The Self-Seeding of Anthemis arvensis L. for Cover Crop in Olive Groves under Intense Rabbit Grazing

Cover crops can be an effective means to protect soil and reduce risks of erosion in olive groves. However, for this protection to be significant, the vegetation must attain a significant amount of ground cover, which is estimated to be at least 30% during the rainy season. In olive groves on degraded soils, which occupy large surface areas in the olive-growing areas of the Mediterranean region, the establishment of cover crops may be an arduous challenge, particularly in areas with a high density of rabbits. In this study, we have selected two olive orchards with scarce natural vegetation located in Andalusia (southern Spain), in which rabbit populations intensively forage the cover crops, to test whether the self-seeding of an unpalatable species corn chamomile (Anthemis arvensis L.; A. arvensis for short) could achieve sufficient coverage for soil protection, in the year following that in which the broadcast-seeding was carried out for the implementation of cover crops. The hand broadcast-seeding of A. arvensis was carried out on sixteen elementary plots in the lanes of the two olive orchards in the autumn of 2015, and seed germination in the subsequent self-seeding took place in the autumn of 2016. The plant height and A. arvensis ground cover in these plots were measured throughout the two growth cycles, and aerial biomass was measured at maturity. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the maximum plant height between the two growth cycles (mean ± SD of 21.2 ± 1.6 cm), while the ground cover was significantly greater in the case of self-seeding, especially during the winter (37.2 ± 8.1 and 9.3 ± 6.7% for self-seeding and broadcast-seeding, respectively), and aerial biomass at maturity had more than doubled (99.7 and 43.9 g m−2, respectively). These data suggest that this unpalatable species could establish an effective herbaceous cover by means of self-seeding in olive groves on degraded soils that are being overgrazed owing to the high pressure of rabbits. Despite the poor establishment in the broadcast-seeding year, our findings indicate that A. arvensis might be an alternative cover crop that could help the sustainability of these threatened olive groves. Its high seed production (2000 to 4000 seeds per plant), and an early emergence just after the first autumn rains, should result in an increased ground cover by A. arvensis during the rainy season in the subsequent years of self-seeding. This, therefore, could contribute to soil conservation, in addition to providing other benefits of increased biodiversity and improvement for agricultural landscapes.

Zasoby zielarskie w agrocenozach Mińskiego Obszaru Chronionego Krajobrazu

W sezonach wegetacyjnych 2012–2014 przeprowadzono inwentaryzację florystyczną agrocenoz (MOChK), której głównym celem było określenie składu gatunkowego, częstości występowania, zasobności stanowisk oraz możliwości wykorzystania roślin o właściwościach leczniczych. Badania polegały na wykonaniu zdjęć fitosocjologicznych metodą Braun-Blanqueta. W wyniku analizy zgromadzonego materiału stwierdzono występowanie 116 gatunków chwastów – ziół. Pod względem pochodzenia liczbowo przeważały rośliny rodzime – apofity (80 gatunków – 68,9%) nad antropofitami (36 gatunków – 31,1% ogólnej liczby stwierdzonych gatunków). Wśród apofitów dominowały apofity łąkowe (28 gatunków) oraz pochodzące z siedlisk wilgotnych i murawowych (po 19 gatunków). Z obcych gatunków zdecydowanie najliczniej występowały archeofity (30 gatunków). W analizowanej florze zielarskiej większy udział miały gatunki wieloletnie – byliny (61 gatunków) niż gatunki krótkotrwałe (55 gatunków). Dominującą formą życiową były terofity (51 gatunków) i hemikryptofity (41 gatunki). Rośliny zielarskie agrocenoz MOChK najczęściej zaliczane były do gatunków bardzo rzadkich, rzadkich i dość rzadkich (61 gatunków) występujących z niewielkim pokryciem powierzchni. Gatunków bardzo pospolitych i pospolitych było 37. Wśród nich duże pokrycie osiągało 8 gatunków (Chenopodium album, Stellaria media, Gnaphalium uliginosum, Galinsoga parviflora, Anthemis arvensis, Centaurea cyanus, Elymus repens i Viola arvensis). Wśród stwierdzonych chwastów – ziół najbardziej liczną grupę stanowiły gatunki, które do celów farmaceutycznych mogą dostarczać ziele jako surowiec (57 gatunków); były to np.: Epilobium parviflorum, Galeopsis tetrahit, Descurainia sophia, Gnaphalium uliginosum, Hypericum humifusum. W grupie roślin leczniczych stwierdzono 12 gatunków rzadkich i zagrożonych – w regionie i w kraju, m.in. Agrostemma githago, Centaurium pulchellum, Consolida regalis, Hypericum humifusum i Herniaria glabra. Ponadto Helichrysium arenarium i Centaurium pulchellum objęte są ochroną gatunkową.

