Bo Melander

Integrating physical and cultural methods of weed control— examples from European research

Abstract Increasing concerns about pesticide use and a steadily increasing conversion to organic farming have been major factors driving research in physical and cultural weed control methods in Europe. This article reviews some of the major results achieved with nonchemical methods and strategies, especially adapted for row crops (e.g., corn, sugar beet, onion, leek, and carrot) and small-grain cereals (e.g., barley and wheat). In row crops, intrarow weeds constitute a major challenge, and research has mainly aimed at replacing laborious hand-weeding with mechanization. A number of investigations have focused on optimizing the use of thermal and mechanical weeding methods against intrarow weeds, such as flaming, harrowing, brush weeding, hoeing, torsion weeding, and finger weeding. And new methods are now under investigation such as robotic weeding for row crops with abundant spacing between individual plants and band-steaming for row crops developing dense crop stands. The strategic use of mechanical weed control methods in small-grain cereals has been another area of considerable interest. Weed harrowing and interrow hoeing provide promising results when they are part of a strategy that also involves cultural methods such as fertilizer placement, seed vigor, seed rate, and competitive varieties. Although research in preventive, cultural, and physical methods have improved weed control in row crops and small-grain cereals, effective long-term weed management in low external input and organic systems can only be achieved by tackling the problem in a wider context, i.e., at the cropping system level. Basic principles of this approach, examples of cover crop and intercropping use for weed suppression, and an application in a 2-yr rotation are presented and discussed. Nomenclature: Barley, Hordeum vulgare L.; carrot, Daucus carota L.; corn, Zea mays L.; leek, Allium porrum L.; onion, Allium cepa L.; sugar beet, Beta vulgaris L.; wheat, Triticum aestivum L.

Pests, pesticide use and alternative options in European maize production: current status and future prospects.

Political efforts are made in the European Union (EU) to reduce pesticide use and to increase the implementation of integrated pest management (IPM). Within the EU project ENDURE, research priorities on pesticide reduction are defined. Using maize, one of the most important crops in Europe, as a case study, we identified the most serious weeds, arthropod pests, and fungal diseases as well as classes and amounts of pesticides applied. Data for 11 European maize growing regions were collected from databases, publications and expert estimates. Silage maize dominates in northern Europe and grain production in central and southern Europe. Crop rotations range from continuous growing of maize over several years to well‐planned rotation systems. Weeds, arthropod pests and fungal diseases cause economic losses in most regions, even though differences exist between northern countries and central and southern Europe. Several weed and arthropod species cause increasing problems, illustrating that the goal of reducing chemical pesticide applications is challenging. Pesticides could potentially be reduced by the choice of varieties including genetically modified hybrids, cultural control including crop rotation, biological control, optimized application techniques for chemicals, and the development of more specific treatments. However, restrictions in the availability of alternative pest control measures, farm organization, and the training and knowledge of farmers need to be overcome before the adoption of environmentally friendly pest control strategies can reduce chemical pesticides in an economically competitive way. The complex of several problems that need to be tackled simultaneously and the link between different control measures demonstrates the need for IPM approaches, where pest control is seen in the context of the cropping system and on a regional scale. Multicriteria assessments and decision support systems combined with pest monitoring programs may help to develop region‐specific and sustainable strategies that are harmonized within a EU framework.

European Perspectives on the Adoption of Nonchemical Weed Management in Reduced-Tillage Systems for Arable Crops

