Increasing weed flora in Danish arable fields and its importance for biodiversity

A number of political initiatives have been implemented to meet growing concerns about negative side effects of the intensification of land‐use practice over the past 25 years. Declining species diversity and abundance and pollution of the environment have been reported worldwide. In order to assess the overall effect on wild flora of the changing management of arable land, national surveys are necessary. Surveys of the weed flora in Danish arable fields were conducted in 1987–89 and 2001–04. The frequency of common weed species in spring barley, spring rape, winter rye, winter wheat and grass leys was compared between time periods. Weed frequency increased overall during the interval. Species that are of particular importance as food sources for invertebrates and birds increased considerably in some of the crops. The frequency of some grass species increased remarkably, possibly because of increased areas of winter crops. Some perennial weeds also became more frequent, probably caused by less mechanical weed control and a reduction in the use of specific herbicides. The dominant weed species in 2001–04, with frequency higher than 10%, were largely the same as in 1987–89, but included three new species in 2001–04. Only a few species occurred less frequently in 2001–04 than in 1987–89 and only in some crops. As common weed species make up an important food reservoir for wildlife, new trends in the management of arable land in Denmark seem to have led to more biodiversity.     

Weed flora and weed management in established olive groves in Albania

Weed flora were surveyed during 2000 and 2001 in 10 established olive groves that were located in the area of Vlora, in south‐western Albania. The effectiveness of six weed management treatments (soil tillage, straw mulch, cover cropping [a mixture of rye with peas], and grazing, as well as glyphosate and diuron application) on the weed flora, olive yield, and fruit quality also were investigated in two locations during 2000, 2001, and 2002. More than 80 weed species were recorded, representing a total of 14 families, in which the families Poaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, and Rosaceae predominated. The glyphosate application provided the highest and most consistent level of weed control, whereas diuron achieved sufficient weed control. The straw mulch provided acceptable weed control but the cover crop and the grazing did not sufficiently control the weeds. The highest fruit and oil yields were produced by the trees treated with the straw mulch as a result of the highest mean fruit weight in each year, followed by the soil tillage treatment. However, the olive trees in the plots treated with glyphosate or grazing provided lower or equal, respectively, fruit and oil yields than did those in the untreated plots (control). The results indicated that certain non‐chemical weed control methods, such as straw mulch, can be implemented successfully in established olive groves, providing satisfactory control of weeds and promoting the highest fruit and oil yields.     

Distribution of parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.), an alien invasive weed species threatening the biodiversity of Islamabad

Biological invasion by alien invasive species is now recognized as one of the major threats to native species and ecosystems. Parthenium weed ( Parthenium hysterophorus L.), an alien invasive weed species, is spreading throughout Pakistan. Worldwide, it has been designated as one of the most troublesome weed species. The adverse effects of this weed on human beings, livestock, crop production, and biodiversity are well-documented. As a result of a lack of information on its spread in Pakistan since its invasion, a phytosociological survey, with special reference to parthenium weed, was carried out in Islamabad from August–October 2002. Six main sectors of Islamabad were selected for sampling. The phytosociological survey of these sectors of Islamabad revealed a total of 30 weed species to be associated with P. hysterophorus . The survey also showed a high relative frequency, relative density, and importance value of P. hysterophorus in general; however, the percentage relative frequency of the weed in these sectors ranged from 10.6–30.3%. This survey revealed that P. hysterophorus had an appreciable degree of sociability with Senna occidentalis (L.) Link, Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke and Lantana camara (L.). The data on the association of L. camara with P. hysterophorus suggests that a transition phase of competition or succession is in progress between these two alien species. The population of many common medicinal plants growing in the wastelands of Islamabad might be rapidly declining because of the aggressive colonization by P. hysterophorus . The ever-increasing infestation of this weed in urban areas also poses a serious threat to the health of the inhabitants of Islamabad.     

Effects of density and sowing pattern on weed suppression and grain yield in three varieties of maize under high weed pressure

We tested the hypothesis that improved weed suppression by maize can be achieved through increased crop density and spatial uniformity. Field experiments on three varieties of maize sown at three densities (5, 7 and 10.5 seeds m^?2) and in two spatial patterns (grid pattern and rows) under very high weed pressure from Brachiaria brizantha were performed in 2012 and 2013. We measured weed biomass 1 month after sowing and at harvest, and grain yield at harvest. Density, variety and sowing pattern all had strong and significant effects on both weed biomass and yield. On average, weed biomass was reduced (by 72% in the first year and 58% in the second year), and grain yield was increased (by 48% and 44%) at the highest density in the grid pattern compared with standard sowing practices (medium density, row pattern). There was a significant density × variety interaction, which is evidence for genetic differences in the response of the varieties to density in characteristics that influence weed suppression. The variety that suppressed weeds best at high density had the lowest variation in the angle of insertion of the oldest living leaf at harvest (leaf 6), supporting the hypothesis that reduced phenotypic plasticity may be advantageous for weed suppression under high density and spatial uniformity. Increased density and uniformity can contribute to weed management in maize in many cases, potentially reducing the need for herbicides or mechanical weed control.     

