Search Results (284)

Weed competition, persistent seed banks, and management costs can limit crop productivity in organic farming. A two-year field experiment was conducted in southern Finland to evaluate the effects of pea (Lathyrus oleraceus Lam.), oats (Avena sativa L.), and camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz.), grown as pure stands and as three-crop mixtures at varying seeding densities, on weed diversity and suppression. The seeding densities (%) were 50:20:30 and 33:33:33 of the pure stand density of pea, oats, and camelina in 2022 and 50:50:50 and 33:33:33 of the pure stand density in 2023. Weed diversity was assessed at five sampling times, species were identified and analyzed for biomass, richness, Shannon-Wiener index (H), evenness, and dominance. Weed diversity and suppression varied with crop composition, growth stage, and seasonal conditions. In 2022, the 33% mix had the highest H (2.22) and evenness (0.77), enhancing weed suppression while controlling dominance. In 2023, pure oats had the highest H (1.65) and evenness (0.87), and pure peas had the lowest H (1.41) and evenness (0.67). Although pure oat stands provided the strongest weed suppression, crop mixtures enhanced species diversity and evenness, suggesting potential for more balanced weed management in organic systems, with short-term results indicating potential benefits for weed control. Full article

Mesotrione is a herbicide used in field crops to control grass and broadleaf weeds worldwide. For grain crops such as maize, mesotrione is recommended for a waiting period of up to 24 months before planting. This research builds on earlier investigations that explored the influence of brassinosteroids on soybean and other legume species. Hence, the study aimed to determine the effects of mesotrione residues on morpho-physiological and yield parameters of a brassinosteroid-treated soya bean. The experiment was a pot trial, laid out in a completely randomized block design, arranged in a 4 × 2 factorial design. Mesotrione was applied at concentrations of 1.6 µg.ai kg⁻¹ soil, equivalent to 45 days after application (DAA), 0.05 µg.ai kg⁻¹ soil (90 DAA), and 0.0016 µg.ai kg⁻¹ soil (135 DAA), with untreated plants as the control. With increasing concentration, symptoms ranged from bleaching and necrosis to higher concentrations. Furthermore, findings in this study suggest that the combination of mesotrione (at 0.0016 µg.ai kg⁻¹) and recommended application rate of brassinosteroid plays an important role in improving nutrient uptake, resulting in increased plant growth, physiology, and yield. It could be concluded from the measured and visually observed parameters that mesotrione beyond 0.0016 µg.ai kg⁻¹ concentration resulted in negative effects on the plant growth, physiology, and yield; thus, a mitigating strategy using eco-organic production systems with different levels of brassinosteroids to improve soya bean treated with mesotrione should be prioritized as a future study. Full article

Reducing herbicide input in paddy fields is essential for sustainable rice production and long-term soil health. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl effectively controls the dominant paddy weed barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli), yet excessive application poses environmental risks. Here, we investigated whether the compound adjuvant Sijiling, containing nonionic and anionic surfactants, could enable significant dose reduction in florpyrauxifen-benzyl while maintaining weed control efficacy and improving soil–plant system functions. Greenhouse dose–response assays and two-year field trials conducted in 2021 and 2022 demonstrated that the adjuvant permitted a 50% reduction in herbicide application without compromising control of barnyardgrass or other paddy weeds. Mechanistically, Sijiling disrupted the leaf cuticular wax barrier and amplified ethylene and ABA biosynthesis over two-fold. The reduced herbicide rate lowered residues in rice and soil, increased soil organic carbon and available potassium, and enhanced microbial diversity, particularly enriching beneficial Acidobacteria. Grain yield increased significantly under the reduced-input strategy, with Mantel analysis linking yield gains to improved soil available potassium and organic carbon. Our findings demonstrate that adjuvant-enabled herbicide dose reduction is an effective and sustainable weed management strategy for paddy rice, maintaining robust weed suppression while delivering measurable co-benefits for soil health and crop productivity, thereby supporting the sustainable intensification of rice-based cropping systems. Full article

