Epidemiological analysis of the effects of biofumigation for biological control of root rot in sugar beet

The effects of biofumigation using a Brassica juncea (mustard) cover crop on the dynamics of rhizoctonia root rot of sugar beet were recorded in two field trials in 2007 and 2008, and analysed using epidemiological modelling. Differences between partial biofumigation, involving the pulling up of mustard plants, and complete biofumigation, involving the crushing and incorporation of mustard residues into the soil, were compared with bare soil treatment. An epidemiological model was used that includes rates of transmission of primary and secondary infection, pre‐emergence damping off, and expression of wilting symptoms (above‐ground disease) due to infected roots (below‐ground disease). The model indicated that biofumigation reduces the transmission of primary infections but affects secondary infections in a variable pattern between field trials. Likewise, the proportion of infected plants expressing wilting was significantly reduced, by 28%, in the partial and complete biofumigation treatments compared with bare soil in the trial of 2007 but not in 2008. It is suggested that the effects of biofumigation on secondary infection and the expression of disease are more variable than those on primary infection, and that this is probably due to an interplay between pathogen, antagonists, host, and environmental factors. These interactions may or may not offset the benefits afforded by a reduction in primary infection and account for the overall variable success of biofumigation to control disease.     

Suppression of Digitaria sanguinalis and Amaranthus palmeri using autumn-sown glucosinolate-producing cover crops in organically grown bell pepper

Experiments were conducted to compare growth characteristics, biomass production and glucosinolate content of seven autumn‐planted glucosinolate‐producing cover crops that were terminated the following spring. The control of Digitaria sanguinalis and Amaranthus palmeri following cover crop incorporation into soil was characterised and fruit yields of bell pepper transplanted into cover crop‐amended soil were determined. Differences in glucosinolate concentration and composition were noted between cover crop roots and shoots and among cover crops. Total biomass production by cover crops ranged from 103 g m⁻² for garden cress to 894 g m⁻² for Indian mustard (F‐E75), but cover crop biomass was not correlated with D. sanguinalis and A. palmeri control. D. sanguinalis and A. palmeri control in bell pepper varied by cover crop. D. sanguinalis control by cover crops ranged from 38% to 79%, and A. palmeri control was 23% to 48% at 4 weeks after transplanting (WATP) bell pepper in 2004. D. sanguinalis control was positively correlated with total glucosinolate production, but A. palmeri control was not. D. sanguinalis control in 2005 ranged from 0% to 38% at 2 WATP. In the absence of weeds, cover crops did not negatively affect fruit yields which were often higher than in the absence of a cover crop. Glucosinolate‐producing cover crops are not a stand‐alone weed management strategy, but some will provide early season control of D. sanguinalis and A. palmeri without having a negative effect on transplanted bell pepper.     

Contribution of allelopathic effects to the overall weed suppression by different cover crops

Cover crops can suppress weeds within agricultural fields due to competitive and allelopathic effects. Glasshouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the relative proportions of allelopathic effects to the total weed inhibition. Six different cover crop species were combined with three weed species in the presence or absence of active carbon over a period of four weeks. Active carbon was used as an adsorbent for allelopathic substances in the soil. Our study revealed that the competition between cover crops and weeds shifted, possibly due to the minimisation of allelopathic effects by active carbon in the soil. We assume that the degree of cover crops allelopathic effects on weeds is species‐specific, both on the side of cover crops and on the weed side. The cover crops Raphanus sativus, Fagopyrum esculentum and Avena strigosa showed the highest allelopathic weed suppression with up to 28%. Additionally, Stellaria media turned out to be the most sensitive weed against allelopathic effects induced by all cover crops, except for Linum usitatissimum and Guizotia abyssinica. The knowledge about the contribution of competitive and allelopathic effects by cover crops would help to create cover crop mixtures with high weed suppressive ability.     