Influence of sowing density and spatial pattern of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) on the suppression of different weed species

To better understand the potential for improving weed management in cereal crops with increased crop density and spatial uniformity, we conducted field experiments over two years with spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) and four weed species: lambsquarters ( Chenopodium album ) , Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum ), white mustard ( Sinapis alba ), and chickweed ( Stellaria media ). The crops were sown at three densities (204, 449, and 721 seeds m⁻²) and in two spatial patterns (normal rows and a highly uniform pattern), and the weeds were sown in a random pattern at a high density. In most cases, the sown weeds dominated the weed community but, in other cases, naturally occurring weeds were also important. There were strong and significant effects regarding the weed species sown, the crop density, and the spatial distribution on the weed biomass in both years. The weed biomass decreased with increased crop density in 29 out of 30 cases. On average, the weed biomass was lower and the grain yield was higher in the uniform compared to the row pattern in both 2001 and 2002. Despite the differences in weed biomass, the responses of L. multiflorum , S. media , and C. album populations to crop density and spatial uniformity were very similar, as were their effects on the grain yield. Sinapis alba was by far the strongest competitor and it responded somewhat differently. Our results suggest that a combination of increased crop density and a more uniform spatial pattern can contribute to a reduction in weed biomass and yield loss, but the effects are smaller if the weeds are taller than the crop when crop–weed competition becomes intense.     

Mapping the drivers of parasitic weed abundance at a national scale: a new approach applied to Striga asiatica in the mid-west of Madagascar

The parasitic weed genus Striga causes huge losses to crop production in sub-Saharan Africa, estimated to be in excess of $7 billion per year. There is a paucity of reliable distribution data for Striga; however, such data are urgently needed to understand current drivers, better target control efforts, as well as to predict future risks. To address this, we developed a methodology to enable rapid, large-scale monitoring of Striga populations. We used this approach to uncover the factors that currently drive the abundance and distribution of Striga asiatica in Madagascar. Two long-distance transects were established across the middle-west region of Madagascar in which S. asiatica abundance in fields adjacent to the road was estimated. Management, crop structure and soil data were also collected. Analysis of the data suggests that crop variety, companion crop and previous crop were correlated with Striga density. A positive relationship between within-field Striga density and the density of the nearest neighbouring fields indicates that spatial configuration and connectivity of suitable habitats is also important in determining Striga spread. Our results demonstrate that we are able to capture distribution and management data for Striga density at a landscape scale and use this to understand the ecological and agronomic drivers of abundance. The importance of crop varieties and cropping patterns is significant, as these are key socio-economic elements of Malagasy cropping practices. Therefore, they have the potential to be promoted as readily available control options, rather than novel technologies requiring introduction.     

Factors influencing the weed flora in the Gezira Scheme, Sudan

Agriculture plays a major role in the economic and social development of Sudan. The most important agricultural area in Sudan is the irrigated Gezira Agricultural Scheme (GAS), which takes water from the Sennar Dam on the Blue Nile. This study investigated weed communities in relation to geographical location and crop rotation in 2000 and 2001. Five agricultural units were sampled from the central sector of the GAS; within each unit we surveyed weed communities in different phases of the crop rotation: cotton, groundnuts, sorghum, and a fallow. The distribution of weed species showed some similarities in the 2 years sampled, with most species being found in all agricultural units but their relative proportions differed. Broad-leaved weeds were dominant, suggesting that herbicides selected for weed control in the Gezira scheme need to be effective against this group of species. Agricultural unit and crop type affected weed communities in both years. The weed flora was largest in cotton, intermediate in groundnuts and sorghum, and smallest in the fallow. Although most weeds were found in all agricultural units; however, their relative abundances differed greatly, either as a result of differences in management between the units, or some other spatial effect. As such, weed control programmes need to be tailored at the agricultural unit scale.     

