White, Tony

Jointed goatgrass is an annual invasive grass weed that infests winter wheat fields in the western United States, resulting in reduced wheat yield and quality.

In this Extension bulletin, we describe the ecology of jointed goatgrass at various stages of its life cycle, and then relate these characteristics to the effectiveness of cultural practices used for managing jointed goatgrass.

Jointed goatgrass and wheat have a close genetic relationship and share many traits. Understanding the genetic relationship between wheat and jointed goatgrass will help with the development of management strategies. Current herbicide-resistant wheat technology will provide producers with a tool to control jointed goatgrass in the crop.