Incorporated cover crop residue suppresses weed seed germination

Cover crops have been shown to be important integrated weed management tools. In addition to directly competing with weeds, cover crops can provide weed suppressive effects following incorporation through release of allelopathic compounds and/or changes to nutrient availability. Incorporation of a cover crop mixture may provide a synergistic or antagonistic effect on weed suppression by further altering nutrient dynamics. To investigate this phenomenon, we evaluated the suppressive effects following incorporation of annual ryegrass, buckwheat, brown mustard, and phacelia sown with and without field pea on germination and growth of several pernicious weed species. Further, we used the additive partitioning model to determine if pea synergistically improved biomass production and weed suppression of cover crops. Our results demonstrate that following incorporation, cover crop residues suppress weed germination and weed biomass production. According to the additive partitioning model, the addition of pea had an antagonistic effect on buckwheat and brown mustard biomass production and decreased buckwheat weed suppression by 8%. In contrast, the addition of field pea greatly enhanced biomass production of phacelia at a reduced seeding rate suggesting a positive biodiversity effect. Limited evidence was found for changes to nutrient availability following cover crop incorporation, however, a dose-dependent effect of cover crop residue on weed suppression suggests allelopathy and/or nutrient availability may have a role on weed seed germination success. Together, our results support the use of incorporated cover crop residues as an integrated weed management tool.     

Ecological weed management by cover cropping: effects on weed growth in autumn and weed establishment in spring

Cover crops grown in the period between two main crops have potential as an important component of a system‐oriented ecological weed management strategy. In late summer and autumn, the cover crop can suppress growth and seed production of weeds, whereas the incorporation of cover crop residues in spring may reduce or retard weed emergence. Based on these two criteria, six cover crop species were evaluated for their weed suppressive potential in 2 years of experimentation in the Netherlands. Fodder radish, winter oilseed rape and winter rye had the strongest competitive ability in autumn; the competitive strength of Italian ryegrass was intermediate and white lupin and lucerne were poor competitors. Competitiveness was strongly correlated to early light interception. Surprisingly, doubling the recommended sowing density did not increase weed suppressive ability. Although a poor competitor in the fall, after incorporation in spring, lucerne had the strongest inhibitory effect on seedling establishment, followed by winter oilseed rape and white lupin. Winter rye and fodder radish did not affect seedling establishment, whereas Italian ryegrass was not evaluated because of re‐growth after incorporation. Competition in autumn and subsequent residue‐mediated suppression of weed establishment in spring varied among the cover crop species, with winter oilseed rape offering relatively strong effects during both periods.     

Advancing cover cropping in temperate integrated weed management

The effects of cover crops on weeds and the underlying mechanisms of competition, physical control and allelopathy are not fully understood. Current knowledge reveals great potential for using cover crops as a preventive method in integrated weed management. Cover crops are able to suppress 70–95% of weeds and volunteer crops in the fall‐to‐spring period between two main crops. In addition, cover crop residues can reduce weed emergence during early development of the following cash crop by presenting a physical barrier and releasing allelopathic compounds into the soil solution. Therefore, cover crops can partly replace the weed suppressive function of stubble‐tillage operations and non‐selective chemical weed control in the fall‐to‐spring season. This review describes methods to quantify the competitive and allelopathic effects of cover crops. Insight obtained through such analysis is useful for mixing competitive and allelopathic cover crop species with maximal total weed suppression ability. It seems that cover crops produce and release more allelochemicals when plants are exposed to stress or physical damage. Avena strigose, for example, showed stronger weed suppression under dry conditions than during a moist autumn. These findings raise the question of whether allelopathy can be induced artificially. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of weed harrowing and undersown clover on weed growth and spring cereal yield

Weed competition and nutrient scarcity often restrict organic cereal production, especially where the availability of livestock manure is limited. While harrowing of annual weeds and legume cover crops can be used, these methods are both executed in early spring and may hinder each other. Two cycles of a 2‐year crop rotation were carried out in south‐east Norway (60°42′N, 10°51′E, altitude 250 m) with weed harrowing and undersown cover crops (WHCC) at two fertiliser rates (40 and 100 kg nitrogen ha^?1). The effect of the WHCC treatments was measured by weed density and species, weed biomass, changes in weed seedbank and grain yield. The weed density depended on the interaction between WHCC, fertiliser and year. On average, pre‐emergence weed harrowing reduced weed density by 32% and weed biomass by 49%, while pre‐ and post‐emergence weed harrowing reduced weed density by 59% and weed biomass by 67% compared with the untreated control. Spergula arvensis became more abundant at low rather than at high fertiliser rates. On average, white clover cover crop sown after pre‐emergence weed harrowing resulted in the highest yields for both oat (+12.1%) and wheat (+16.4%) compared with the untreated control. Despite differences in weed population density and biomass among WHCC treatments within years, the weed biomass, weed density and seedbank increased for all WHCC treatments over the 4‐year period. More research is required into improving the efficacy of mechanical and cultural weed suppression methods that organic systems rely on.     

