Weed species composition of conventional soyabean crops in Hungary is determined by environmental,cultural, weed management and site variables

The goal of this study was to identify factors determining weed species composition in soyabean crops in Hungary, where its expanding production faces difficult weed problems. The abundance of weed flora was measured in 262 fields across the country, along with 38 background variables. Using a minimal adequate model containing 24 terms with significant net effects, 21.6% of the total variation in weed species data could be explained. Plot location (edge vs core position, the single site variable in our analysis) was found to be the most important explanatory variable that was followed by a set of environmental (temperature, precipitation, altitude, soil texture, pH, Ca, K, Na and humus content), cultural (cultivar maturity, organic manure, fertiliser P and N, row spacing) and weed management (flumioxazin, pendimethalin, dimethenamid, propaquizafop, bentazone, quizalofop‐p‐ethyl, quizalofop‐p‐tefuril, linuron, thifensulfuron) factors. Variation partitioning revealed that environmental variables accounted for about four times more variance than cultural and about two and half times more than weed management variables. Chenopodium album, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Hibiscus trionum, Echinochloa crus‐galli and Convolvulus arvensis were the most dominant and frequent weeds, but their abundance was influenced by different factors. The responses of weed species to the studied variables provide new information about their ecological behaviour, and our findings also can be used to develop better weed management strategies.     

Weed species composition of small‐scale farmlands bears a strong crop‐related and environmental signature

Weed species loss due to intensive agricultural land use has raised the need to understand how traditional cropland management has sustained a diverse weed flora. We evaluated to what extent cultivation practices and environmental conditions affect the weed species composition of a small‐scale farmland mosaic in Central Transylvania (Romania). We recorded the abundance of weed species and 28 environmental, management and site context variables in 299 fields of maize, cereal and stubble. Using redundancy analysis, we revealed 22 variables with significant net effects, which explained 19.2% of the total variation in species composition. Cropland type had the most pronounced effect on weed composition with a clear distinction between cereal crops, cereal stubble and maize crops. Beyond these differences, the environmental context of croplands was a major driver of weed composition, with significant effects of geographic position, altitude, soil parameters (soil pH, texture, salt and humus content, CaCO₃, P₂O₅, K₂O, Na and Mg), as well as plot location (edge vs. core position) and surrounding habitat types (arable field, road margin, meadow, fallow, ditch). Performing a variation partitioning for the cropland types one by one, the environmental variables explained most of the variance compared with crop management. In contrast, when all sites were combined across different cropland types, the crop‐specific factors were more important in explaining variance in weed community composition.     

Relationships between soil properties and the occurrence of the most agronomically important weed species in the field margins of eastern Arkansas – implications for weed management in field margins

The work presented in this study adds to previous research on the occurrence, distribution and growth habitat of common weeds along roadsides in the Mississippi River Delta region of eastern Arkansas, USA. It addresses the relationships between soil properties (i.e. defined as a group of individual soil characteristics or attributes such as P, K, Ca, Mn and other nutrients) and the most agronomically important weeds of which the occurrence at field margins accounted for ≥ 10% of the total sampling sites. These were three broad‐leaved weeds (Amaranthus palmeri, Ipomoea spp. and Sida spinosa) and four grass weeds (Echinochloa crus‐galli, Urochloa platyphylla, Sorghum halepense and Digitaria sanguinalis). Soil properties were used as explanatory variables for weed occurrence (presence–absence) using partition analysis; the occurrences of the weeds under examination were partitioned by the application of a decision‐tree method. The most important soil properties explaining the occurrence of these weeds in field margins were extractable soil nutrients, specifically sodium, boron and copper content, as well as soil physical attributes, in order of importance, bulk density, silt content, field moisture capacity, hydraulic conductivity, wilting point, available water and clay content. Soil chemical properties proved least reliable in explaining weed occurrence at roadside field margins. Knowledge of the relationships between soil properties and weed occurrence can add to our understanding of weed biology and hence enhance the efficiency of weed management strategies. For example, the occurrence of A. palmeri, in soils with high bulk density (>1.4 g cm^?3) and low organic matter content (<2.7%) and thus lower residual herbicide activity, will require integrated weed management of this species in field margins. This is of interest given the occurrence of herbicide resistance in roadside arable weeds, mainly A. palmeri, E. crus‐galli and S. halepense, in the Mississippi River Delta region of eastern Arkansas and other parts of the world.     

