Comparing weed composition in natural and planted hedgerows and in herbaceous field margins adjacent to crop fields

Hedgerows and field margins are common features of the agricultural landscape in southern Québec. In the last decade, hedgerow establishment has been encouraged primarily for the prevention of soil erosion, though many farmers view them as reservoirs of invasive weeds and pests. In this study, we compared weed assemblages of several hedgerow types and herbaceous field margins. Ranking that takes into consideration weed abundance was clearly demonstrated: planted hedgerows > herbaceous field margins > natural woody hedgerows. The latter harboured many perennial plant species of less weedy propensity than planted hedgerows, which accommodated a larger number of weedy species. In planted hedgerows close to 50% of plants were weeds, even in their central position, although planted and natural hedgerows sheltered similar weed composition in their central parts. Likewise, most species inventoried in adjacent fields were weeds. Weeds characterising the central position of hedgerows/field margins were often species of wet habitats (Lythrum salicaria L., Equisetum arvense L., Cicuta maculata L.). Management practices of hedgerows and perhaps of crop fields adjacent to hedgerows may be mostly responsible for the abundance of weeds in hedgerows and field margins. Key words: Hedgerow, field margins, weed, management practices, pesticide, fertiliser

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Consultant's Perspective on the Evolution and Management of Glyphosate-Resistant Kochia (Kochia scoparia) in Western Kansas

Weed Technology ◽

10.1614/wt-d-14-00043.1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 318-328 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Amar S. Godar ◽

Phillip W. Stahlman

Keyword(s):

Weed Management ◽

Online Survey ◽

Management Practices ◽

Production Systems ◽

Glyphosate Resistance ◽

Kochia Scoparia ◽

Survey Period ◽

Crop Fields ◽

No Till

Glyphosate is the leading herbicide used in glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops and no-till production systems. Evolved resistance to glyphosate in kochia was first reported in Kansas in 2007. Shortly thereafter, GR kochia became prevalent in western Kansas. An online survey of crop consultants was conducted in fall 2012 to gain their perspectives on evolving glyphosate resistance in kochia in western Kansas, to gather information on how grower weed management practices have changed from before to after occurrence of GR kochia, and to assess the effectiveness of management practices used during 2011 to 2012. Results of the survey indicated increasing infestation of kochia from prior to 2007 (present in 47% of fields) through 2012 (present in 70% of fields). It was estimated that greater than one-third of the cropland in western Kansas was thought to be infested with GR kochia by 2012. Growers increased glyphosate use rates from an average of 0.8 to 1.22 kg ae ha−1and application frequencies from 2.0 to 2.9 from the period before 2007 to 2012. The spread of GR kochia has resulted in changing weed management practices. During the survey period, growers reduced the exclusive use of glyphosate from 49 to 15% for GR crop fields and diversified weed management practices. Though other herbicides in addition to or in place of glyphosate were often applied prior to kochia emergence and were effective in more than half the fields, at least one-fourth of respondents reported inconsistent results with alternative kochia control practices other than tillage. These results are educational and helpful in developing both proactive and reactive tactics to manage GR kochia.

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Weed Management in Small Grains Harvested for Grain

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-wg009-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Jason Ferrell ◽

Gregory MacDonald ◽

Pratap Devkota

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Weed Management ◽

Chemical Control ◽

Management Practices ◽

Good Management ◽

Small Grains ◽

Crop Competition

Successful weed control in small grains involves using good management practices in all phases of production. In Florida, winter weeds compete with small grains for moisture, nutrients, and light, with the greatest amount of competition occurring during the first six to eight weeks after planting. Weeds also cause harvest problems the following spring when the small grain is mature. This 4-page publication discusses crop competition, knowing your weeds, and chemical control. Written by J. A. Ferrell, G. E. MacDonald, and P. Devkota, and published by the UF/IFAS Agronomy Department, revised May 2020.

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Weed Management in Peanuts

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-wg008-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Pratap Devkota

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Weed Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Application Rate ◽

Good Management ◽

Peanut Production

Successful weed control in peanuts involves use of good management practices in all phases of peanut production. This 11-page document lists herbicide products registered for use in Florida peanut production, their mode of actions group, application rate per acre and per season, and reentry interval. It also discusses the performance of these herbicides on several weeds under Florida conditions. Written by J. A. Ferrell, G. E. MacDonald, and P. Devkota, and published by the UF/IFAS Agronomy Department, revised May 2020.

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Seasonal Nonstructural Carbohydrate Patterns in Dewberry (Rubus spp.) Roots

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/wsc.2020.96 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

Katherine M. Ghantous ◽

Hilary A. Sandler

Keyword(s):