Weed species composition of maize fields in Germany is influenced by site and crop sequence

During the last decade, maize has become the crop with the second largest acreage in Germany. Therefore, agricultural advisors and the plant protection sector are interested in an overview of the weed species composition in maize fields, their determining factors and trends. From 2001 to 2009, a weed survey was conducted in 1460 maize fields throughout Germany. Data on crop management and soil characteristics were collected via farmer questionnaires. Principal component analysis and redundancy analysis were used to analyse patterns in weed species composition. The late spring and summer germinating species Chenopodium spp., Echinochloa crus‐galli and Solanum nigrum occurred with high densities and frequencies, but their occurrence was determined by different factors. Other frequent weed species were those that typically accompany autumn‐sown crops. The variation in species composition was significantly related to environmental factors (9.1% explained variance), particularly geographical latitude and precipitation, and management factors (4.7% explained variance), particularly crop sequence. The relative importance of these factors seems universal, when compared with surveys in other crops and regions. The factor ‘year’ was of minor importance (0.9% explained variance). Over the 9‐year period, no changes in weed species composition could be determined. The results suggest that despite the limited impact of crop management on weed species composition, farmers can use crop sequence to suppress individual species. The survey furthermore sets a baseline against which future changes can be measured in a landscape of rapidly changing agricultural land use.     

Impact of Brassica juncea biofumigation on viability of propagules of pernicious weed species

Biofumigation may be a promising tool for depletion of persistent weed seedbanks/bud banks. This technique is based on the incorporation of chopped glucosinolate‐rich plant biomass into the soil, upon which isothiocyanates with herbicidal properties are released. To gain acceptance by farmers and foster its implementation, the biofumigation process should be further optimised. This study elucidated the impact of biological (species), technical (burial depth, ground cover) and pedohydrological (temperature and moisture content) factors on efficacy of Brassica juncea biofumigation under (semi‐)natural conditions. In a first experiment (field experiment), seeds and vegetative propagules of various weed species were buried at different depths and exposed to different doses of fresh fine‐chopped B. juncea biomass in the presence or absence of a plastic ground cover. In a second experiment (container experiment), buried seeds of ten species were subjected to biofumigation at diverging soil organic matter content, soil moisture content and soil temperature. In a third experiment (dose–response Petri dish bioassay), unburied seeds of eight species were subjected to various doses of rehydrated B. juncea powder. Biofumigation efficacy was determined by analysing viability of treated and untreated propagules. In general, efficacy of biofumigation increased with decreasing burial depth and increasing B. juncea dose. Biofumigation was highly effective (mortality >85%) against small‐seeded species but less effective (mortality 0%–20%) against hard‐seeded and large‐seeded species at 200 t ha^?1. Vegetative propagules of Sonchus arvensis, Equisetum arvense and Convolvulus sepium were highly sensitive (mortality >90%) to biofumigation. Efficacy was most pronounced under moist warm incubation conditions, in the presence of a plastic ground cover.     

Effects of alternative winter cover cropping systems on weed suppression in organically grown tomato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum lycopersicum</Emphasis>)

Weed control is a major concern for organic farmers around the world and non-chemical weed control methods are now the subject of many investigations. Field studies were conducted in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) from 2004 to 2006 at the Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute experiment field to determine the weed suppressive effects of winter cover crops. Treatments consisted of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), gelemen clover (Trifolium meneghinianum Clem.), Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) and a control with no cover crop. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. To determine the weed suppressive effects of the cover crops, weed density and total weed dry biomass were assessed at 14, 28, and 56 days after termination (DAT) of the cover crops from all plots using a 50 × 50 cm quadrat placed randomly in each plot. After cover crop kill and incorporation into soil, tomato seedlings variety ‘H2274’ were transplanted. Broadleaved weed species were the most prominent species in both years. Total weed biomass measured just prior to cover crop incorporation into the soil was significantly lower in S. cereale plots than in the others. The number of weed species was lowest at 14 DAT and later increased at 28 and 56 DAT, and subsequently remained constant during harvest. This research indicates that cover crops such as L. multiflorum, S. cereale, V. sativa and V. villosa could be used in integrated weed management programs to manage some weeds in the early growth stages of organic tomato.     