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.     

Modelling the effects of sub-lethal doses of herbicide and nitrogen fertilizer on crop–weed competition

The effects of sub‐lethal dose of herbicide and nitrogen fertilizer on crop–weed competition were investigated. Biomass increases of winter wheat and a model weed, Brassica napus, at no‐herbicide treatment with increasing nitrogen were successfully described by the inverse quadratic model and the linear model respectively. Increases in weed competitivity (β₀) of the rectangular hyperbola and parameter B in the dose–response curve for weed biomass, with increasing nitrogen were also successfully described by the exponential model. New models were developed by incorporating inverse quadratic and exponential models into the combined rectangular hyperbola with the standard dose–response curve for winter wheat biomass yield and the combined standard dose—response model with the rectangular hyperbola for weed biomass, to describe the complex effects of herbicide and nitrogen on crop–weed competition. The models developed were used to predict crop yield and weed biomass and to estimate the herbicide doses required to restrict crop yield loss caused by weeds and weed biomass production to an acceptable level at a range of nitrogen levels. The model for crop yield was further modified to estimate the herbicide dose and nitrogen level to achieve a target crop biomass yield. For the target crop biomass yield of 1200 g m^?2 with an infestation of 100 B. napus plants m^?2, the model recommended various options for nitrogen and herbicide combinations: 140 and 2.9, 180 and 0.9 and 360 kg ha^?1 and 1.7 g a.i. ha^?1 of nitrogen and metsulfuron‐methyl respectively.     

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.     

Spatial correlation between weed species densities and soil properties

The spatial cross‐correlation between weed species densities and six soil properties within fields was analysed using cross‐semivariograms. The survey was carried out in three successive years in two fields. The most consistent relationship between weed species density (numbers m^?2) and soil properties was negative cross‐correlation between the density of Viola arvensis Murray and clay content. This correlation was found in both fields; however, the range of spatial dependence varied between fields. In one of the fields, the density of Lamium purpureum L. was positively cross‐correlated with the phosphorus content in the soil in all years. The density of Veronica spp. and Poa annua L. was negatively cross‐correlated with pH in all three years. Other spatial cross‐correlations that were found in this study were inconsistent over time or field site. The densities of some of the weed species were spatially cross‐correlated with more than one soil property. The results showed that the range of spatial dependence varied not only between fields, but also between weed species and soil properties, as well as between years. This study indicates that the weed pattern is field‐specific and that the spatial variation in soil properties within a field is one of several factors affecting weed patchiness.     

Increased density and spatial uniformity increase weed suppression by spring wheat

It has been hypothesized that increased crop density and spatial uniformity can increase weed suppression and thereby play a role in weed management. Field experiments were performed over 2 years to investigate the effects of the density and spatial arrangement of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) on weed biomass and wheat yield in weed-infested fields. We used three crop spatial patterns (normal rows, random and uniform) and three densities (204, 449 and 721 seeds m⁻²), plus a fourth density (1000 seeds m⁻²) in the random pattern. Increased crop density reduced weed biomass in all three patterns. Weed biomass was lower and crop biomass higher in wheat sown in the random and uniform patterns than in normal rows in both years. At 449 seeds m⁻², weed biomass was 38% lower in the uniform and 27% lower in the random pattern than in rows. There was evidence of decreasing grain yield due to intraspecific competition only at 1000 seeds m⁻². The results not only confirm that increasing density and increasing crop spatial uniformity increase the suppression of weeds, but also suggest that a very high degree of spatial uniformity may not be necessary to achieve a major increase in weed suppression by cereal crops. Rows represent a very high degree of spatial aggregation. Decreasing this aggregation increased weed suppression almost as much as sowing the crop in a highly uniform spatial pattern. While the random pattern produced as much crop biomass and suppressed weeds almost as well as the uniform pattern, the uniform pattern gave the highest yield.     

