Lambsquarter

Scientific name: Chenopodium album
Synonyms: Common lambsquarter, White goosefoot, Fat hen



Photo courtesy of Randall Prostak
University of Massachusetts

Habitat

Cultivated areas mostly rich in nitrogen

Affected crops

Corn, soybean, potato, and other agricultural crops

Distribution

Worldwide

Description

The leaves are light-green, narrow, with almost parallel sides, and diamond-shaped. The undersides are covered with white powder. The flowers are green, tiny, without petals, and located at the tip of the branches. The flowers' undersides are also covered with white powder. Each plant can produce up to 75,000 seeds.

This weed is easily mistaken as pigweed and vice-versa.

Effects and impacts

Lambsquarter is an alternate host to beet leafhoppers that transmit viruses.

The leaves are eaten as vegetable and the seeds are a good source of protein when prepared as hot cereals or baked goods.

Studies show that Lambsquarters are found to be resistant to Atrazine, Metribuzin, Thifensulfuron-methyl, Simazine, Cyanazine at some corn, soybean, and potato farms, croplands, and orchards in some parts of Europe and USA (Weed Science, 2005).

Methods of control

1. Proper seed selection
2. Through land preparation
3. Proper weed management. The weed is easy to pull as it is shallow rooted.
4. Regular plant monitoring
5. Corn gluten meal. Apply ca. 10 kg of corn gluten meal for an area of 1,000 sq ft, to prevent the weed's seeds from germinating (Bingaman; Christians, 1995). Ask for assistance from your local agriculturist office for this control measure.
6. Vinegar at 10, 15, or 20% concentrations control smooth pigweed up to 6 inches tall. Avoid contact with the main crop when using vinegar for the pigweed control (Webber; et. al. 2005). Ask for assistance from your local agriculturist office for this control measure.

External links

• Owen, M. Acetic acid (vinegar) for weed control revisited. http://www.weeds.iastate.edu/weednews/vinegar.htm
• The University of Vermont. Field corn weeds. http://pss.uvm.edu/pd/vtnapiapx/corn/cornweeds.htm#Crabgrass
• University of Illinois. Glucosinolates in Brassicas: Biological control agents that are good for our health and bad for pests? http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/weed604.html
• Iowa State University. Greenhouse screening of corn gluten meal as a natural control product for broadleaf and grass weeds. http://www.gluten.iastate.edu/pdf/grnhsechr.pdf
• University of Missouri. Herbicide resistance in weeds. Department of Agronomy. http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/crops/g04907.htm
• Weed Science. Herbicide resistant lambsquarters globally. http://www.weedscience.org/Summary/USpeciesCountry.asp?lstWeedID=47&FmSpecies=Go
• University of Georgia. Herbicide resistant weeds and their management in the Southeast. http://www.cropsoil.uga.edu/weedsci/slides/weed-resistance/slide1.html#menuX0
• Oregon State University. Lambsquarter. http://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/weeds/Netseed_lambsquarter/biology.html
• The Pennsylvania State University. Management of triazine-resistant pigweed and lambsquarters. http://www.weedresearch.com/Articles/5046.PDF
• Weed Science Society of America. Non-chemical weed control. http://www.wssa.net/swf_nonchem/
• Coffman, B. Vinegar as an herbicide. USDA. http://www.ba.ars.usda.gov/sasl/services/index.html
• Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory. Vinegar for weed control? http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/ppdl/expert/Vinegar_Weed_Control.html
• University of Massachusetts. Weed herbarium: Lambsquarter. http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/weed_herbarium/pages/cheal.html
• Oregon State University. Weed management in nursery crops. http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-weeds/

References

• Bingaman, B.; Christians, N. (1995): Greenhouse screening of corn gluten meal as a natural control product for broadleaf and grass weeds. Hortscience 30 (6): pp. 1256-1259.
• CABI. (2001): Crop protection compendium. Global module, 3rd edition. CAB International Publishing. Wallingford, UK.
• Christians, N. (1999): Spectrum of weed control by the natural herbicide corn gluten meal (CGM). Strawberry IPM Update. Vol. 4(1): pp. 4-5.
• Moody, K.; Munroe, C.; Lubigan, R.; Paller , E. (1984): Major weeds of the Philippines. University of the Philippines, Los Baños. Laguna, Philippines.
• Webber, C. III; et. al. (2005): Vinegar as an organic burn-down herbicide. Proceedings of the 24th annual horticulture industries show. pp: 168-172.
• Webber, C. III; Shrefler, J. (2005): Corn gluten meal application methods for weed control. Proceedings of the 24th Annual Horticulture Industries Show. pp. 163-167.