Abstract:Cover crops are an important component of integrated weed management programs in annual and perennial cropping systems because of their weed suppressive abilities. They influence weed populations using different mechanisms of plant interaction which can be facilitative or suppressive. However, the question often arises if cover crops can be solely relied upon for weed management or not. In this review we have tried to provide examples to answer this question. The most common methods of weed suppression by an a… Show more
“…Most of the RFPCs (107 out of 115) had no "soil coverage" (SC), the water was supplied (variable "irrigation", I) mainly by drip irrigation (87 out of 115 RFPCs), and "weeding" (W) was performed mostly by manual uprooting (55 out of 115 RFPCs). Furthermore, cover cropping was a possible value within different variables (biomass-B, soil coverage-SC, and weeding-W) and can be explained by the several advantages provided by this agricultural practice that can work for weed control [62], covering the soil [63], and soil improvement [64].…”
Section: Dataset Descriptionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…plained by the several advantages provided by this agricultural practice that can work for weed control [62], covering the soil [63], and soil improvement [64].…”
The European Commission is directing efforts into triggering the storage of carbon in agricultural soils by encouraging the adoption of carbon farming practices under the European Green Deal and in other key EU policies. However, farmers that want to enter this production model urgently need to define the sustainable practices required for increasing soil organic carbon without overturning production systems and also need to adapt it for optimizing yields and improving carbon stocks. However, there is still a lack of tools that are easy to use and interpret for guiding farmers and stakeholders to find ways in which to increase soil organic carbon content. Therefore, this research aims to set up a novel bottom–up approach, in terms of the methodology and analysis process, for identifying tailored sustainable farming management strategies for the purpose of increasing soil carbon. We investigated 115 real food production cases that were carried out under homogeneous pedo-climatic conditions over a period of 20 years in the Apulia region (Southern Italy), which made it possible to create a dataset of 12 variables that were analyzed through a decision tree (created with the C4.5 algorithm). The overall results highlight that the treatment duration was the most crucial factor and affected the carbon stock both positively and negatively. This was followed by the use of cover crops alone and then those in combination with a type of irrigation system; hence, specific agricultural management strategies were successfully identified for obtaining effective carbon storage in the considered real food production cases. From a wider perspective, this research can serve as guidance to help EU private actors and public authorities to start carbon farming initiatives, pilot projects, or certification schemes at the local and/or regional levels.
“…Most of the RFPCs (107 out of 115) had no "soil coverage" (SC), the water was supplied (variable "irrigation", I) mainly by drip irrigation (87 out of 115 RFPCs), and "weeding" (W) was performed mostly by manual uprooting (55 out of 115 RFPCs). Furthermore, cover cropping was a possible value within different variables (biomass-B, soil coverage-SC, and weeding-W) and can be explained by the several advantages provided by this agricultural practice that can work for weed control [62], covering the soil [63], and soil improvement [64].…”
Section: Dataset Descriptionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…plained by the several advantages provided by this agricultural practice that can work for weed control [62], covering the soil [63], and soil improvement [64].…”
The European Commission is directing efforts into triggering the storage of carbon in agricultural soils by encouraging the adoption of carbon farming practices under the European Green Deal and in other key EU policies. However, farmers that want to enter this production model urgently need to define the sustainable practices required for increasing soil organic carbon without overturning production systems and also need to adapt it for optimizing yields and improving carbon stocks. However, there is still a lack of tools that are easy to use and interpret for guiding farmers and stakeholders to find ways in which to increase soil organic carbon content. Therefore, this research aims to set up a novel bottom–up approach, in terms of the methodology and analysis process, for identifying tailored sustainable farming management strategies for the purpose of increasing soil carbon. We investigated 115 real food production cases that were carried out under homogeneous pedo-climatic conditions over a period of 20 years in the Apulia region (Southern Italy), which made it possible to create a dataset of 12 variables that were analyzed through a decision tree (created with the C4.5 algorithm). The overall results highlight that the treatment duration was the most crucial factor and affected the carbon stock both positively and negatively. This was followed by the use of cover crops alone and then those in combination with a type of irrigation system; hence, specific agricultural management strategies were successfully identified for obtaining effective carbon storage in the considered real food production cases. From a wider perspective, this research can serve as guidance to help EU private actors and public authorities to start carbon farming initiatives, pilot projects, or certification schemes at the local and/or regional levels.