Weed Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Soluble Sugars ◽

Leaf Expansion ◽

Control Measures ◽

Growth Stages ◽

Phenological Stages ◽

Long Term Storage ◽

Nonstructural Carbohydrate ◽

Fruit Maturity

Abstract Applying control measures when carbohydrate levels are low can decrease the likelihood of plant survival, but little is known about the carbohydrate cycles of dewberry (Rubus spp.), a problematic weed group on cranberry farms. Weedy Rubus plants were collected from areas adjacent to production beds on commercial cranberry farms in Massachusetts, two locations per year for two years. For each site and year, four entire plants were collected at five phenological stages: budbreak, full leaf expansion, flowering, fruit maturity, and after onset of dormancy. Root sections were analyzed for total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC; starch, sucrose, fructose, and glucose). Overall trends for all sites and years showed TNC were lowest at full leaf expansion or flowering; when sampled at dormancy, TNC concentrations were greater than or equal to those measured at budbreak. Starch, a carbohydrate form associated with long-term storage, had low levels at budbreak, leaf expansion and/or flowering with a significant increase at fruit maturity and the onset of dormancy, ending at levels higher than those found at budbreak. The concentration of soluble sugars, carbohydrate forms readily usable by plants, was highest at budbreak compared to the other four phenological samplings. Overall, our findings supported the hypothesis that TNC levels within the roots of weedy Rubus plants can be predicted based on different phenological growth stages in Massachusetts. However, recommendations for timing management practices cannot be based on TNC cycles alone; other factors such as temporal proximity to dormancy may also impact Rubus plants recovery and further research is warranted. Late-season damage should allow less time for plants to replenish carbohydrate reserves (prior to the onset of dormancy), thereby likely enhancing weed management tactics effectiveness over time. Future studies should consider tracking the relationship between environmental conditions, phenological stages, and carbohydrate trends.

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Effect of Weed Management on the Parasitoid Community in Mediterranean Vineyards

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology10010007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 7

Author(s):

Gabriella Möller ◽

Tamar Keasar ◽

Idan Shapira ◽

Daniella Möller ◽

Marco Ferrante ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Soil Conservation ◽

Management Practices ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Parasitoid Species ◽

Parasitoid Community ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Conservation Biocontrol ◽

Suction Sampling

Enriching agroecosystems with non-crop vegetation is a popular strategy for conservation biocontrol. In vineyards, the effects of specific seeded or planted cover crops on natural enemies are well-studied, whereas conserving spontaneously developing weeds received less attention. We compared parasitoid communities between matched pairs of vineyard plots in northern Israel, differing in weed management practices: “herbicide”, repeated herbicide applications vs. “ground cover”, maintaining resident weeds and trimming them when needed. Using suction sampling, we assessed the parasitoids’ abundance, richness, and composition during three grape-growing seasons. Ground cover plots had greater parasitoid abundances and cumulative species richness than herbicide-treated plots, possibly because of their higher vegetation cover and richness. Dominant parasitoid species varied in their magnitude and direction of response to weed management. Their responses seem to combine tracking of host distributions with attraction to additional vegetation-provided resources. Parasitoid community composition was mildly yet significantly influenced by weed management, while season, year, and habitat (weeds vs. vine) had stronger effects. Vineyard weeds thus support local biocontrol agents and provide additional previously demonstrated benefits (e.g., soil conservation, lower agrochemical exposure) but might also attract some crop pests. When the benefits outweigh this risk, weed conservation seems a promising step towards more sustainable agricultural management.

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Floral Plantings in Large-Scale Commercial Agroecosystems Support Both Pollinators and Arthropod Predators

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12020091 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 91

Author(s):

Eric G. Middleton ◽

Ian V. MacRae ◽

Christopher R. Philips

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Field Margins ◽

Crop Fields ◽

Pollinator Abundance ◽

Arthropod Predators ◽

Commercial Potato ◽

Insect Populations ◽

Beneficial Insect ◽

Potato Crops

Beneficial insect populations and the services that they provide are in decline, largely due to agricultural land use and practices. Establishing perennial floral plantings in the unused margins of crop fields can help conserve beneficial pollinators and predators in commercial agroecosystems. We assessed the impacts of floral plantings on both pollinators and arthropod predators when established adjacent to conventionally managed commercial potato fields. Floral plantings significantly increased the abundance of pollinators within floral margins compared with unmanaged margins. Increased floral cover within margins led to significantly greater pollinator abundance as well. The overall abundance of arthropod predators was also significantly increased in floral plantings, although it was unrelated to the amount of floral cover. Within adjacent potato crops, the presence of floral plantings in field margins had no effect on the abundance of pollinators or predators, although higher floral cover in margins did marginally increase in-crop pollinator abundance. Establishing floral plantings of this kind on a large scale in commercial agroecosystems can help conserve both pollinators and predators, but may not increase ecosystem services in nearby crops.

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Integrated weed management practices and sustainable food production among farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

Open Agriculture ◽

10.1515/opag-2021-0221 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 124-134

Author(s):

Emmanuel Oyamedan Imoloame ◽

Ibrahim Folorunsho Ayanda ◽

Olayinka Jelili Yusuf

Keyword(s):

Weed Management ◽

Food Production ◽

Management Practices ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Integrated Weed Management ◽

Sustainable Food ◽

Arable Crops ◽

Multi Stage ◽

Self Sufficiency

Abstract A survey was conducted in the Kwara State of Nigeria to study the integrated weed management (IWM) practices by farmers. This was in view of the poor weed management practices adopted by farmers, which is a major factor responsible for low yields of many arable crops in Kwara State. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 480 respondents, and a structured interview schedule was used to elicit information from them. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Factor analysis was also carried out to examine the perception of farmers’ benefits of IWM. Results showed that the majority of farmers (29.4%) were youths, married (89.1%), and involved in medium-scale farming (47.2%). Furthermore, 50.8% of the farmers had primary or secondary education. Although farmers use different weed control methods, more than half of them (54.7%) use herbicides. Most farmers (92.6%) are engaged in the use of IWM, However, 73.5% of them use a combination of herbicides and hoe weeding. Although not properly practiced, farmers perceived IWM as having socio-environmental (29.229%) and techno-efficacious (23.495%) benefits over either hoe weeding or herbicides used alone. The findings suggest a need to train farmers on all aspects of IWM to achieve self-sufficiency in food production in Kwara State.

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