Weed flora shifts and specialisation in winter oilseed rape in France

Temporally repeated data sets can provide useful information about the management practices governing changes in the arable weed flora. This study aimed (i) to investigate changes in the most common weed species in winter oilseed rape crops in France between the 1970s and the 2000s and (ii) to pinpoint the main plant biological traits and associated management practices underlying the development of a specific weed flora in this crop. We compared two large‐scale surveys covering France in the 1970s and the 2000s, the later survey including several floristic samplings, on two dates, and both herbicide‐free control and treated plots. This last survey aimed to identify the species best able to maintain high densities over a growing season of oilseed rape. Since the 1970s, the frequency of two‐thirds (69%) of the 26 most common species has changed, spectacularly in some cases, with several species once considered rare becoming very common (e.g. Geranium dissectum) and, conversely, some formerly common species becoming rarer (e.g. Stellaria media). Our results indicated a general strong increase in specialist weeds of oilseed rape. Weed species success was favoured by tolerance to oilseed rape herbicides and germination synchronous with the crop. The proportion of specialist oilseed rape weed species tended to increase with herbicide treatment intensity and to decrease with increases in the proportion of spring‐sown crops in the rotation. Changes to the rotation may therefore constitute an additional or alternative means of controlling some weeds well adapted to oilseed rape crops.     

Soil amendments with Brassica cover crops for management of Phytophthora blight on squash

BACKGROUND: Phytophthora blight induced by Phytophthora capsici is responsible for serious yield loss in vegetable production in the United States and other countries. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Brassica cover crops used as soil amendments for managing Phytophthora blight of squash. RESULTS: In greenhouse studies, disease incidence on squash plants was significantly reduced by soil amendment with mustard shoots or roots used at 1 and 2.5% (plant tissue/soil, w/w). The shoots of canola used at 1 or 2.5% also suppressed disease, while the roots of canola or other crops did not reduce disease significantly. In field studies, soil amendments with mustard and canola provided the greatest disease reduction and increased squash yield significantly compared with the non‐treated control. Mustard and canola did not appear to be susceptible to P. capsici. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that some Brassica crops, particularly mustard and canola, had the potential to significantly reduce Phytophthora blight on squash when used as soil amendments. As P. capsici has a remarkable ability to develop resistance to chemical fungicides, use of effective Brassica cover crops could be a biorational alternative to fungicides and a valuable component in developing integrated disease management programs. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

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.     

Development of herbicide resistance in weeds in a crop rotation with acetolactate synthase‐tolerant sugar beets under varying selection pressure

The development of acetolactate synthase (ALS) tolerant sugar beet provides new opportunities for weed control in sugar beet cultivation. The system consists of an ALS?inhibiting herbicide (foramsulfuron + thiencarbazone‐methyl) and a herbicide‐tolerant sugar beet variety. Previously, the use of ALS‐inhibitors in sugar beet was limited due to the susceptibility of the crop to active ingredients from this mode of action. The postulated benefits of cultivation of the ALS‐tolerant sugar beet are associated with potential risks. Up to now, with no relevant proportion of herbicide‐tolerant crops in Germany, ALS‐inhibitors are used in many different crops. An additional use in sugar beet cultivation could increase the selection pressure for ALS‐resistant weeds. To evaluate the impact of varying intensity of ALS‐inhibitor use on two weed species (Alopecurus myosuroides and Tripleurospermum perforatum) in a crop rotation, field trials were conducted in Germany in two locations from 2014 to 2017. Weed densities, genetic resistance background and crop yields were annually assessed. The results indicate that it is possible to control ALS‐resistant weeds with an adapted herbicide strategy in a crop rotation including herbicide‐tolerant sugar beet. According to the weed density and species, the herbicide strategy must be extended to graminicide treatment in sugar beet, and a residual herbicide must be used in winter wheat. The spread of resistant biotypes in our experiments could not be attributed to the integration of herbicide‐tolerant cultivars, although the application of ALS‐inhibitors promoted the development of resistant weed populations. Annual use of ALS‐inhibitors resulted in significant high weed densities and caused seriously yield losses. Genetic analysis of surviving weed plants confirmed the selection of ALS‐resistant biotypes.     

