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Free program predicts when weeds will emerge and how fast they will grow.

WeedCast is a Windows-based software application that forecasts emergence and growth of 17 weeds (list below). Developed by USDA-ARS researchers Cheryl Reese and Frank Forcella, the program's concept is fairly simple: You enter daily max-min temperatures and rainfall into a preformatted spreadsheet and select environmental data such as soil type, water capacity, and previous crop and tillage. WeedCast then generates tables and graphs forecasting emergence potential, emergence timing and weed-seedling height. (Not all are available for each weed species in the currently available Alpha version.)

Predictions should be treated as guides -- estimates based upon current understandings of the biology of the various weed species, caution the application's authors. Regular updates will improve predictions and add new weed species. Requires IBM-compatible with a 80386 processor or higher (Pentium processors highly recommended), hard drive with at least 8 megs available, 4 megs RAM, Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 and mouse.

Sample emergence graph generated by
WeedCast. [Full-screen 4KB]		 WeedCast forecasts emergence and growth of:

Green foxtail
Giant foxtail
Yellow foxtail
Redroot pigweed
Common lambsquarters
Wild buckwheat
Pennsylvania smartweed
Barnyardgrass
Proso millet
Common sunflower
Black nightshade
Common cocklebur
Velvetleaf
Kochia
Common ragweed
Giant ragweed
Wild mustard

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