Weed infestation is affected by chickpea farmer demographics and agronomic practices

To investigate the effects of agronomic practices and farmer demographics on levels of weed infestation in chickpea fields, a survey was conducted during 2015 in Sanjabi district, Kermanshah, Iran. Two sets of data were collected: (a) weed sampling from the selected chickpea fields, and (b) questionnaire recording of farmer demographics and agronomic management. The farmers were asked about their residence status (resident or migrant), occupation (farming only, farming plus a second job), experience and education levels, as well as seedbed preparation, sowing date and method, source of seed supply, crop cultivar, sowing seed rate, weed control operation and crop rotation history. The results showed that weed species composition was similar across the studied fields. The use of a row crop planter, a sowing rate of 45 kg ha^‐1, and weed control resulted in 30.2, 23.03 and 34.2% reductions in weed infestation compared with hand sowing, a sowing rate of 30 kg ha^‐1 and lack of weed control, respectively. Weed density decreased with increasing farmer experience and decreased by 33.0% and 23.5% in chickpea fields of resident farmers and owners whose sole occupation was agriculture. We found that 89.5% of the most experienced farmers adopted weed control operations and most resident landowners (77.4%) opted for crop planter (77.4%) and weed control (90.3%) compared to migrant farmers (50 and 68.5%, respectively). More landowners who were exclusively farmers performed weed control (90.6%) than owners who had a second job (67.9%).     

Effects of drought on weed emergence and growth vary with the seed burial depth and presence of a cover crop

In conservation agriculture, weed seed germination could decrease with the presence of a cover crop, surface weed seed location and temporal drought in summer just after seed shedding. This study simultaneously examined the effects of a cover crop, burial depth (seed location) and hydric stress on weed emergence and early growth. It was hypothesized that drought would reduce weed emergence and the initial growth of weed seeds and that this effect would be greater when the seeds were on the soil surface and in the presence of a cover crop. Four annual weed species were chosen that are frequently found (Anisantha sterilis, Vulpia myuros, Sonchus asper, Veronica persica) and not frequently found (Alopecurus myosuroides, Poa annua, Cyanus segetum, Capsella bursa‐pastoris) in fields that implement conservation agriculture. The unburied seeds had 26% lower emergence, on average, than the buried seeds (significant for six of the eight species), hydric stress reduced emergence by 20% (for seven of the eight species) and the presence of a cover crop reduced the level of emergence by 17% (for all species). The unburied seeds with hydric stress were emerging under the “most stressful” set of factors, with a 45% decrease in emergence, compared with the seeds emerging under the “least stressful” set of factors (buried seeds without hydric stress). All the weed growth measurements (height, dry matter content and number of leaves) decreased with the presence of a cover crop. The species that are found frequently in the fields that implement conservation agriculture, compared with the species that are not frequently found in conservation agriculture fields, had higher rates of germination and a higher tolerance of hydric stress when their seeds were unburied.     

Interactions between the tillage system and crop rotation on the crop yield and weed populations under arid conditions

Field experiments were conducted in Iran in order to determine the interactions between the tillage system and crop rotation on weed seedling populations and crop yields from 2002 to 2005. No tillage, shallow tillage and deep tillage were the main plots and three crop sequences comprising continuous wheat (W‐W), wheat–canola–wheat–canola (C‐W) and wheat–safflower–wheat–safflower (S‐W) were the subplots. Bromus japonicus, Carthumus lanatus, Polygonum aviculare, Lolium temulentum and Avena ludoviciana were found to be the dominant species. The initial weed population in 2002 was estimated at 65 seedlings per m² and B. japonicus (～35 seedlings per m²) was the most abundant species, followed by A. ludoviciana and L. temulentum. The dominant weed species mostly did not favor the combination of S‐W and C‐W with any tillage type. For the B. japonicus population, S‐W in combination with moldboard plowing indicated the lowest seedling population. In conclusion, the crop sequence in combination with tillage would help to control troublesome weed species. Safflower and canola were determined to be effective in reducing the grass weeds. The inclusion of these crops in rotation also increased the total revenue of the cropping systems because of the higher sale price of canola and safflower.     

