Why do farmers get fewer weeds in their bean fields than in their wheat fields?

Question

Why do farmers get fewer weeds in their bean fields than in their wheat fields?

Answer 1

Wheat fields are often "winter wheat" that grows through the winter -- we planted in September or October and didn't harvest until late June or July.

Therefore the weeds got killed by frost and by the time spring comes the wheat shades the ground so weeds can't grow.

However, if it rains just before or during harvest time, when the wheat has died and dried, weeds can start to grow and make for a difficult harvest.

I remember a harvest where you couldn't see the wheat for the weeds.  The grain was green from the weed juice and we lost more grain than usual but at least we got most of it out.

As mentioned, herbicides called "preemergents" can be applied to soybean fields at planting time that will kill weeds as they sprout which means a clean field for the soybeans.

Answer 2

johnh is right - it's because of the prevelence of RoundUp Ready beans. RoundUp kills everything but the beans. There are fewer weed control options in wheat.

Answer 3

You first should research the topic on Genetically Modified Foods and Seeds.

GM Seeds are made by incorporating DEADLY VIRUSES and Pre-cancer type cells from TUMORS and they blast these microscopic diseases into the cell walls. The viruses (usually from Ebola!) bonds itself to the DNA…

Of course everyone that has not heard of this or needs to research HOW GM foods are made, are saying "bullsh@t" right now...

Before you simply think you know everything on GM foods and seeds because you "feel" it can not be so, I ask you to spend a few minutes watching the video links below.

Especially if you have children, spend a few minutes on the foods you are feed them, as well as yourself.

Thank you.

Answer 4

It probably does have a lot to do with the use of RoundUp Ready soybeans (they have been modified genetically to be unaffected by glyphosate herbicide, while it kills the weeds).  And the planting times probably contribute as well.

Beans and other legumes don't remove net nitrogen from the soil, they contribute it.  They do grow well in soil that is low in nitrogen, but that's because they form a relationship with certain bacteria (generally rhizobium bacteria) that are capable of taking nitrogen up in certain forms unusable to the plant and converting it to forms that are usable.  In return, the plant provides them with other nutrients.  After beans have been grown in a field, it will be higher in nitrogen then when they were planted.

Answer 5

It might be because of the gas.

Answer 6

While it's true tht beans extract N and fix it in the soil, THAT answer is wrong.

Fewer weeds appear in wheat because of the growth cycle of wheat versus the growth cycle of weeds. Typically, wheat begins to mature in the spring and covers the soils urface with shade. Weeds dont grow well in shade, thus fewer weeds.

On the contrary, the growth cycle of the beans and the weeds is similar, so the weeds are able to compete with the bean plant, sometimes able to outgrow it and insure the leaves will get sunlight.

Answer 7

Tcdog, You are seeing weedless soybean fields because 80% of the soybeans grown today in the US are Roundup Ready beans. When I was growing up soybean fields were the weediest crop you ever saw. Seeing weedless soybean fields today is the best argument that I know of to support GM soybeans. Soybeans are broadleaf plants so the only control for broadleaf weeds was mechanical or manual removing them. Just for my owns reasons I would like to know what age you are, that you don't have a memory of weedy soybean fields.

Answer 8

Because they can use more weed killer spray in bean fields as the spray will not kill the beans, however, most spray if used on wheat fields would kill the wheat

Answer 9

Beans are a ground cover and it makes it harder for weeds to grow through that.

Answer 10

magic beans

Answer 11

Beans extract nitrogen from the soil and store it in nodes within their roots. This makes a high demand on the soil and reduces the chances of competing plants surviving.

Answer 12

first off, beans are the hardyer of the two plants, they can take a little more spray on account of them being a different plant structure than most weeds, also, the  beans tend to cover more ground and choke out the weeds. the wheat however, is a similar grass structure as most of the weeds that grow in the fields. the herbicides applied are designed to attack certain plant structures and so you can't put a whole lot of weed killer on the wheat, as well as the fact that wheat having no bushy leaves allows much more sunlight through.