Paraquat is an herbicide widely used to control weeds in various crops. Due to its use in large quantities, its dispersal into the environment is frequent, leading to contamination and negative health effects on non-target organisms because of its high toxicity and persistence in soils. Therefore, it is necessary to develop sustainable strategies to remediate sites contaminated by this compound. Bacterial remediation is a promising alternative for removing paraquat from the environment; however, the metabolic pathways used by bacteria for its degradation have not yet been precisely described. In this context, it is essential to characterize bacterial species capable of resisting and degrading paraquat, as well as to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes. The objective of this work was to evaluate the paraquat resistance and degradation potential of the bacterial strain Caballeronia zhejiangensis CEIB S4-3, and to identify genes with a possible role in the resistance and degradation of this herbicide by analyzing the strain’s genome. The results of this research showed that, in solid medium, C. zhejiangensis CEIB S4-3 can withstand concentrations of up to 200 mg/L of paraquat supplemented as a commercial formulation (Gramoxone^®) and 400 mg/L of analytical-grade paraquat. In tryptic soy broth, the strain grew in the presence of both the commercial formulation and analytical-grade paraquat at concentrations up to 15 mg/L, whereas in mineral salts medium, supplemented with paraquat or its commercial formulation as the sole nutrient source, the strain survived exposure to paraquat at the same concentrations. Furthermore, the bacterial strain removed 40.8% of the paraquat supplemented in the culture medium at a concentration of 12 mg/L within 48 h. Finally, genomic analysis revealed the presence of genes related to paraquat resistance mechanisms and encoding enzymes involved in the degradation of this herbicide. These results position C. zhejiangensis CEIB S4-3 as a promising candidate for developing remediation alternatives for sites contaminated with this herbicide. Full article

Weeds represent a major constraint in the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), causing significant reductions in yield, biomass, and essential oil quality while increasing labor and production costs. Effective weed management is particularly critical during early crop growth, when young plants are most vulnerable to competition. Non-chemical strategies, including cultural practices, mechanical and thermal weeding, mulching, and crop diversification, have proven effective in suppressing weeds, enhancing crop competitiveness, and maintaining yield and quality, especially in organic or low-input systems. Mulching and optimized cultivation strategies consistently provide reliable weed control, improve soil moisture and nutrient use efficiency, and can influence secondary metabolite accumulation. Chemical weed control, including selective pre- and post-emergence herbicides, remains important in slow-growing MAPs but is increasingly constrained by regulatory restrictions and concerns over residues in raw plant material and essential oils. Integrated weed management combining cultural, physical, and reduced chemical approaches offers the most effective solution, balancing efficacy, crop safety, and product quality. Emerging strategies such as bioherbicides, precision agriculture, and robotic systems hold promise but require further research. Advancing weed management in MAPs will depend on interdisciplinary studies, field-scale validation, and technology-driven innovations to support sustainable, high-quality production. Full article

Rainfed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in semi-arid regions is strongly influenced by precipitation variability, soil water availability, and crop management practices. This study evaluated the effects of nutrient management under uniform weed control on soil water dynamics, weed density, and grain yield of winter wheat grown under rainfed no-till conditions in southern Kazakhstan. Field experiments were conducted during the 2018–2021 growing seasons on gray soils characterized by low organic matter and limited nitrogen and phosphorus availability. Eight fertilization treatments, including phosphorus and nitrogen combinations and a micronutrient treatment, were arranged in a randomized complete block design. Soil moisture reserves, weed density, and grain yield were analyzed in relation to precipitation variability. Productive soil moisture reserves in the 0–100 cm layer at tillering (BBCH 21–25) ranged from 155 to 178.8 mm and were closely associated with overwinter precipitation. Balanced nitrogen–phosphorus fertilization reduced weed density from 38 plants m⁻² in the control to 16 plants m⁻² under the P₄₅N₇₀ treatment. Yield stability varied across dry, normal, and wet years, reflecting the influence of precipitation conditions on crop performance. Overall, the results suggest balanced fertilization in no-till systems contributes to improved resource use and more stable wheat production under variable precipitation. Full article

Weed infestations are a major agricultural problem, driving the need for sustainable control methods beyond conventional synthetic herbicides. This study explored wood vinegar (WV), a pyrolysis by-product, as a dual-purpose tool for weed management and crop growth. Chemically characterized WV exhibited an acidic pH, high acetic acid content, and diverse organic compounds. Pot experiments demonstrated WV’s strong, concentration-dependent inhibition of weed seedling emergence. Field trials across three seasons confirmed WV’s efficacy in reducing weed density and biomass, particularly at 50% and 100% concentrations, while also influencing weed community composition. Critically, subsequent evaluation of residual phytotoxicity on tomato and courgette crops revealed that WV 50% significantly optimized both plant biomass and fruit yield. In contrast, WV 100% negatively impacted courgette yield, and WV 10% showed variable effects. These findings highlight WV, especially at optimal dilutions like 50%, as a promising sustainable solution for integrated weed management with potential biostimulant properties for crops. Full article

