Giant foxtails prefer compacted soils, high in nitrogen and phosphorus.

The plant gains a competitive edge on crops as the soil pH increases.

It is a significant pest of maize/corn, reducing crop yields by 13–14% at average plant distributions.

Mechanical control of giant foxtails by night tillage, rotary hoeing, or flaming is very difficult.

Crop rotation with two years of alfalfa effectively reduces giant foxtail populations.