猕猴桃园和小麦—玉米轮作田两种土地利用方式对土壤养分状况的影响

为深入了解不同土地利用方式下土壤养分水平的差异及施肥和管理中存在的问题,选取陕西省周至县农耕区为研究区域,采用地统计分析和GIS相结合的方法,研究了猕猴桃园和小麦—玉米轮作田两种不同土地利用类型下土壤养分含量、养分相关性、空间变异特征及其分布格局。结果表明:猕猴桃园有机质、碱解氮、有效磷和速效钾4种养分含量分别为:(19.55±3.13)g·kg~(~(-1)),(80.58±14.69)mg·kg~(~(-1)),(23.37±6.09)mg·kg~(~(-1)),(102.79±12.74)mg·kg~(~(-1)),pH值为7.32±0.49;小麦—玉米农田有机质、碱解氮、有效磷和速效钾4种养分含量分别为:(19.43±2.63)g·kg~(~(-1)),(78.80±11.39)mg·kg~(~(-1)),(24.83±6.06)mg·kg~(~(-1)),(95.03±11.75)mg·kg~(~(-1)),pH值为7.41±0.58。猕猴桃园土壤有机质、碱解氮和速效钾含量均高于小麦—玉米农田,仅有效磷含量比小麦—玉米农田偏低。研究区主要养分要素的变异系数都处于10%~100%,属于中等空间变异性。在猕猴桃园中,有机质、碱解氮、有效磷、速效钾两两之间均呈极显著或显著正相关;在小麦—玉米农田,pH值与有机质表现出显著负相关。研究区土壤有效磷含量较为丰富,碱解氮含量处于中等偏高水平,有机质含量处于中等偏低水平,而速效钾含量总体缺乏。整体上猕猴桃园比小麦—玉米农田养分水平高,这主要与不同的田间管理和施肥状况有关。因此,今后应采取维持氮肥、控制磷肥、增加钾肥的措施,并十分重视有机肥的使用。此外,针对不同土地利用类型和土壤肥力状况进行分区培肥管理,普及科学施肥,提高肥料利用效率也是提升土壤肥力水平的重要措施。     

Using geographic information systems to map the prevalent weeds at an early stage of the cotton crop in relation to abiotic factors

Cotton is still one of the most important crops in Greece despite the changes in the country’s socioeconomic status which have reduced the total cultivated area. In order to minimize yield losses, weed control is essential during the cultivation period. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of the prevalent weeds that escape the usual herbicide application in the main cotton zone, located in the Karditsa prefecture. The weed densities and the irrigation methods used were recorded in 101 sampling sites of 25 m²; the cotton crop had been grown for the last 5 years using similar weed control techniques. Existing soil maps of the area were also used, through which soil data (texture and carbonates content) were accessed. Among the 14 weed species that have been recorded, four were perennial (Cyperus rotundus, Convolvulus arvensis, Cynodon dactylon, Sorhum halepense) and were ranked as first, second, fourth and fifth, respectively, according to the mean density, indicating the inefficient herbicidal control. In the fields irrigated by sprinklers, the weeds occurred in greater populations than those that occurred in fields irrigated by drippers, at values of 4.64 and 3 weeds m^-2, respectively. In terms of the studied soil properties, the distribution of C. arvensis was significantly correlated with carbonate content and soil texture in the surface soil layer. The autocorrelation analysis showed that only perennial weeds are spatially correlated whereas the interpolated maps showed this spatial trend of weed appearance.     

Germination rates of weedy radish populations (Raphanus spp.) altered by crop‐wild hybridisation,not human‐mediated changes to soil moisture

