Super-Weeds: Knowledge of Their Biology, Physiology and Ecology Will Alleviate Their Effects on Crops and Enhance Management Options for Long-Term Control

Dear Colleagues,

The existence of superweeds (i.e., weeds difficult to control because of their fast growth rate, large biomass production, high fecundity, adaptability to a wide range of environments, and capacity to easily develop herbicide resistance) and the consequences that follow their presence are undoubtedly among the biggest challenges that farmers are currently facing. Superweeds have spread across the globe and cause significant economic damage through yield losses and the increase of production costs. The development of resistance to herbicides, one of the main causes of the spread of superweeds, was accelerated due to the use of monocultures, the overdependence on a single herbicide mode of action, and the neglect of other weed-control measures. The wide adoption of herbicide-resistant genetically modified crops in many food-production systems has encouraged producers to abandon practices for integrated weed-management approaches. In light of public concern about sustainable food production, the necessity for human and environmental protection, along with the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds, the review of current weed-control practices is required. Furthermore, in order to achieve effective weed control, it is necessary to understand the biology, ecophysiology, and population dynamics of these species within agroecosystems. This Special Issue aims to include work related to the biology and (eco)physiology of superweeds. Work related with the ecology and traits that enhance the invasiveness of these species would be an asset to this Special Issue. Articles on crop–weed relationships and consequences related with economic or environmental costs due to the presence of superweeds are also welcome. Finally, ecology-based weed tactics or integrated weed-management approaches that secure the long-term control of superweeds will also be considered for publication.

Prof. Dr. Nicholas Emmanuel Korres
Dr. Thomas K. Gitsopoulos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the Special Issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.