“…Integrated weed management utilizing crop competition to suppress weed growth and seed production is considered a sustainable option for farmers. Crop competition in the form of cover crops has been widely successful in weed suppression [10]. Living cover crops have been shown to suppress weed growth by reducing light transmittance and affecting soil temperatures, thereby reducing weed emergence [11].…”
Navua sedge (Cyperus aromaticus), a perennial plant native to Africa, poses a significant weed concern due to its capacity for seed and rhizome fragment dissemination. Infestations can diminish pasture carrying capacity, displacing desirable species. Despite the burgeoning interest in integrated weed management strategies, information regarding the efficacy of competitive interactions with other pasture species for Navua sedge management remains limited. A pot trial investigated the competitive abilities of 14 diverse broadleaf and grass pasture species. The results indicated a range of the reduction in Navua sedge dry biomass from 6% to 98% across these species. Subsequently, three broadleaf species—burgundy bean (Macroptilium bracteatum), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and lablab (Lablab purpureus), and three grass species—Gatton panic (Megathyrsus maximus), Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana), and signal grass (Urochloa decumbens) were chosen for a follow-up pot trial based on their superior dry biomass performance. These six species were planted at three varying densities (44, 88, and 176 plants/m2) surrounding a Navua sedge plant. Among the grass pasture species, Gatton panic and Rhodes grass exhibited high competitiveness, resulting in a minimum decrease of 86% and 99%, respectively, in Navua sedge dry biomass. Regarding the broadleaf species, lablab displayed the highest competitiveness, causing a minimum decrease of 99% in Navua sedge dry biomass. This study highlights the increasing efficacy of crop competition in suppressing weed growth and seed production, with the most significant suppression observed at a density of 176 plants/m2.
“…16 To deal with the emergence of resistance and reduce the adverse effects of herbicide residues in the environment, research is essential to find suitable solutions and alternative methods. 17,18 Biological control to deal with weeds while observing ecological principles can keep their density below the level of economic damage by using natural enemies and fungal or bacterial antagonists of weeds. 19 The use of biological herbicides, consisting of living microorganisms or their metabolites instead of conventional chemicals, has several advantages that can be of interest to planning managers, pesticide manufacturers, and farmers.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…To deal with the emergence of resistance and reduce the adverse effects of herbicide residues in the environment, research is essential to find suitable solutions and alternative methods 17,18 . Biological control to deal with weeds while observing ecological principles can keep their density below the level of economic damage by using natural enemies and fungal or bacterial antagonists of weeds 19 .…”
BackgroundThe widespread use of chemical herbicides and the growing issue of weed resistance pose significant challenges in agriculture. To address these problems, there is a pressing need to develop biological herbicides based on bacterial metabolites.ResultsIn this study, we investigated the impact of the cell‐free culture filtrate (CFCF) from the ZT isolate, a bacilliform bacterium obtained from diseased wheat seeds, on the germination and seedling growth of various plant species, including wild oat, ryegrass, redroot, wheat, and chickpea. The results revealed that CFCF had a detrimental effect on the fresh and dry weight of stems and roots in most of the studied plants, except chickpeas. The CFCF was further subjected to separation into aqueous and organic phases using chloroform, followed by the division of the aqueous phase into 13 fractions using an alumina column. Notably, both the aqueous phase (20%) and all 13 fractions (ranging from 50% to 83%) displayed the ability to reduce the root length of ryegrass, a monocotyledonous weed. LC‐MS analysis identified that fractions 3 and 7, which were effective against ryegrass but not redroot, contained Cry family proteins, including Cry10 Aa, Cry4 Ba, and Cry4 Aa. Additionally, 16s rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the ZT isolate is closely related (98.27%) to Bacillus wiedmannii.ConclusionConclusively, metabolites from the ZT bacterium hold promise for monocotyledonous weed‐targeted herbicides, providing a constructive strategy to confront agricultural issues tied to chemical herbicides and weed resistance.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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