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Class C Noxious Weed

Jointed Goatgrass
Aegilops cylindrica
 

Image of jointed goatgrass

Other common names:  Jointgrass
 Plant family: Poaceae
Year listed: 1988
Native to: Europe

Why is it a noxious weed?

Jointed goatgrass is a troublesome winter annual grass weed in winter wheat-fallow production areas.

How would I identify it?

General Description: Jointed goatgrass is a winter annual grass vegetatively similar to wheat in the seed stage. It has a narrow, nonspreading inflorescense with the appearance of a series of joints being stacked upon top of each other.

Leaves:

  • Alternately Image of alternative leaf example arranged with auricles at their base and occasional hairs extending along the margins.
  • Leaf blades 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide with hairs.

Flowers:

  • Flower spike is cylindrical.
  • Two to four flowers are arranged in each of the 1/2 long spikelets. It is jointed in appearance, with each joint containing one to three seeds.
  • The glumes on the top spikelet have long awns.

Stems:

  • Grow up to 4 feet tall and are tipped with slender, cylindrical spikes.

How does it reproduce?
Jointed goatgrass reproduces by seed. Hybridization may occur with wheat. The hybrid then consists of spikelets of both wheat and jointed goatgrass. The seeds, when produced in hybrids are usually sterile.

Where does it grow?

Jointed goatgrass is found mostly in wheat fields, but it survives along roadsides, waste areas, alfalfa fields, and pastures. It is found in most of the wheat producing areas of the Pacific Northwest and is know to occur in every Eastern Washington county.

What is the distribution in Washington State?

 

How do I control it?

General control methods:

Cultural:

  1. Make sure harvesting equipment is free of weed seed before moving it into fields.

  2. Destroy small infestations of jointed goatgrass in winter wheat fields.

  3. Change the crop for at least two years to a late spring crop, such as millet or sorghum. To prevent goatgrass seed production, the infested area must not be planted to fall-sown grains. Jointed goatgrass seed may remain viable in the soil for several years. Therefore, to prevent reinfestation, the crop must be changed for at least three years. It will help to rotate with such crops as sorghum, corn, other row crops, or a crop, such as millet, which is planted late in spring.

  4. Use a winter wheat-fallow cropping sequence.

  5. Do not let jointed goatgrass produce seed.

  6. Prevent seed production of jointed goatgrass in areas near the field, such as in roadsides and waste areas.

  7. If rain occurs near planting time, wait a few days for the jointed goatgrass seed to germinate. The new seedling plants can then be killed with tillage before you plant the wheat.

  8. Plant clean wheat seed. Plant at the latest recommended date.

Herbicide: Please refer to the PNW Weed Management Handbook, or contact your county noxious weed coordinator.

Mechanical: Font placeholder

Biological: None known.

Are there plants that may be confused with (name of weed)?

Jointed goatgrass and wheat are genetically related.  It is difficult to distinguish jointed goatgrass in wheat during the early vegetative growth stages. It also makes selective control with herbicides difficult. Jointed goatgrass may be distinguished from winter wheat by occasional hairs extending from the margin of the leaf blade, particularly near the collar or stem. To confidently distinguish vegetatively between jointed goatgrass and wheat, dig up a seedling and look for a spikelet attached to the root. After heading, jointed goatgrass easily is identified.

For more information
  • For Idaho's weed awareness campaign on jointed goatgrass click here.

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Image of jointed goatgrass plant
Jointed goatgrass plant

 Last updated September 10, 2008