Cultivated plants are known to readily hybridise with their wild relatives, sometimes forming populations with weedier life‐history strategies than their progenitors. Due to altered precipitation patterns from human‐induced global climate change, crop‐wild hybrid populations may have new and unpredictable environmental tolerances relative to parental populations, which would further challenge farming and land‐management weed control strategies. To recognise the role of seed dormancy variation in weed invasion, we compared seedbank dynamics of two cross‐type populations (wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum, and crop‐wild hybrid radish, R. raphanistrum × R. sativus) across a soil moisture gradient. In a seed‐burial experiment, we assessed relative rates of seed germination, dormancy and seed mortality over two years across cross types (crop‐wild hybrid or wild) and watering treatments (where water was withheld, equal to annual rainfall, or double annual rainfall). Weekly population censuses in 2012 and 2013 assessed the frequency and timing of seedling emergence within a growing season. Generally, germination rates were two times higher and seed dormancy was 58% lower in hybrid versus wild populations. Surprisingly, experimental soil moisture conditions did not determine seedbank dynamics over time. Yet, seed bank dynamics changed between years, potentially related to different amounts of annual rainfall. Thus, variation in seedbank dynamics may be driven by crop‐wild hybridisation rates and, potentially, annual variation in soil moisture conditions.     

Weed seedbank size and composition in a long‐term tillage and crop sequence experiment

Knowledge of the effects of agricultural practices on weed seedbank dynamics is essential for predicting future problems in weed management. This article reports data relative to weed seedbank structure after 18 years of continuous application of conventional tillage (CT, based on mouldboard ploughing) or no tillage (NT) within three crop sequences (continuous wheat, W_W; wheat–faba bean, W_F; and wheat–berseem clover, W_B). Tillage system did not affect the size of the total weed seedbank, but altered both its composition and the distribution of seeds within the soil profile. In particular, the adoption of CT favoured some species (mainly Polygonum aviculare), whereas the continuous use of NT favoured other species (Papaver rhoeas, Phalaris spp. and Lactuca serriola). The effects of tillage system on weed seedbank size and composition were less pronounced in the W_B cropping system than in either the W_W or W_F. Compared with W_F and W_B, W_W resulted in an increase in total weed seedbank density (about 16 000 seedlings m^?2 in W_W, compared with 10 000 and 6000 seedlings m^?2 in W_F and W_B, respectively) and a reduction in weed diversity, with a strong increase in some species (e.g. Polygonum aviculare). Our results for the effect of NT application on weed seedbank size and composition suggest that farmers should only apply such a conservative technique within an appropriate crop sequence.     

Invasiveness of agronomic weed species in wheat in Western Australia

Weed seeds are introduced to agronomic systems naturally or through human-mediated seed dispersal, and introduced seeds have a high chance of being resistant to selective, in-crop herbicides. However, colonisation (invasion) rates for a weed species are usually much lower than rates of seed dispersal. The current research investigated colonisation of a winter annual wheat cropping system in Western Australia by a range of winter or summer annual weed species. The weed seeds were sown (at 100 seeds/m²) directly before seeding the crop in 2016 and allowed to grow in the following 3 years of wheat. Selective herbicides were not applied, to simulate growth of weed populations if the initial seed had been resistant to herbicide. Bromus diandrus, Hordeum leporinum, Rumex hypogaeus, Sonchus oleraceus, Polygonum aviculare, Lolium rigidum, Citrullus amarus and Tribulus terrestris colonised the crop, while Dactyloctenium radulans, Chloris truncata and Salsola australis failed to establish over 3 years. The most successful weed was B. diandrus, with a plant density of 1,170/m² by the third year and seed production of 67,740/m². The high density of B. diandrus reduced wheat density by 76% in the third year and reduced average yield by 36%. Lolium rigidum reduced average yield by 11%, and the other weed species did not affect crop yield. Further research is required on the invasiveness of these species in other regions, but it is clear that the spread of B. diandrus to new areas or the introduction of resistant B. diandrus seeds via contaminated grain should be avoided.     

Relationship between speed, soil movement into the cereal row and intra-row weed control efficacy by weed harrowing