Pruning residues from medicinal and aromatic plant cultivations represent an under-exploited biomass rich in bioactive metabolites. In this study, pruning by-products from Lavandula angustifolia Mill. ‘Essence Purple’ and Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G.Don were investigated as sources of essential oils (EOs) within a circular economy perspective. Micromorphological analyses confirmed the presence of secretory glandular trichomes in the residual biomass. EOs were obtained by steam distillation (0.33% and 0.15% yield for lavender and helichrysum, respectively) and chemically characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of 51 and 55 compounds were identified, accounting for 99.68% and 99.57% of the total composition. The main constituents were τ-cadinol (23.09%) and linalyl acetate (14.07%) in lavender EO and γ-curcumene (15.47%) and eudesm-4(14)-en-11-ol (10.71%) in helichrysum EO. Pruning-derived EOs showed a higher sesquiterpene content than those from conventional plant organs, indicating a compositional shift. Phytotoxic assays on Hordeum vulgare, Raphanus sativus, Lolium multiflorum, and Sinapis alba revealed concentration-dependent effects, with a stronger inhibition of radicle elongation than seed germination. These concentrations should be interpreted as indicative of intrinsic phytotoxic potential under controlled conditions. Ecotoxicological tests showed no significant reduction in viability in Artemia salina, whereas concentration- and time-dependent immobilization was observed in Daphnia magna, highlighting species-specific sensitivity, likely related to differences in the uptake and membrane interactions of lipophilic compounds. These findings highlight pruning residues as a promising biomass for the recovery of bioactive phytocomplexes with potential applications in sustainable weed management, although further studies under agronomically relevant conditions and comprehensive environmental assessments are required to validate their practical applicability. Full article

There is a growing demand for alternative low cost and sustainable weed management technology suitable for aerobic and organic farming. This study evaluates 915 MHz microwave heating as a potential non-chemical approach for managing weedy rice while assessing its impact on soil physicochemical properties and selected microbial groups. Microwave power levels of 10, 20, and 30 kW were applied to soil at depths of 2.5, 8.9, and 15.2 cm under controlled laboratory conditions. Weed emergence was quantified using the total germinability index (TGI), and soil physicochemical and microbial responses were analyzed in separate experiments. TGI decreased significantly with increasing microwave power and decreasing soil depth, ranging from 0.84 (10 kW at 15.2 cm) to 0 (20 kW at 2.5 cm and 30 kW at 8.9 cm). For 8.9 cm soil depth, energy levels between 176 and 265 kJ/kg resulted in 80–100% emergence suppression, while treatment of 15.2 cm soil at 30 kW for 30 s (188 kJ/kg) reduced TGI by approximately 80% and germination by 64% relative to control. Soil physicochemical properties showed minimal changes, with values remaining within agronomically acceptable ranges. Total bacterial abundance was not significantly affected, whereas ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria were reduced following treatment. These results indicate that microwave heating can effectively suppress weedy rice emergence under controlled conditions, primarily through thermal effects. However, TGI reflects emergence suppression and does not distinguish underlying mechanisms such as lethality, injury, or dormancy. Additionally, limitations including low replication, lack of depth-matched controls, and limited spatial temperature measurements should be considered. Further field-scale studies are needed to validate performance, optimize energy requirements, and assess long-term soil impacts. Full article

Weed management, particularly in organic farming, poses a significant challenge due to high manual labor costs and the crop’s low competitive ability. Precision laser technology offers a promising non-chemical alternative. This study evaluates the field performance of a novel robotic system based on a Thulium fiber laser. The validation was conducted on commercial fields of the Westhof Bio GmbH in Friedrichsgabekoog, Germany. The Weeding Success rate of the laser weeding robot was 95% and the Detection Rate 85% for carrots for one weeding cycle. For beetroot, these values are 98% and 88%, respectively, after two weeding cycles. The field trials validate the Thulium fiber laser system as an agronomically effective and economically viable alternative for sustainable weed management. The technology demonstrates the potential to significantly reduce manual labor and reliance on herbicides in challenging crops. Full article