Molecular characterization,comparison of screening methods,and evaluation of cross‐pathogenicity of black rot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris) strains from cabbage,choy sum,leafy mustard and pak choi from Taiwan

Choy sum (Brassica rapa var. parachinensis), leafy mustard (Brassica juncea) and pak choi (B. rapa var. chinensis) are highly nutritious components of diets in Taiwan and other Asian countries, and bacterial black rot caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a major biotic constraint in these crops. As very little was known about the Xcc strains from these crops in these regions, including their cross‐pathogenicity and aggressiveness on different hosts, Xcc strains were obtained from cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), choy sum, leafy mustard and pak choi crops in Taiwan. Two previously published PCR‐based assays reliably distinguished the Xcc strains from other Xanthomonas species and subspecies. Phylogenetic analysis based on repetitive sequence‐based PCR assays placed the Xcc strains in a clade distinct from other Xanthomonas species, and also showed host specificity. Although all of the Xcc strains from the different host species were pathogenic on all five Brassica test species in both a detached leaf assay and an intact plant assay, in the intact plant assay they showed differences in virulence or aggression on the different test hosts. The Xcc strains from leafy mustard and pak choi were consistently highly aggressive on all the test host genotypes, but the strains from choy sum and cabbage were less aggressive on leafy mustard and choy sum. The intact plant assay proved more discriminating and reliable than the detached leaf assay for comparing the aggressiveness of Xcc strains on different host genotypes, and so, with the new Xcc strains isolated in this study, will be useful for screening leafy brassica germplasm accessions for resistance to black rot.     

Weed suppression by cover crops: comparative on‐farm experiments under integrated and organic conservation tillage

Cover crops are increasingly being used for weed suppression and to enhance the sustainability of agro‐ecosystems. However, the suitability of cover crops for weed suppression in integrated and organic conservation tillage systems is still poorly investigated. Therefore, a 2‐year field study at eight sites was conducted to test the weed suppressive potential of six legume‐based cover crops, with the aim to reduce herbicide input or mechanical weed management interventions. In all experiments, cover crops were directly sown after cereals before next year's main crop (grain maize or sunflower). The presence of cover crops caused a 96% to 100% reduction of weed dry matter at the four sites managed under integrated production, while effects were lower at the four sited managed under organic production, ranging from 19% to 87%. Cover crops that covered soil quickly and which produced much dry matter had the best weed suppressive potential. However, their weed suppressing effect was difficult to predict, as it depended on the year of the investigation, experimental site, cover crop species, the speed of soil cover in autumn and the density of the resulting mulch layer in spring. The study demonstrated that cover crops are a useful tool to suppress weeds under integrated and organic conservation tillage practices. Our recommendation for supporting weed management in conservation tillage systems is to use locally adapted cover crops that have rapid establishment, good soil coverage and high dry matter production. However, additional weed management measures are required for reliable weed control under on‐farm conditions.     

Combining mechanical rhizome removal and cover crops for Elytrigia repens control in organic barley systems

Mechanical weed control of perennial weeds in organic crop production over long post‐harvest periods is incompatible with the establishment of cover crops for improving soil quality and preventing nutrient leaching. We suggest a new concept that comprises uprooting and immediate removal of vegetative propagules located within the plough layer to allow for quick re‐establishment of a plant cover. A field experiment comparing the effects of conventional practices (stubble cultivation) with different combinations of rotary cultivation (One, Two or four passes) and cover crops (none vs. rye‐vetch‐mustard mixture) on Elytrigia repens rhizome removal, shoot growth and suppression of a subsequent barley crop was examined in two growing seasons. Four passes with a modified rotary cultivator, where each pass was followed by rhizome removal, reduced E. repens shoot growth in barley by 84% and 97%. In general, the cover crop developed poorly and did not affect barley or E. repens. Barley yield was only affected by treatments in the first season, where yield was negatively correlated with E. repens shoot biomass. The concept has potential for the control of severe E. repens infestations, but future research aimed at identifying more effective smother crops and less intensive methods of rhizome removal is needed.     