Abstract Noninversion tillage with tine- or disc-based cultivations prior to crop establishment is the most common way of reducing tillage for arable cropping systems with small grain cereals, oilseed rape, and maize in Europe. However, new regulations on pesticide use might hinder further expansion of reduced-tillage systems. European agriculture is asked to become less dependent on pesticides and promote crop protection programs based on integrated pest management (IPM) principles. Conventional noninversion tillage systems rely entirely on the availability of glyphosate products, and herbicide consumption is mostly higher compared to plow-based cropping systems. Annual grass weeds and catchweed bedstraw often constitute the principal weed problems in noninversion tillage systems, and crop rotations concurrently have very high proportions of winter cereals. There is a need to redesign cropping systems to allow for more diversification of the crop rotations to combat these weed problems with less herbicide input. Cover crops, stubble management strategies, and tactics that strengthen crop growth relative to weed growth are also seen as important components in future IPM systems, but their impact in noninversion tillage systems needs validation. Direct mechanical weed control methods based on rotating weeding devices such as rotary hoes could become useful in reduced-tillage systems where more crop residues and less workable soils are more prevalent, but further development is needed for effective application. Owing to the frequent use of glyphosate in reduced-tillage systems, perennial weeds are not particularly problematic. However, results from organic cropping systems clearly reveal that desisting from glyphosate use inevitably leads to more problems with perennials, which need to be addressed in future research. Nomenclature: Catchweed bedstraw, Galium aparine L.; barley, Hordeum vulgare L.; maize, Zea mays L.; oilseed rape, Brassica napus L.; wheat, Triticum aestivum L. Resumen El cultivar sin inversión del suelo usando discos o picos, antes del establecimiento del cultivo, es la forma más común de reducir la labranza en sistemas de cultivos arables que incluyen cereales, colza y maíz en Europa. Sin embargo, nuevas regulaciones sobre el uso de plaguicidas podrían afectar la expansión de los sistemas de labranza reducida. La agricultura europea ha sido llamada a ser menos dependiente de los plaguicidas y a promover programas de protección de cultivos basados en los principios de manejo integrado de plagas (IPM). Los sistemas de labranza convencional sin inversión del suelo dependen totalmente de la disponibilidad de productos con glyphosate, y el consumo de herbicidas es mayoritariamente superior al compararse con sistemas de cultivo basados en el uso de arado. Malezas como zacates anuales y Galium aparine frecuentemente constituyen el principal problema de malezas en sistemas de labranza sin inversión del suelo y rotaciones de cultivos que además tienen proporciones muy altas de cereales de invierno. Existe la necesidad de rediseñar los sistemas de cultivos para permitir una mayor diversificación de las rotaciones de cultivos para así combatir estos problemas de malezas con un uso menor de herbicidas. Cultivos de cobertura, sistemas de manejo con residuos de cultivos, y tácticas que refuercen el crecimiento del cultivo en relación con el crecimiento de las malezas son también vistos como componentes importantes en los sistema IPM futuros, pero su impacto en los sistemas de labranza sin inversión del suelo necesita validación. Los métodos de control mecánico de malezas directo basados en implementos rotativos de deshierba, tales como azadones rotativos, han sido útiles en sistemas de labranza reducida donde la presencia de más residuos de cultivos y suelos menos trabajables son prevalentes, pero un mayor desarrollo de estos métodos es necesario para su aplicación efectiva. Debido al uso frecuente de glyphosate en sistemas de labranza reducida, las malezas perennes no son particularmente problemáticas. Sin embargo, resultados en sistemas de producción orgánicos han revelado claramente que el desistir del uso de glyphosate lleva inevitablemente a más problemas con malezas perennes, lo que necesita ser incluido en investigaciones futuras.

Nitrate leaching, yields and carbon sequestration after noninversion tillage, catch crops, and straw retention.

Crop management factors, such as tillage, rotation, and straw retention, need to be long-term to allow conclusions on effects on crop yields, nitrate leaching, and carbon sequestration. In 2002, two field experiments, each including four cash crop rotations, were established on soils with 9 and 15% clay, under temperate, coastal climate conditions. Direct drilling and harrowing to two different depths were compared to plowing with respect to yield, nitrate N leaching, and carbon sequestration. For comparison of yields across rotations, grain and seed dry matter yields for each crop were converted to grain equivalents (GE). Leaching was compared to yields by calculating yield-scaled leaching (YSL, g N kg GE), and N balances were calculated as the N input in manure minus the N output in products removed from the fields. Direct drilling reduced yields, but no effect on leaching was found. Straw retention did not significantly increase yields, nor did it reduce leaching, while fodder radish ( L.) as a catch crop was capable of reducing nitrate leaching to a low level. Thus, YSL of winter wheat ( L.) was higher than for spring barley ( L.) grown after fodder radish due to the efficient catch crop. Soil organic carbon (SOC) did not increase significantly after 7 yr of straw incorporation or noninversion tillage. There was no correlation between N balances calculated for each growing season and N leaching measured in the following percolation period.

Pre-Harvest Assessments of Elymus repens (L.) Gould Interference in Five Arable Crops

Abstract Relationships between yield of five arable crops and increasing Elymus repens infestations assessed near before harvest are presented from field trials conducted on the same location through four years. In peas, spring barley and spring oilseed rape, yield responses to E. repens interference were closely related to E. repens shoot biomass pre-harvest. Also the number of E. repens spikes pre-harvest was related to crop yield, although the correlations were not as high. In winter wheat and winter rye, the correlations, with both shoot biomass and spike number, were smaller than in the spring-sown crops, but still significant. In all crops, the relationships interacted with years but the interactions were not statistically significant in many cases. Mechanical control in the stubble and pre- or post-harvest application of glyphosate are common control measures against E. repens, and pre-harvest assessments of E. repens infestations show promise for judging the seriousness of a current E. repens prob...

Germination of Winter Annual Grass Weeds under a Range of Temperatures and Water Potentials

Silky windgrass and annual bluegrass are among the most troublesome weeds in northern European winter crops, while problems with rattail fescue have been especially linked to direct-drilling practices. This study investigated the germination patterns of silky windgrass, annual bluegrass, and rattail fescue in multiple water potentials and temperature regimes. Temperature and water potential effects were similar between silky windgrass and rattail fescue, but differed from annual bluegrass. The three grass weeds were able to germinate under low water potential (-1.0 MPa), although water potentials ≤-0.25 MPa strongly delayed their germination. Silky windgrass and rattail fescue seeds were able to germinate at 1 C, while the minimum temperature for annual bluegrass germination was 5 C. Germination of silky windgrass and rattail fescue was very similar across temperature and water potentials, which implies similar emergence flushes under field conditions, allowing management interventions to follow the same scheme. Nomenclature: Annual bluegrass, Poa annua L. POAAN; rattail fescue, Vulpia myuros (L.) K. C. Gmel. VLPMY; silky windgrass, Apera spica-venti L. APESV.

