Early growth and development of wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.) in relation to wheat

Abstract

Raphanus raphanistrum was grown in monoculture and as a range of cohorts of emergence in mixture with wheat. Growth and development were recorded at frequent intervals up to anthesis of the wheat. R. raphanistrum remained shorter than wheat, only over-topping the crop prior to anthesis for 2 of 7 sowing dates. When expressed in terms of photothermal time, growth in monocultures was similar for all sowing dates except those for wheat in mid-summer. Even a short delay in R. raphanistrum emergence in mixture decreased its growth considerably; R. raphanistrum emerging more than 4 weeks after the crop had no detectable effect on the wheat. However, even R. raphanistrum plants emerging 10 weeks af..