual to perennial bunchgrass (Family Poaceae), native to western North America and common to non-cropland areas. It grows 1 to 2 feet tall, and produces a nodding pale green to purple, bushy spike that fades to a tawny color and becomes very brittle at maturity. Leaf blades are 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. Leaves are grayish green and have a rough texture. The sheath margin has numerous soft hairs. Seeds are elliptic, yellowish brown, 1/4 inch long with 4 to 8 awns. The awns are up to 3 inches long. Seeds have sharp, backward-pointing barbs. Foxtail barley is distinguished from cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) by lemma awn length. Foxtail barley has lemma awn lengths of 1/2 to 3 inches; and cultivated barley has lemma awn lengths of 4-6 inches.

Habitats

Foxtail barley prefers fertile, moist, non-alkaline soils. However, this species will do well under extreme environments in the absence of competition. Foxtail barley is often found in saline areas and will do well under drought conditions.

Impacts

Foxtail barley can be grazed in the early spring. As soon as plants enter the reproductive stage of growth and seed heads are formed, the long barbed awns will cause serious problems for grazing animals. The awns lodge in the mouth, eyes and noses of animals, and can cause serious injury. Livestock will avoid mature foxtail barley plants if given a choice. Foxtail barley is also a concern in low or no till cropping systems. Fall-seeded cereals may allow foxtail barley populations to increase because the crop and weed develop during the same period with few herbicide control options.

Biology and Ecology

Foxtail barley plants emerge from both seeds and buds. The buds are located in the over-wintering crowns. Typically, as the plant ages the number of stems from the crown increases and the diameter of the plant increases. Seeds will germinate in the fall and spring. Each plant is capable of producing more than 180 seeds. Seed survival is best at the soil surface and deep burial of seeds generally leads to mortality. Seeds are short-lived, most often only lasting for one season, although they can last as long as 7 years.

Management Approaches

The best long term control strategies include cultural, mechanical and herbicide applications. Establishing vigorous crops that are suited to a site’s environmental and soil conditions, as well as employing tillage and /or herbicide applications at different times of the year, will help eliminate this weed from crop and pasture lands.

Biological Control

Research has been conducted on a pre-emergent formulation of biological control agents containing at least one Pseudomonas strain that exhibits weed suppressive activity. Although a patent number has been assigned to this formulation, it is unclear if it is commercially available at this time. http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6881567.html .

Mechanical and Cultural Control

Foxtail barley is not a serious problem under conventional tillage systems. Seed survival is poor when buried greater than 3 inches for more than a year. Established foxtail barley plants are shallow rooted and therefore tillage is a viable control option. Cultivation of established plants is successful if the operation is aggressive enough to uproot the crown. Plowing or disking is preferred for controlling both seeds and established plants. Repeated mowing, similar to intensive grazing, may serve to delay and reduce seed set, but mowing alone will not fully control foxtail barley populations over the long term. For no till systems, a combination of herbicides and cultural practices is required for control. Research has shown that the use of higher seeding rates and banding instead of broadcasting fertilizer can increase crop yields by giving crops a competitive advantage over foxtail barley.

Chemical Control

Many of the graminicides registered for use in cereals and broad-leafed crops will have some effect on foxtail barley, but most are not registered for use on this weed. All of these products are more effective on seedlings (1-4 leaves) than tillering or established foxtail barley plants.

Examples of herbicides that can be used to manage Foxtail barley

Consult herbicide labels for additional rate, application, and safety information. Additional herbicide information can be found at http://www.greenbook.net.

Herbicide Active Ingredient trade name	Mode of Action	Product per Acre	Application Time or Growth Stage
Alfalfa
Pronamide	Microtubule assembly inhibition
*Kerb 50-W		1-2 pounds	Recommended for fall or winter applications to alfalfa. Apply during the fall or winter months. Optimum herbicidal activity occurs when applications are made under cool temperature conditions (55°to 60°F) and are followed by rainfall or overhead irrigation. Applications should always be made before soil freeze-up. Applications may be made postemergence to established, actively growing or dormant forage legumes or to new plantings after the legume has reached the trifoliate leaf stage.
Grass Grown for Seed
Pelargonic acid	Cell membrane disruption (Cellular pH disruption)
*Scythe		3-10% by volume	Apply to small emerged weeds prior to crop emergence or after harvest.
Potato
Clethodim	Inhibition of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACCase)
*Select Max		12 -32 ounces	Apply when foxtail barley is 2 to 6 inches tall. Apply at least 30 days prior to harvest.

The information herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and that listing of commercial products, necessary to this guide, implies no endorsement by the authors or the Extension Services of Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming or Montana. Criticism of products or equipment not listed is neither implied nor intended. Due to constantly changing labels, laws and regulations, the Extension Services can assume no liability for the suggested use of chemicals contained herein. Pesticides must be applied legally complying with all label directions and precautions on the pesticide container and any supplemental labeling and rules of state and federal pesticide regulatory agencies. State rules and regulations and special pesticide use allowances may vary from state to state: contact your State Department of Agriculture for the rules, regulations and allowances applicable in your state and locality.

References

For more information and images please visit IPM Bugwood. http://www.ipmimages.org/search/action.cfm?q=Foxtail%20Barley&Start=1&results=17