Functional diversity of cover crop mixtures enhances biomass yield and weed suppression in a Mediterranean agroecosystem

Functional diversity of cover crop mixtures is thought to improve biomass production and weed suppression, two key agroecosystem services in organic systems. To test this hypothesis, we selected eight cover crop species belonging to four functional groups: (i) vining growing large-seeded legumes (field pea, common vetch), (ii) erect growing small-seeded legumes (crimson clover, squarrosum clover), (iii) grasses (barley, oats) and (iv) Brassicaceae (radish, black mustard). Nine cover crop mixtures were designed to create a gradient of diversity in terms of number of species and number of functional groups. A control treatment and all monocrops were included in the trial. Regarding cover crop biomass, mixtures outyielded monocrops by an average of 37%. Both functional identity and composition (i.e. trait complementarity) influenced biomass production and weed suppression provided by cover crops. Regression analysis showed that increase in both species diversity and functional diversity in cover crop mixtures improved the provision of agroecosystem services. Results from this study show that complementarity of species functional traits in cover crop mixtures can be used as a strategy to ensure high biomass production and good weed suppression in changing agroecosystems.     

The impact of management on weeds and aquatic plant communities in Hungarian rice crops

This study assessed the cultural and weed management factors influencing the weed communities of Hungarian rice fields. Hungary is situated at the northern limit of rice production with a history of about 300 years of rice culture. We surveyed the weed flora and 25 background variables in 100 active rice fields. Using a minimal adequate model containing 11 terms, 48.5% of the total variation in weed species data could be explained. The net effects of nine variables on species composition were significant. Crop cover was found to be the most important explanatory variable, which was followed by the herbicides penoxsulam and azimsulfuron, tillage depth, phosphorous and potassium fertilisers, years after last rotation, water depth in May, sowing type, pendimethalin and water conductivity. Filamentous algae, as the most abundant group of weeds, were positively associated with deep tillage, deep water and surface sowing. Echinochloa crus‐galli, one of the most troublesome grass weeds, was associated with low rice cover, shallow water and later years after crop rotation, while weedy rice favoured high crop cover, deep water and soil sowing. These findings can be used to design improved weed management strategies. The occurrence of red list species and charophytes in diverse micro‐mosaic patterns deserves attention from a conservation perspective, as well. The maintenance of these unique charophyte communities can be facilitated by shallow tillage without soil inversion.     

Crop–weed competition rather than temperature limits the population establishment of two annual C4 weeds at the edge of their northern range

Climate change is predicted to affect range expansion of harmful C₄ weeds into the boreal region, given that they are able to successfully colonise both C₃ and C₄ crops. We studied the impact of a 3°C elevation in temperature on the establishment and maintenance of populations of two annual C₄ weeds (Amaranthus retroflexus and Echinochloa crus‐galli) with and without a competing C₃ (barley) or C₄ (maize) crop. Data obtained from field and glasshouse experiments were modelled using a periodic matrix population model. Competition of a weed with a crop appeared to be a more important factor for limiting the maintenance of weed populations than elevation in temperature, as neither of the weed species was able to maintain populations in competition with crops. Even an increase in the frequency of warm years did not result in viable weed populations establishing. However, A. retroflexus was able to form persistent populations in competition with maize when released from competition every fifth year. Simulations parameterised from glasshouse data predicted that both weed species would persist without competition in the current climate, whereas simulations parameterised from field data suggested only A. retroflexus to be able to persist. These results demonstrate that competition affects the range expansion of arable weed species more than elevation in temperature, necessitating the inclusion of crop–weed interactions in models of range shifts as a consequence of climate change.