Assessing the efficacy and impact of management of an invasive species in a protected area: Poa annua on sub‐Antarctic Macquarie Island

Plant eradication is difficult, particularly in remote, protected areas. The Southern Ocean Islands are very isolated and highly protected, but the flora contains many alien plants. Small restricted populations have been eradicated, but eradication of established species has proven difficult. A better understanding of the efficacy of control methods at sub‐Antarctic temperatures and their off‐target impacts may increase eradication success. With interest in controlling non‐native Poa annua in the region, we aimed to determine if physical and chemical methods can control P. annua (the sub‐Antarctic biotype) in sub‐Antarctic conditions and examined their impact on native plants. We quantified the effectiveness of physical control methods on P. annua in situ on sub‐Antarctic Macquarie Island through field‐based experiments and assessed their selectivity on P. annua compared with native grasses. We also quantified the effectiveness of several herbicides on P. annua at sub‐Antarctic temperatures and assessed their selectivity on native grasses. Of the four physical disturbance methods tested, none effectively reduced P. annua cover as one‐off treatments. Of the herbicide treatments, glyphosate and trifloxysulfuron sodium were effective and were less damaging to native grass species, indicating potential selectivity. Physical control was of limited effectiveness, but did not affect native species richness. An integrated weed management programme utilising the strategic use of selective herbicides with follow‐up chemical and physical intervention may balance control and biodiversity outcomes. This research highlights the importance of site‐specific testing of control methods and understanding off‐target impacts of control when managing alien plant species in protected areas.     

土壤日晒在绿色植保中的应用与展望

土壤消毒主要用于土壤病虫草害防控。过去几十年,土壤主要采用化学药品熏蒸消毒,不合理使用容易造成环境污染。土壤蒸汽消毒、火焰消毒和热水浇灌等需要专门的仪器设备,且存在能耗较高、灭生性强、容易破坏土壤结构等缺点。目前,土壤日晒技术受到意大利、美国、以色列等70多个国家农业科学家的广泛关注,但在中国依然处于初级阶段。本文总结了国内外学者关于土壤日晒对农业病虫草害、土壤肥力、农作物产量等方面的影响与应用,分析了土壤日晒存在的局限性,并对土壤日晒在未来农业绿色防控上的应用前景进行了展望,以期为农产品无公害生产提供理论依据和实践参考。     

A novel approach to estimating the competitive ability of Cirsium arvense in cereals using unmanned aerial vehicle imagery

Eight experiments were carried out in Denmark to determine the yield loss of spring barley due to Cirsium arvense in farmers' fields and to suggest and evaluate a novel approach for quantifying C. arvense infestation in large plots. Literature about the competitive ability of C. arvense is old, scattered and inconclusive, and existing models for estimating crop yield loss are based on data from North America. This study showed that C. arvense coverage could be quantified from unmanned aerial vehicle imagery using a manual image analysis procedure. This gave similar results as scoring the coverage. Yield loss of spring barley due to C. arvense infestation assessed at harvest was given by Y = 100·(1−exp(−0.00170·X)) where Y is the percentage of crop yield loss and X is the percentage of C. arvense coverage. The yield loss was much lower than estimates from models that have been developed in North America. It is speculated that the main reason for this is the later emergence of C. arvense than the crop due to lower soil temperatures in spring. Grain moisture increased linearly with C. arvense coverage: M = 0.0310·X where M is the proportional (%) increase in grain moisture and X is the proportion (%) of C. arvense coverage. Automated image analysis procedures are needed to estimate C. arvense coverage on field scales, and further experiments are needed to reveal whether the low competitive ability of C. arvense found in this study is representative for Northern Europe.     

Weed seedling emergence in contrasting fodder crop systems following 30 years of cultivation in the lowlands of Northern Italy

