Summary1. Recent advances in our understanding of the advantage of initial size in competition among individual plants (size-asymmetric competition) suggest that the potential for many crops to suppress weeds is much greater than generally appreciated. We hypothesize that this potential can be realized if: (i) the crop density is increased significantly and (ii) the crop is regularly (uniformly) distributed in two-dimensional space rather than sown in traditional rows. 2. We tested these hypotheses by sowing four varieties of spring wheat Triticum aestivum at three densities (200, 400 and 600 m -2 ) and in two spatial patterns (normal rows and a uniform grid pattern) in the presence of high weed pressure. 3. There were strong and significant effects of both crop density and spatial distribution on weed growth. Weed biomass decreased with crop density and was 30% lower in the grid pattern. 4. There was a negative linear relationship between above-ground weed biomass in early July and crop yield at harvest, so weed suppression translated directly into yield. The treatment with high crop density and the grid sowing pattern contained 60% less weed biomass and produced 60% higher yield than the treatment closest to normal sowing practices (crops sown in rows at 400 m -2 ). 5. The results were similar when the experiment was repeated in the following year, even though weed abundance was lower and the weed community was very different. There was 30% less weed biomass and 9% higher yield when the crop was sown in a grid pattern. 6. While weed biomass decreased monotonically with density for all varieties, a significant variety-density interaction suggested that the attributes resulting in good weed suppression at high crop density may not be the same as those most advantageous at low crop density. 7. A more crowded, uniform, distribution of some crops could contribute to a strategy to reduce the use of herbicides and energy-intensive forms of weed control.

It has been hypothesized that increased crop density and spatial uniformity can increase weed suppression and thereby play a role in weed management. Field experiments were performed over 2 years to investigate the effects of the density and spatial arrangement of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) on weed biomass and wheat yield in weed-infested fields. We used three crop spatial patterns (normal rows, random and uniform) and three densities (204, 449 and 721 seeds m )2 ), plus a fourth density (1000 seeds m )2 ) in the random pattern. Increased crop density reduced weed biomass in all three patterns. Weed biomass was lower and crop biomass higher in wheat sown in the random and uniform patterns than in normal rows in both years. At 449 seeds m )2 , weed biomass was 38% lower in the uniform and 27% lower in the random pattern than in rows. There was evidence of decreasing grain yield due to intraspecific competition only at 1000 seeds m )2 . The results not only confirm that increasing density and increasing crop spatial uniformity increase the suppression of weeds, but also suggest that a very high degree of spatial uniformity may not be necessary to achieve a major increase in weed suppression by cereal crops. Rows represent a very high degree of spatial aggregation. Decreasing this aggregation increased weed suppression almost as much as sowing the crop in a highly uniform spatial pattern. While the random pattern produced as much crop biomass and suppressed weeds almost as well as the uniform pattern, the uniform pattern gave the highest yield.

In this study, the evaluation of the accuracy and performance of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor for vegetation using distance and reflection measurements aiming to detect and discriminate maize plants and weeds from soil surface was done. The study continues a previous work carried out in a maize field in Spain with a LIDAR sensor using exclusively one index, the height profile. The current system uses a combination of the two mentioned indexes. The experiment was carried out in a maize field at growth stage 12–14, at 16 different locations selected to represent the widest possible density of three weeds: Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.Beauv., Lamium purpureum L., Galium aparine L.and Veronica persica Poir.. A terrestrial LIDAR sensor was mounted on a tripod pointing to the inter-row area, with its horizontal axis and the field of view pointing vertically downwards to the ground, scanning a vertical plane with the potential presence of vegetation. Immediately after the LIDAR data acquisition (distances and reflection measurements), actual heights of plants were estimated using an appropriate methodology. For that purpose, digital images were taken of each sampled area. Data showed a high correlation between LIDAR measured height and actual plant heights (R2 = 0.75). Binary logistic regression between weed presence/absence and the sensor readings (LIDAR height and reflection values) was used to validate the accuracy of the sensor. This permitted the discrimination of vegetation from the ground with an accuracy of up to 95%. In addition, a Canonical Discrimination Analysis (CDA) was able to discriminate mostly between soil and vegetation and, to a far lesser extent, between crop and weeds. The studied methodology arises as a good system for weed detection, which in combination with other principles, such as vision-based technologies, could improve the efficiency and accuracy of herbicide spraying.

Previous research has shown that both the density and spatial pattern of wheat have an influence on crop growth and weed suppression, but it is not clear what degree of uniformity is necessary to achieve major improvements in weed suppression. Field experiments were performed over 3 yr to investigate the effects of crop density and different spatial distributions on weed suppression. The spatial pattern of spring wheat sown in five patterns and three densities in small weed-infested plots were analyzed with the use of digitized photographs of field plots to describe the locations of individual wheat plants asxandycoordinates. We used a simple quantitative measure, Morisita's index, to measure the degree of spatial uniformity. Increased crop density resulted in reduced weed biomass and increased crop biomass every year, but crop pattern had significant effects on weed and crop biomass in the first year only. Weather conditions during the second and third years were very dry, resulting in very low weed biomass production. We hypothesize that water deficiency increased the importance of belowground relative to aboveground competition by reducing biomass production, making competition more size symmetric, and reducing the effect of crop spatial pattern on weed growth. The results indicate that increased crop density in cereals can play an important role in increasing the crop's competitive advantage over weeds, and that spatial uniformity maximizes the effect of density when low resource levels or abiotic stress do not limit total biomass production.

An automatic tillage system for inter-and intra-row weed control based on real-time kinematic GPS navigation and control has been used to address the problem of mechanically removing weeds within rows of precision seeded crops. The system comprised a side-shifting frame with an attached tine-rotor (cycloid hoe) with eight sigmoidshaped, vertically directed tines. The individual tines can be released for individual rotation in order to avoid collision with geo-referenced crop plants. The system navigated with reference to pre-defined waypoints for tillage parallel to crop rows and around individual crop plants. The system evaluation was based on quantification of treated areas for uprooting and burial and the corresponding prediction of weed control efficiencies. A single pass of an 80 mm wide row band provided tillage of 30-49% of the intra-row area, with highest coverage at a speed of 0.32 m s -1 and at even plant spacing. A double pass, once on each side of the row in opposite directions, provided higher soil disturbance intensity and resulted in tillage of 31-58% of the intra-row area with highest coverage at a speed of 0.32 m s -1 . The intra-row weed control effect was predicted to be up to 20% for a single pass and up to 29% for a 2-way pass treatment both at the white thread to the twoleaf stage of weeds. The result of the prediction is of crucial importance for the considerations of tool designs at the current conceptual stage of the system.