Intercropping of Pea and Spring Cereals for Weed Control in an Organic Farming System

Abstract

et ctr is a neglected theme in agricultural research. Weeds continue to play a major limiting role in agricultural production. The control of weeds using classical pesticides raises serious concerns about food safety and environmental quality, which have dictated the need for alternative weed management techniques. The field experiments were carried out in 2007-2010 at the Institute of Agriculture (Dotnuva, loamy soil) and the Joniskelis Experimental Station (Joniskelis, clay loam soil,) of the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of intercropping pea with spring cereals on crop competition, yield performance and weed control in organic farming conditions. The following trial design was used for intercrops and sole crops: 1) pea (cv. 'Pinochio'), Ps, 2) pea/spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori et Paol., cv. 'Estrad'), PWi, 3) pea/spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cv. 'Aura'), PBi, 4) pea/oats (Avena sativa L., cv. 'Migla'), POi, 5) pea/spring triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm., cv. 'Nilex'), PTi, 6) spring wheat, Ws, 7) sprig barley, Bs, 8) oats, Os, 9) spring triticale, Ts. The experimental plots were laid out in a complete one-factor randomised block design in three replicates. Individual plot size was 2.5 × 12 m. The intercrop design was based on the proportional replacement principle, with mixed pea grain and spring cereals grain at the same depth in the same rows at relative frequencies (50:50-a relative proportion of grain legume and spring cereals seeds). Wheat seeds rate were 5.5, barley 4.7, oat 6.0, triticale 4.5 and pea 1.0 mln seeds ha-1 for sole crop. Weeds were assessed twice: at stem elongation growth stage (BBCH 32-36) and at development of grain filling growth stage (BBCH 73). Mass of weeds and botanical composition was determined in 0.25 m 2 at 4 settled places of each treatment. The experimental data were processed by the analysis of variance and correlationregression analysis methods using a software package "Selekcija". Weed number and mass data were transformed to 1 x + .

Asymptomatic weeds are frequently colonised by pathogenic species of Fusarium in cereal‐based crop rotations

“…However, it is one of the main constituents of cereal‐based crop rotations and its ability to serve as alternative or reservoir host for all the main incitants of FHB and CR indicates it may not be considered as wholly safe as a break crop between cereal host crops within a rotation. Equisetum arvense is a low‐frequency member of the cereal cropping systems in Lithuania and other neighbouring countries (Lapinsh et al ., ; Šarūnait≐ et al ., ; Orzech et al ., ), and usually occurs where the water table is high. However, where conditions are suitable, it may cause serious problems, given that efficacy of herbicides tends to be insufficient.…”

“…Erodium cicutarium, F. officinalis and Geranium pusillum are becoming increasingly abundant in agricultural fields: for example, in Ontario (Canada) F. officinalis was listed among 20 weed species with increased abundance arising from the adoption of no‐tillage cropping practices (Murphy et al ., ). Among the abundant annual weed species, F. convolvulus , P. maculata , Sinapis arvensis and T. arvense tend to be most dominant, in addition to the relatively low biomass producing, overwintering species, such as L. purpureum , S. pratensis and V. agrestis (Lapinsh et al ., ; Šarūnait≐ et al ., ; Orzech et al ., ). Altogether, abundant weed species that can serve as hosts for pathogenic species of Fusarium may considerably increase sources of inoculum.…”