Awned Canary Grass [Phalaris paradoxa]

Pest Profile

About the weed

It is a tufted annual grass up to 1m tall, freely tillering, with long tapering leaves and a long pointed ligule. The flowerheads are upright, broad and densely packed with spikelets which have green and white striped markings.

Key features

Flowers/fruit: The flowerheads fall intact when ripe.

Biology

Awned canary-grass is an annual grass which only reproduces by seed. Although it is uncommon, it is a fairly new but increasing problem. It is generally found in the same areas as black-grass, in moisture-retentive soils. It is competitive with cereal crops. It spreads initially from volunteers of previous bird-seed crops. It is difficult to control with the usual grass herbicides and can be a serious weed in winter crops.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Life Cycle

Seed weight: 1.25 mg

Management

Seeds may be buried by deep ploughing, and leaving in the seedbank for 2 – 3 years. Cycloxydim may be used in some broadleaved crops.