Allelopathic potential of Artemisia herba-alba and Anthemis arvensis to control Weeds in Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Barley (Hordeum vulgare)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potentials for utilization of Artemisia herba-alba and Anthemis arvensis shoot aqueous extract at different concentrations (1%, 3%, and 5%) to suppress the germination and growth of Panicum turgidum and Portulaca oleracea (weeds of crop fields) in Petri dish experiment. Results indicated that the degree of inhibition on seed germination and growth of the recipient species was largely dependent on the concentration of A. herba-alba and A.arvensis shoot aqueous extract. The aqueous extract of A.herba-alba showed the highest allelopathic effect on the germination of the seeds of P. turgidum, (10%,10% and 0%) while the effect of A. arvensis shoot aqueous extract was greater on the germination of the seeds P. oleracea (40%,0% and 0%). Percentage germination of the two selected crop species Triticum aestivum and Hordeum vulgare also de-creased as the A.herba-alba and A.arvensis shoot aqueous extract concentra-tion increased from 1% to 5% (90%,80% and 70%),(40%,40% and 20%). But the inhibition percentage was largely less than that of weed species. The results also showed that H.vulgare was more sensitive than T. aestivum and responds more strongly to the increase of concentration of A. herba-alba shoot aqueous extract . Results also showed that the radicle length of almost all tested species was more sensitive to allelochemicals from A.herba-alba and A.arvensis shoot aqueous extract than plumule length. Therefore, A. herba-alba and A. arvensis shoot aqueous extract may offer promises for their usefulness as a tool for weed management.

Lectotypification of × Anthepleurospermum gruetterianum (Asteraceae)

×Anthepleurospermum gruetterianum, a validly published name for the hybrid between Anthemis arvensis and Tripleurospermum inodorum, is lectotypified.

Archaeobotanical reconstructions of field habitats and crops: the grange in Pomorzany near Kutno, 18th/19th c.

The paper presents the results of research of plant macrofossils from the grain deposit deriving from the 18th/19th centuries. The analysed material included 24760 diaspores representing 73 taxa. The majority were cultivated cereal crop species, and there was also abundance of accompanying segetal weed species. About 95% of the gathered crop material was Secale cereale. Another important crop was Hordeum vulgare and there were also some remains of Avena sativa, Triticum aestivum, Fagopyrum esculentum. Cannabis sativa and Linum usitatissimum were found as well. Weeds competing with these crops were, among others, the following species: Agrostemma githago, Raphanus raphanistrum, Apera spica-venti, Bromus secalinus, Centaurea cyanus, Spergula arvensis, Thlaspi arvense, Viola arvensis/tricolor, Fallopia convolvulus, Polygonum persicaria, Mentha arvensis, Anthemis arvensis, Papaver rhoeas, Rumex acetosella, Scleranthus annuus, Aphanes arvensis, Setaria pumila, Setaria viridis/verticilata. Extremely large presence of wild plant diaspores in the material allowed conducting economic and environmental interpretations. Reconstruction methods applied, used primarily in the case of macroremains from granaries, were fully applicable to the analysed plant residues. Weed species composition in the analysed material showed that they were mostly typical for the main winter crop. Some amount of species typical for other habitats were also found and they probably came from the near-by rye field. The presence of perennial diaspores indicated that the field was probably set aside

Share of anthropophytes in the crop sequence: winter wheat – maize – spring wheat depending on tillage system

An experiment, conducted over the period 2008–2010, evaluated the effect of tillage system on the occurrence and species composition of anthropophytes in winter wheat, maize and spring wheat. Regardless of crop plant and tillage system, anthropophytes (73.9%), represented by archaeophytes and kenophytes, were the main component of the flora in the crops studied, whereas apophytes accounted for the remaining 26.1%. Most archaeophytes (13 species) were found in the spring wheat crop under no-tillage, while their lowest number (6 species) occurred in the spring wheat crop under conventional tillage. The only kenophyte, <em>Conyza canadensis</em>, was found to occur in the spring wheat and maize crops in the no-tillage system. The following taxa were dominant species among archeophytes: <em>Geranium pusillum</em>, <em>Anthemis arvensis, </em>and <em>Viola arvensis </em>(regardless of tillage system and crop plant), <em>Anthemis arvensis </em>(in spring wheat – conventional tillage), <em>Echinochloa crus-galli </em>and <em>Setaria glauca </em>(in maize – reduced tillage and no-tillage), <em>Chenopodium album </em>(in maize – no-tillage) as well as <em>Apera spica-venti</em>, <em>Anthemis arvensis </em>and <em>Papaver rhoeas </em>(in winter wheat – no-tillage).