Black Mustard [Brassica nigra]

Pest Profile

About the weed

It is a tall, branched, annual dicotyledon, 40-200cm tall with a bristly lower stem. The flowers are bright yellow.

Key features

Leaves: The leaves are lobed and hairy.

Biology

Black mustard was formerly cultivated as mustard seed, though it is now rarely grown. Although some early-germinating plants overwinter they are not hardy and seldom survive the winter, so seed germinating in spring is more of a problem in late-sown wheat and spring-sown crops.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Life Cycle

Seed longevity: >5 years

Seed weight: 3.33 mg

Seeds/plant: 10 - 100

Treatment

Management

Use a stale seedbed approach before sowing spring crops. Control seedlings with harrows and established plants with hoeing. Black mustard can be controlled with foliar-acting herbicides.f