Cover crops and mulches influence weed management and weed flora composition in strip‐tilled tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

This study was conducted in the Mediterranean environment of Central Italy from 2011 to 2013 with the aim of evaluating the effects of winter cover crops and their residues on weed composition in a cover crop‐tomato sequence. Treatments consisted of five soil managements (three cover crop species ‐ hairy vetch, phacelia, white mustard, winter fallow mulched with barley straw before tomato transplanting and conventionally tilled soil), two nitrogen fertilisation levels (0 and 100 kg N ha^?1) and two weed management levels (weed free and weedy) on tomato. Cover crop residues were arranged in strips on the soil surface and then used as beds for transplanting the tomato seedlings in paired rows. Rotary hoeing was performed in the bare strips between paired tomato rows. At tomato harvesting, the weed aboveground biomass and density was higher in nitrogen‐fertilised tomato than unfertilised tomato, except in hairy vetch and barley straw that showed similar values. Hairy vetch used as a cover crop and dead mulch was the most suppressive species with the highest production of residues, while phacelia and mustard were not suitable for controlling weeds. The tomato yield was high in nitrogen fertilised and weed‐free treatments, except in barley straw mulch, which showed similar values among the weed management treatments. The mulch strips caused variations in weed species composition that was mainly composed of perennial ruderal weeds, while in tilled soil, the weed flora was dominated by annual photoblastic weeds.     

Appropriateness of inexpensive, hand-held global positioning system units for creating weed maps in a pasture

This paper describes the practical use of a global positioning system receiver (hand-held GPS) as a means of measuring and describing pasture areas invaded by weeds. The accuracy of two GPS units, a hand-held GPS with an external antenna (GPS with an antenna) and the differential global positioning system receiver (DGPS), were examined in Morioka, northern Japan. In addition, an area of weed patches and a pasture, determined using the GPS with an antenna, were compared to the measurements made with a conventional tape and a weed map was created based on the coordinate data of latitude and longitude measurements. The accuracy of the GPS with an antenna was poor (8.3 m); however, the precision of the unit was reasonable in measuring area. An area estimation error by the GPS with an antenna was 7% when practically measuring weed patches of 141 m² and 1% in a paddock of 12 566 m². From these results, it appears that the GPS with an antenna might have an acceptable error in measuring areas for weed control in a pasture. A weed map produced from the coordinate data surveyed using the GPS with an antenna enables the state of weed growth and its domination in an area of pasture to be visually understood. Therefore, GPS technologies easily can be applied to quickly obtain information on weed infestation.     

检疫进境散装大豆中杂草籽两种取样方法的比较

采用机械化取样与人工取样方法对进口大豆中杂草籽检疫结果进行比较，发现两种取样方法对杂草籽的检疫结果在总体上无显著区别。机械化取样可以替代人工取样进行进口大豆中的杂草籽检疫。     

江汉平原麦田杂草调查

运用倒置“Ｗ”９点取样法对江汉平原麦棉套作农田杂草调查,结果表明该地区麦田杂草有１４科２３种,其中禾本科杂草占２７％,阔叶杂草占６９％,莎草科占４％。相对多度达１０以上的麦田杂草依次有猪殃殃、婆婆纳、野燕麦、半夏、通泉草、狗牙根、卷耳等７种,其中猪殃殃、婆婆纳两种双子叶杂草的相对多度达５０和４０,为当地麦田优势种群。     

Composition of the stubble weed flora and its role for Heterodera schachtii in the year preceding sugar beet production

In Germany, sugar beet is often rotated with 2 years of cereal. Extensive fallow periods between cereal harvest and autumn primary tillage allow for a weed flora to develop. Broad‐leaved weeds could potentially be alternate hosts for the common nematode Heterodera schachtii, one of the most important pests of sugar beet. Between 2009 and 2012, annual weeds developing in cereal stubble fields during July to mid‐October in the season prior to sugar beet were surveyed, including known hosts of H. schachtii. Yearly weather patterns and agronomic practices possibly impacted weed species composition and weed population densities. During September, Chenopodium album, Cirsium arvense, Convolvulus arvensis, Mercurialis annua, Polygonum spp., Solanum nigrum and Sonchus spp. occurred at the highest frequencies. Weed hosts of H. schachtii were present, but densities, frequencies and uniformity were limited. In 2010 and 2011, staining for nematodes in roots revealed juvenile penetration of some weeds but few adult stages. No indication of nematode reproduction of H. schachtii was found on these weed hosts. A fairly stable weed flora was detected on stubble fields that could provide some carry over for weed species. An elevated risk for nematode population density build‐up on these weeds was not found and management of these weeds at the observed densities during the stubble period for nematological reasons appeared unnecessary.     