Five fodder crop systems of different intensity (ranging from a double annual crop of Italian ryegrass + silage maize to a permanent meadow) were adopted for 30 years in the lowlands of Northern Italy under two input levels, differing mainly in their provision of organic fertiliser (manure). Herbicides were used in the maize crops included in all systems, except the meadow. After 30 years, the weed seedbank of all systems and input levels were assessed by the seedling emergence technique on soil samples from each plot. The cropping systems determined the abundance and composition of the weed assembly. Relatively few, frequent species made up the majority of the emerged seedlings in all systems, and there was no relationship between the total number of emerged seedlings and the mean number of species recorded in the different systems. Arabidopsis thaliana and Oxalis corniculata were abundant in the annual double crop and in the 3- and 6-year rotations that also comprised the annual double crop. These weeds, however, were unlikely to represent a major threat to the crops, due to their vigour and growth period. The permanent meadow tended to greater weed biodiversity than the other systems. The application of manure favoured the seedbank of species such as Lolium multiflorum, Digitaria sanguinalis and A. thaliana. Weed communities in the different systems were mainly determined by herbicide application, (through the ability of weeds to avoid its effects, determined by the weed life history and emergence period) and manure application (with its possible dual effect of spreading weed seeds and favouring nitrogen-responsive weeds).     

Site‐specific management is crucial to managing Mikania micrantha

Increasingly, weeds have been taking on global distributions. With the proliferation of invasive weeds has come the challenge of managing these species over broad geographical regions, with diverse habitats and political jurisdictions. Here, we review the management of Mikania micrantha Kunth (Asteraceae; mile‐a‐minute) throughout its invaded range, extending through most of the Pacific islands and southern and south‐east Asia. Context matters when determining the best course of action for managing M. micrantha, as it has invaded a large variety of agricultural and natural systems. In Queensland, Australia and Florida, USA, M. micrantha has been targeted in relatively successful eradication campaigns, highlighting the importance of early detection and rapid response methods, while elsewhere in its invaded range, populations are either still increasing or showing limited signs of decline. An inter‐regional approach to research and management should incorporate successful management strategies employed throughout the invaded range including, but not limited to, chemical and cultural control practices, manual and mechanical control, classical biological control using the rust fungus Puccinia spegazzinii, plant–plant competition and integrated approaches utilising two or more control methods concurrently. Additional knowledge of M. micrantha genetics is required to determine if management approaches could be fine‐tuned for particular populations. Countries bordering the Mekong River formed a network in 2011 to co‐ordinate the management of invasive species such as M. micrantha. Expanding such a collaborative approach to other regions could further reduce populations of M. micrantha and limit its spread.     

Effect of soil moisture during stratification on dormancy release in seeds of five common weed species

Although the effects of cold stratification on the release of physiological dormancy in seeds have been studied extensively, knowledge of the role of soil moisture content on seed dormancy release during cold stratification is limited. Our study determined seed dormancy characteristics and the effect of soil moisture content on seed dormancy breakage during cold stratification in the five common weed species Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album, Chenopodium hybridum, Plantago lanceolata and Setaria glauca. Seeds of all five species were dormant at the time of harvest and their germination response to light and temperature varied. Soil moisture content had a significant effect on seed dormancy release of all species except P. lanceolata. Germination percentage of A. retroflexus, C. album, C. hybridum increased and then decreased as soil moisture content increased, regardless of germination test temperature. The optimal soil moisture content and seed moisture content for dormancy breakage of A. retroflexus, C. album, C. hybridum were 8%, 12%, 8% and 22.0%, 37.7%, 25.7% respectively. Dry storage (after‐ripening) significantly increased germination of S. glauca. Moreover, increasing soil moisture content first slowed and then increased dormancy breakage in S. glauca. These results suggest that data on soil moisture content should be incorporated into models that predict weed seed dormancy breakage and timing of seedling emergence as well as those for weed management.     

冬油菜与杂草对长期不同施肥的差异性适应

研究长期水旱轮作条件下,施肥模式对田间冬油菜、杂草、土壤养分及冬油菜–杂草空间分布的影响,为长江流域冬油菜轻简化生产提供依据。2011年在湖北省粮油主产区——江汉平原布置水稻–冬油菜轮作肥效定位试验。2016年冬油菜收获期,调查农田杂草群落多样性和分析油菜–杂草–土壤养分三者状况。结果表明,长期土壤养分亏缺会显著影响油菜–杂草的生长和空间分布、形成不同的杂草优势群落。平衡施肥(NPK处理)有助于增加冬油菜根茎粗、有效分枝数、角果数和最终产量,降低杂草总生物量,提高杂草群落多样性Shannon-Wiener指数。与NPK处理相比,–N、–P和–K均会不同程度地降低籽粒、茎秆、角壳和杂草的养分吸收量,尤以–P处理降幅最为明显。与土壤养分含量的初始值相比,长期不施用化肥会引起土壤氮磷钾有效含量下降,尤其对于土壤钾,现有平衡施肥措施不足以弥补农田钾素亏缺,应重视秸秆还田的补钾效果。总之,长期科学的农田养分管理与调控措施,不仅可以降低杂草对冬油菜的危害、增强生物多样性和形成良性的油菜-杂草竞争环境,也有利于减少化学药剂使用、推动冬油菜的轻简化生产。     

