Focus on ecological weed management: what is hindering adoption?

Abstract

SummaryDespite increased concerns regarding the heavy reliance of many cropping systems on chemical weed control, adoption of ecological weed management practices is only steadily progressing. For this reason, this paper reflects on both the possibilities and limitations of cultural weed control practices. Cultural weed control utilises a number of principles, predominantly: (i) a reduced recruitment of weed seedlings from the soil seedbank, (ii) an alteration of crop-weed competitive relations to the benefit of the crop and (iii) a gradual reduction of the size of the weed seedbank. Compared with chemical control, the general applicability, reliability and efficacy of most measures is only moderate, and consequently, cultural control strategies need to consist of a combination of measures, resulting in increased systems complexity. Combined with the trade-offs connected to some of the measures, this hampers large-scale implementation. It is argued that tailoring cultural weed management strategies to the needs and skills of individual farmers would be an important step forward. Research can aid in improving the utilisation of cultural weed control strategies by focussing on a broadening of the range of available measures and by providing clear quantitative insight in efficacy, variability in outcome and trade-offs of these measures.

The development, regulation and use of biopesticides for integrated pest management

“…There will be no 'silver bullet' solution to the impending food production challenge. Rather, a series of innovations must be developed to meet the different needs of farmers according to their local circumstances (see, for example, [1]). …”

Protocol for the evaluation of data concerning the necessity of the application of herbicide active substances to control a serious danger to plant health which cannot be contained by other available means, including non-chemical methods

“…Two important categories of non-chemical alternative weed control measures can be discerned. The first category consists of preventive measures, which can be defined as any adjustment to the general management of the crop or cropping systems that contributes to the regulation of weed populations and reduces the negative impact of weeds on crop production (Bastiaans et al, 2008). Examples of this category are numerous and include, among others, an increased seeding rate, competitive cultivars, false seedbed technique, mulching, stimulation of weed seed predation, and weed seed removal during harvest.…”

“…As indicated in the Directive for the sustainable use of pesticides (2009/128/EC), and according to the National Action Plans for the sustainable use of PPP, non-chemical methods of plant protection and pest and crop management should be given priority wherever possible. However, compared to chemical control, the general applicability and reliability of most alternative measures is often just moderate (Bastiaans et al 2008). In addition, the effectiveness is usually below that of herbicides, for which the efficacy (percentage of dead weed plants) can be extremely high (up to 100%).…”

Integrated weed management systems with herbicide-tolerant crops in the European Union: lessons learnt from home and abroad

“…[74] In Europe, the procedure for the registration of a given biocontrol agent is time-consuming and resource intensive, and biocontrol agents do not occupy a sizable share of the market. [75] On the other hand, because many European weeds are native the identification of classic biocontrol agents is limited.…”