Effect of Rhizome Fragmentation, Clover Competition, Shoot-Cutting Frequency, and Cutting Height on Quackgrass (Elymus repens)

Quackgrass is a problematic agricultural weed in the temperate zones of the world and is difficult to control without herbicides or intensive tillage. However, it may be possible to control quackgrass with less environmental impact by combining multiple low-intensity control methods. A pot experiment was conducted in July to October 2012 and repeated in June to September 2013 to investigate the effect of rhizome fragmentation, competition from white clover, shoot-cutting frequency, and cutting height on quackgrass. Rhizome fragmentation was expected to result in more, but weaker, quackgrass shoots that would be more vulnerable to shoot cutting and competition. However, by 20 d past planting, rhizome fragmentation did not change the total number of quackgrass shoots per pot, because an increase in main shoots was offset by a decrease in tiller numbers. Rhizome fragmentation did not reduce quackgrass biomass acquisition during the experimental period. Although rhizome fragmentation did reduce total fructan content, it did not enhance the effect of clover competition, shoot-cutting frequency, or shoot-cutting height. Clover competition by itself reduced quackgrass shoot numbers by 72%, rhizome biomass by 81%, and belowground fructan concentration by 10 percentage points, compared with no competition. The more frequently quackgrass shoots were cut, the less biomass quackgrass acquired, and a high shoot-cutting frequency (each time quackgrass reached 2 leaves) resulted in a lower belowground fructan concentration than a low shoot-cutting frequency (at 8 leaves). However, in pots without competition, a higher shoot-cutting frequency resulted in more quackgrass shoots. A lower shootcutting height (25 mm) had more impact when shoot cutting was more frequent. In conclusion, rhizome fragmentation did not reduce the number of quackgrass shoots or rhizome biomass, but competition from white clover, a high shoot-cutting frequency, and a low shoot-cutting height strongly suppressed quackgrass biomass and fructan acquisition. Nomenclature: Quackgrass; Elymus repens (L.) Gould; white clover; Trifolium repens L.

A new hoe share design for weed control: measurements of soil movement and draught forces during operation

ABSTRACT This research introduces a new share design (L-share) that reduces the undesired random soil movement, providing a more controlled disturbance of the upper soil layer. Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate draught forces and soil movements when operating the new share. Materials and Methods: Experiments were conducted in a laboratory set-up using a soil bin with a fine loamy soil texture. The soil was compacted to a bulk density of 1500 kg m−3, with a penetration index of 486 kPa and a mean water content of 10%. The cultivation depths were 30, 50 and 70 mm and the operation speeds were 0.84, 1.67 and 2.31 m s−1. Cubes were used to measure soil movement by recording the displacement from their initial positions. The soil surface and furrow profile were measured by using a 2D laser range scanner. Results: The results showed that increasing operation speed and cultivation depths generally increased draught forces and soil movement. Changing the cultivation depth from 30 to 50 mm resulted in a 63% greater longitudinal force (Fx), and 71% greater Fx when increasing the cultivation depth from 50 to 70 mm. Conclusion: The study showed that the new L-share mounted on a modified spring tine only causes minor soil movement and thereby minimising the undesirable soil movement.

Effect of Tillage Systems on the Dissipation of Prosulfocarb Herbicide

Abstract Crop management practices such as tillage can influence the dissipation of herbicides in soil. This study aimed to determine the effects of tillage systems on soil dissipation of prosulfocarb (PSC) using two assessment methods: bioassay and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. PSC was applied on plots cultivated under three tillage systems (moldboard plowing, tine tillage at 8- to 10-cm soil depth, and direct drilling) at different rates (0, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000 and 8,000 g ai ha-1) and two spraying times, representing early and late sowing time of winter cereals in Denmark. The experiment was conducted over 2 yr. The soil was analyzed for PSC residues by HPLC and a bioassay, using silky windgrass as the indicator plant. Neither technique revealed an effect of tillage systems on PSC dissipation, but the LD50 values estimated based on the bioassays were generally lower under direct drilling (11.7 d) than with plowing (17.5 d). Moreover, LD50 estimates based on bioassay results were generally lower than those estimated with HPLC analyses. Half-life values estimated with HPLC were low and not within the range of values reported in the literature (ca. 20 d), suggesting enhanced degradation of PSC. In addition to influencing the performance of PSC against problematic weed species, an enhanced dissipation rate could also hamper the benefits of PSC in an antiresistance strategy. Nomenclature: Prosulfocarb; silky windgrass, Apera spicaventi (L.) Beauv. APESV