利用微生物防除根寄生杂草列当

根寄生杂草列当(Orobanche spp.)已经严重制约全球许多地区的农业发展,寻找有效防除措施迫在眉睫。由于列当具有特殊生活史且与寄主关系密切,常规防除杂草措施难以达到理想防效。目前,尚无既能有效防除列当又不对寄主造成危害且便于大规模推广应用的列当防除措施。在众多列当防除措施中,微生物防除越来越引起关注和重视。本文对微生物防除列当的国内外研究进展及防除机理进行了综述。目前,列当生防微生物的研究主要集中在镰刀菌(Fusarium spp.)等列当病原菌和根瘤菌(Rhizobium spp.)等列当寄主植物共生菌上。微生物防除列当的机制主要包括两方面:一是通过产生代谢产物直接影响列当的萌发和生长,或通过降解列当种子萌发诱导物质间接影响列当的萌发;二是通过提高寄主植物自身对列当的抗性间接影响列当的寄生和生长。此外,本文还重点介绍了植物土传病害的土壤拮抗微生物防除列当杂草的可行性及研究进展。植物土传病害病原菌和列当均首先通过在地下侵染作物的根系进而危害作物正常生长,而作物抗土传病害的机理也与抗列当的机理类似。因此,存在于土壤中具有防治植物土传病害能力的微生物可能也具有防除根寄生杂草列当的功能。本团队前期试验从植物土传病害的土壤拮抗微生物中筛选到在盆栽试验中能够有效防除向日葵列当(O.cumana Wallr.)和瓜列当(O.aegyptiaca Pers.)的放线菌各1株,分别为淡紫褐链霉菌(Streptomyces enissocaesilis Sveshnikova)和密旋链霉菌(Streptomyces pactum Bhuyan B.K)。其中,密旋链霉菌的菌剂在田间试验中既降低了瓜列当的出土数量又增加了番茄的产量。总之,微生物是防除根寄生杂草列当的一条有效途径。     

高寒区农茬口对当归田杂草群落特征的影响

农田杂草危害是高寒区当归生产的主要限制因子。采用田间调查和统计鉴定相结合的方法,研究了甘南藏族自治州卓尼县培育的马铃薯和油菜茬口当归栽培田杂草群落动态,以当归重茬为对照,旨在揭示茬口特性对当归田杂草消长动态的影响,为筛选适宜栽培当归的农茬口和田间杂草防控提供科学依据。结果表明,在试验茬口当归田共发生杂草15种,隶属9科15属,主要优势种群为锦葵、欧洲千里光、苦苣、繁缕、刺儿菜和甘露子。当归田杂草种类、密度、多样性和生物量因茬口和季节的不同而异,季相消长跃变程度更大,随季节延后杂草多样性下降,优势种杂草利用资源的相似性更高,锦葵和欧洲千里光随当归返青而滋生,随当归生长发育而迅速蔓延,成为占优势的恶性杂草,对当归的危害性最大,导致杂草群落稳定性降低,在当归重茬和马铃薯茬田单生优势度更为突出,优势杂草潜在恶化危害性增大,但在油菜茬田杂草生长量最小,与当归生长竞争势较弱,使当归始终占据优势生态位,说明油菜茬口较利于当归栽培,但根据恶性杂草物候特征及早防除更为关键。     

茶园杂草危害的防控现状及治理策略的探讨

从茶园杂草组成、物种类型、生活型组成等方面分析国内外茶园杂草构成特点;同时,从茶园生长状况、地形地貌、季节气候等方面归纳了茶园杂草发生特点。从农艺控草、化学除草、生态养草、生物防草等方面回顾和总结了当前茶园杂草治理的经验措施。以构建茶园和谐生态系统为目标,基于国际"杂草的综合管理"制定的茶园杂草控制策略,创新性地提出以"生态养草"为主体和"农艺控草"为常规的茶园杂草控制技术体系,以减少杂草发生及危害,保障茶叶品质和生态环境安全。