Field trials were carried out at a single Danish and two Spanish locations. In Denmark, winter wheat was sown at 24‐cm row spacing allowing hoeing in the inter‐row area. Hoeing speeds of 2, 5 and 8 km h^?1 were tested at the end of tillering, at the beginning of stem elongation or on both occasions. The crop was harrowed immediately after hoeing at the same speed. At the Spanish locations the winter barley was sown at a 12‐cm row spacing and harrowed only, at either pre‐emergence plus post‐emergence, or once post‐emergence at mid‐tillering at 2, 4, 6 and 8 km h^?1. The depth of the soil layer thrown into the cereal row was measured at all locations. This layer ranged between 0.4 and 1.4 cm, depending on the site and on the treatment, but was generally higher following a single harrow treatment at all sites. The soil layer only tended to increase with faster speeds at the Danish location. On a more sandy soil and soil rolled prior to treatment, less soil was thrown into the cereal row. When two hoe + harrowing treatments were made, a finer soil structure was achieved. However, this did not affect the weed control. At the Danish location, initial intra‐row weeding efficacy of Brassica napus, based on plant number before and 7 days after treatment, was found to be low (21–41%) but increased to 74–79% when assessed after 45 days. Partial burial and bending of B. napus, together with crop competition, probably suppressed weed growth and enhanced final mortality. Uprooting was probably a more important cause of mortality for Stellaria media. At the Spanish locations, weeding efficacy of Papaver rhoeas was similar, ranging between 58% and 83% and this was achieved soon after harrowing. A thicker soil layer did not result in a greater weed kill. It was therefore suggested that burial alone could not be the main factor responsible for weed control in any of the cases studied. No reduction in wheat biomass, measured at the end of May, was found with increasing speed, or with repeated passes of the harrow. The results suggested that faster harrowing, which is economically more attractive for farmers, could be recommended. The soil layer thrown into the row was not found to be a useful parameter to predict the weed control efficacy in the cases presented.     

The effect of crop,cultivation and seed addition for birds on surface weed seed densities in arable crops during winter

Weed seeds present an agronomic threat, but are also an important food resource for wildlife in winter. Weed seed densities on the soil surface in winter were examined from 1999 to 2002 in 105 fields on three different farms in UK. The effect of the preceding crop, cultivation, position within the field and the application of seed for birds (bird seed) on surface seed abundance and species composition was tested. Six or fewer species comprised c. 80% of the weed seeds. By January of each study year, the densities of seeds important for farmland birds (key seeds) were 73% or 87% lower compared with early winter on two of the farms, but were stable on the third where seeds were incorporated through cultivation. At the edge and mid‐field, seed densities only exceeded 400 m^?2 in 17%, 10% and 12% of fields for total, key and dicotyledonous seeds respectively. The preceding crop only affected seed densities at one site; stubbles of winter barley had fewer seeds compared with winter wheat or spring barley. Seed densities varied between the edge and mid‐field, but trends were inconsistent between sites. The density of the larger seeds (Atriplex patula, Viola arvensis, Polygonum aviculare and Chenopodium album) were reduced in fields receiving bird seed. The objectives of weed control and conservation may not be mutually exclusive because seed return was most reduced where the ground remained uncultivated through the winter, yet this also provided the best foraging opportunities for surface feeding seed predators.     

Soil properties affecting the distribution of 37 weed species in Danish fields

The distribution of 37 common weed species in eight common Danish crops in response to seven edaphic factors was evaluated using linear logistic regression with adjustment for over-dispersion. The main effects of soil properties on weed distribution were adjusted for crop type and sample year by the regression. Crop type and soil clay content were generally those explanatory variables that had the greatest influence on occurrence of the weed species, but all other factors examined (sample year, loss on ignition, pH, P, K, Mg and Mn) also had an effect on the occurrence of some weed species.     

紫茎泽兰对茄子产量的影响及其经济阈值

为了有效反映大田条件下,紫茎泽兰对茄科植物生长和产量的直接危害和经济危害允许水平,采用添加系列试验和模型拟合的方法观察了不同紫茎泽兰密度下茄子的株高和产量变化,以及茄子田间透光率和紫茎泽兰水肥积累量的变化。结果表明,当紫茎泽兰密度为1～2株/m2时,对茄子株高、结果数和产量无影响,当紫茎泽兰密度增加到5株/m2以上时,茄子株高、结果数和产量显著降低。紫茎泽兰的株高、对田间透光率的干扰程度和水肥积累量是茄子减产的重要原因。双曲线模型（1/y=-0.0108＋0.2083/x）可以较好地拟合紫茎泽兰密度与茄子产量损失间的关系。茄子田间紫茎泽兰的经济危害允许水平为0.192%～1.282%,经济阈值为0.03～0.26株/m2。