The effectiveness of weed regulation methods in spring wheat cultivated in integrated, conventional and organic crop production systems

Abstract

Abstract:The research was conducted from 2008 to 2010, and compared the influence of different weed control methods used in spring wheat on the structure of the weed communities and the crop yield. The study was carried out at the Experimental Station of the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation -State Research Institute in Osiny as part of a long-term trial where these crop production systems had been compared since 1994. In the conventional and integrated systems, spring wheat was grown in a pure stand, whereas in the organic system, the wheat was grown with undersown clover and grasses. In the conventional system, herbicides were applied two times in a growing season, but in the integrated system -only once. The effectiveness of weed management was lower in the organic system than in other systems, but the dry matter of weeds did not exceed 60 g/m 2 . In the integrated system, the average dry matter of weeds in spring wheat was 4 times lower, and in the conventional system 10 times lower than in the organic system. Weed diversity was the largest in spring wheat cultivated in the organic system. In the conventional and integrated systems, compensation of some weed species was observed (Viola arvensis, Fallopia convolvulus, Equisetum arvense). The comparison of weed communities using Sorenson's indices revealed more of a similarity between systems in terms of number of weed species than in the number of individuals. Such results imply that qualitative changes are slower than quantitative ones. The yield of grain was the biggest in the integrated system (5.5 t/ha of average). It was 35% higher than in the organic system, and 20% higher than in conventional ones.

The Suitability of Different Winter and Spring Wheat Varieties for Cultivation in Organic Farming

“…The results show high efficacy of weed control in spring wheat in the organic system by the interaction of 5-year crop rotation, successful undersown clover with grasses and dense canopy of wheat with large ability to compete with weeds. The effectiveness of mixed crops of cereals with legumes in reducing weed confirms the results of other authors [36,37].…”

“…In the organic system weed infestation in cereals is generally greater than in the more intensive crop production systems where herbicides are used [34,35]. However, the application of agricultural practices according to Good Agricultural Practices, proper crop rotation, delaying sowing time, increasing the amount of seed, maintaining good soil structure, with a high content of organic matter allows to keep the weeds at a level not causing a significant yield decrease [22,36]. The results show high efficacy of weed control in spring wheat in the organic system by the interaction of 5-year crop rotation, successful undersown clover with grasses and dense canopy of wheat with large ability to compete with weeds.…”

Ancient Wheat Species (Triticum sphaerococcum Perc. and T. persicum Vav.) in Organic Farming: Influence of Sowing Density on Agronomic Traits, Pests and Diseases Occurrence, and Weed Infestation

“…The studied wheat species did not show greater susceptibility to weed infestation than is observed in the spring common wheat grown under comparable conditions. In the study by Bhaskar et al [65], weed mass in spring wheat grown without the use of herbicides was 52% lower, while in the study by Feledyn-Szewczyk [66], the number of weeds in spring wheat was about 70% larger than that found in Persian and Indian dwarf wheat. The present study did not confirm the effect of sowing density on weed infestation of wheat found by Haliniarz and Kapeluszny [23].…”

Diversity of floristic composition of midfield baulks under different farming systems implemented on the outskirts of the Białowieża Forest

“…These researchers found the highest number of plant species on the baulk separating crops grown by traditional methods on small-scale farms. The high number of species on this baulks caused by low nutrient abundance (Feledyn-Szewczyk, 2007;Malecka et al, 2015), as well as the lack of interference with the communities in the form of mowing (grazing) or pesticide spraying. Most species on the baulk produce seeds generatively, and there were favourable conditions on the baulks for their maturation and seeding (Brągiel and Trąba, 2013).…”