WeedTraits

What is the WeedTraits Project about?

Grass weeds compete with crops such as barley and wheat. In the context of evolving herbicide resistance and the commitment under the European Green Deal to reduce pesticide use, it is important to gain a better understanding of the physiological and molecular processes that determine weediness traits and how they determine competitive interactions with cereals. This is essential for our understanding of how to select the most suitable cereal varieties and management practices (application of plant growth regulators and fertilisers) in sustainable cereal production systems. 

The annual grass weed wild oat (Avena fatua) poses a significant challenge as a weed, competing with crops and impacting yields. It is one of the most detrimental weeds in temperate agriculture and widely distributed in the south and east of Ireland.

Our work centers on unraveling key traits of this weed to inform effective control strategies.

Avena fatua logo and illustration credits: Lizzie Harper