A weed suppressive index for spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) varieties

A screening programme for crop variety competitiveness would ideally be based on only a few, non-destructive measurements of key growth traits. In this study we measured the weed suppressive ability of 79 varieties of spring barley in two ways: (i) directly, by weed coverage assessments under weedy conditions at three Danish locations in 2002–2004 and (ii) indirectly, by non-destructive measurements of varietal growth traits under weed-free conditions in 17 other experiments in Denmark in 2001–2003. Based on just four varietal growth traits (reflectance, leaf area index, leaf angle and culm length), we successfully developed a method for indexing the weed suppressive ability of spring barley varieties. The suppressive index ranged from 12% in Lux and 55% in Modena in proportion to the 90% quantile coverage of all varieties. The index was validated against independent data from two locations in 2005 with 14 and 24 varieties and was found valuable for future use in regular screening programmes.     

Change in weed control studies of rice paddy fields in Korea

This paper was reviewed on the research status of weed control according to cultivating patterns of rice in Korea. Weed control study in a nursery bed was chiefly carried out to control the species of barnyardgrass at the times of machine transplanting. Propanil and nitrofen were applied successfully in wet-nursery beds, and chlornitrofen and pyrazolate/butachlor were also successfully applied in protected semi-irrigated rice nursery beds in the 1970s. Sequential application of herbicides in the mid-1980s has resulted in the end of hand weeding. In machine transplanting, basic research such as the selection of herbicides was conducted in the early 1970s, and its related research including crop injury, seedling age, and reaction of cultivars were done in the late 1970s to early 1980s. Effects of the continuous application of herbicides and its methods of labor saving for rice cultivation were studied in the mid to late 1980s. When the rice planting methods were newly established, such as transplanting when seedlings were 10-days-old and direct seeding from the early 1990s, weed control research relating to herbicides was carried out (e.g. herbicide registration, crop injury, water management, appropriate application time, and neighboring application with insecticide). Weed control for the dill seeding of fields in wetted and reclaimed saline land have been experimented with, particularly in terms of the physio-ecological characteristics and the control of problematic weeds, and the resistance of weeds to herbicides was also investigated systematically.     

Critical periods for weed control in cotton in Turkey

Field studies were conducted over 4 years in south‐eastern Turkey in 1999–2002 to establish the critical period for weed control (CPWC). This is the period in the crop growth cycle during which weeds must be controlled to prevent unacceptable yield losses. A quantitative series of treatments of both increasing duration of weed interference and of the weed‐free period were applied. The beginning and end of CPWC were based on 5% acceptable yield loss levels which were determined by fitting logistic and Gompertz equations to relative yield data representing increasing duration of weed interference and weed‐free period, estimated as growing degree days (GDD). Total weed dry weight increased with increasing time prior to weed removal. Cotton heights were reduced by prolonged delays in weed removal in all treatments in all 4 years. The beginning of CPWC ranged from 100 to 159 GDD, and the end from 1006 to 1174 GDD, depending on the weed species present and their densities. Practical implications of this study are that herbicides (pre‐emergence residual or post‐emergence), or other weed control methods should be used in Turkey to eliminate weeds from 1–2 weeks post‐crop emergence up to 11–12 weeks. Such an approach would keep yield loss levels below 5%.     

Effect of tillage, cover crop and crop rotation on the composition of weed flora in a sandy soil

The development of integrated weed management strategies requires knowledge of mechanisms that influence compositional changes in weed flora. A 9-year study was initiated in 1988 at Delhi, Canada, on a loamy sand soil to evaluate the effect of tillage systems [conventional (CT) and no-till (NT)] and cover crops (only in NT) on weed density, species composition and associations, and crop yield in a winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)/bean/winter wheat rotation. Three bean types: soyabean ( Glycine max L. Merr.), white bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and kidney bean ( P . vulgaris L.) were included. The NT system included variations: rye ( Secale cereale L.) or maize ( Zea mays L.) cover crop, volunteer wheat disked after harvest and wheat stubble. Data were collected in 1994, 1995 and 1996. Tillage systems, cover crops and crop type had differential effects on weed densities, species composition and associations. Weed densities were not affected by tillage or cover crops in wheat but, in the beans, densities were greater in the CT than in the NT systems. Various associations of weed species with tillage system, cover crop and crop type were observed. Crop yields were not affected by tillage type or cover crop, except that soyabean yields were highest in plots with cover crops.