Weed competition decreases the availability of essential elements, necessary for optimum potato growth and yield (Banaras, 1993; Nelson and Thoreson, 1981). Weeds also indirectly hinder potato production by serving as alternate hosts for parasitic pests, increasing tuber damage, and increasing harvest complications (Nowacki, 1983). To combat these negative impacts, herbicides are applied to greater than 90% of the total potato acres in Wisconsin (Wisconsin Pesticide Use Bulletin, 1996). Use of herbicides increases potato production costs and also increases the potential for non-point source water contamination. Non-point water pollution is especially a concern in the Central Sands of Wisconsin where coarse textured soils and shallow water tables are present.

Recent research in corn and soybean cropping systems has confirmed that many weed species are aggregated within fields, and large portions of these fields have low densities of weed species (Gerhards et al. 1997; Johnson et al. 1995; Mortensen et al. 1993). However, a typical herbicide application is a uniform broadcast application of broadspectrum herbicides to control a diverse group of weed species. This application technique is effective and decreases the risk of weed escapes, but may be an unwarranted expense. One way to reduce weed management costs is by specifically applying herbicides where weed species exist. In order to accomplish the site specific application of herbicides, trustworthy maps of the weed specie density distribution must be created and economically justified. Therefore, research is being conducted to determine weed specie distribution and the potential for site specific management of weeds within production potato fields.