Transitioning from traditional to organic production is gaining popularity worldwide with significant challenges including weed management. We evaluated how legumes sown as cover crops in a synchronous intercropping (SI) system with organic oat (Avena sativa) as the main crop impacted weed communities. A split-plot design was set up on a farm in Poularies (Quebec, Canada) to compare Melilotus officinalis, Trifolium incarnatum, Trifolium repens and a control without legumes for two years (2019–2020). We determined the botanical composition, calculated diversity indices, and measured plant functional traits. Species richness was similar (S = 5.5 ± 0.4) across treatments in 2019, but higher in the control (S = 12.2 ± 2.6) and lower (S = 6.0 ± 1.2) under T. incarnatum in 2020. Shannon diversity was lower in 2019 (H′ = 1.49 ± 0.07) than in 2020 (H′ = 1.99 ± 0.04), and higher under the control (H′ = 1.87 ± 0.05) than under T. incarnatum (H′ = 1.46 ± 0.04). Weeds under T. incarnatum had a high specific leaf area and a resource-acquisition strategy, while those in the control had a higher leaf dry matter content and a resource-conservation strategy. Our study brings novel results on the use of legumes in SI systems to control weeds. Using T. incarnatum in a SI system with oat had the greatest capacity to cover the ground, control weeds and reduce their diversity, but this species and the acquisitive weeds in this treatment could compete with the main crop. Future research should evaluate the quantity and quality of yields to complete this ecological study and give appropriate agronomic recommendations. Our results could provide agronomists and farmers with indications on the level of competition weeds exert on the cropping system depending on the SI treatment. Full article

Aminopyralid (2-pyridine carboxylic acid, 4-amino-3, and 6-dichloro-2-pyridine carboxylic acid) is an auxin herbicide widely used to control broad leaf weeds in pasture and hay fields. Aminopyralid compound in forage material can pass through livestock into manure. Composts derived from aminopyralid-contaminated manure can cause phytotoxic effects in sensitive crop plants. Biochar has shown synergetic effects in composting and can immobilize organic pollutants that present in compost. This experiment examined the effects of incorporating 0%, 2%, 4%, and 10% (w/w) biochar for composting dairy manure containing 50 µg kg⁻¹ aminopyralid (wet base) in 140 L plastic rotary drum reactors. Residual aminopyralid concentration after 2, 6, and 12 m composting periods, phytotoxicity effects of compost on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) plants, and the key chemical characteristics of composts after 6 and 12 m curing were assessed in two runs. After 12 months of curing, the aminopyralid concentration in the 10% biochar treatment decreased by more than 90% and eliminated the phytotoxicity of the compost. Improved adsorption and immobilization by biochar accounted for over 57% of the reduction in the 10% BC treatment. Biochar addition slightly increased the C/N ratio and total N content significantly but did not markedly impact the N transformation. The results indicate that biochar incorporation can be used as an effective practical tool to enhance the agronomic biosafety of bovine compost originated from persistent auxin herbicide aminopyralid-contaminated dairy manure. Full article

Managing weeds and improving soil health are priorities for South Dakota vegetable farmers. Clover (Trifolium spp.), used as a living mulch within and along cash crop rows, may aid in weed suppression and prevent soil erosion. However, prior research has shown living mulch often leads to yield decreases in cash crops. Research conducted in eastern South Dakota investigated the effects of four clover and four in-row soil management treatments on small-scale broccoli production. Whole plots of red (Trifolium pratense), white (Trifolium repens), and white × kura (Trifolium repens × ambiguum) clovers were direct-seeded in early spring; each clover plot and a bare ground control included four in-row management treatments: no-till + fabric, tilled + fabric, no-till, and tilled. Clover and weed growth were measured throughout the season. During the establishment year, 12.8 cm of precipitation was received, which effectively established the clover living mulch plots. However, in 2023, 5.6 cm of precipitation was received, which negatively affected the clover living mulch plots and created favorable conditions for weeds to outcompete the clover and broccoli. The results highlight the potential challenges and opportunities for managing clover cover crops as a living mulch during the first year of establishment in organic broccoli production. Full article

Weed competition restricts organic cereal production. In our study on the mechanical control of weeds, classic (tined weeder) and modern machines were used (spring-tined weeder, rotary weeder and camera-guided hoe). The study was conducted in two growing seasons, 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, on an organic farm, with medium-heavy soil in central Poland. Precision weed control included the following treatments: the first pass was done using a precision spring-tined weeder, the second using a rotary weeder, the third using a camera-guided precision hoe, and the fourth using the rotary weeder once more. Precision weed control compared to classic weed control resulted in a 5.5-times lower number of weeds per 1 m² and an 8.6-times lower weed biomass. Precision weed control resulted in higher yields—in a classic weed control scheme, spelt wheat yielded almost 4.5 t of dehulled grain per ha, and in precision weed control, yields were ca. 10% higher. Grain quality was high—protein content was approximately 14%, gluten content 28.8% and the Zeleny index was 53.8 mL. Full article

The soybean–maize strip intercropping system enhances soybean yield while maintaining maize production, improving nitrogen use efficiency, and fostering intercropping mutualism. However, vigorous weed growth in warm and humid regions competes for nitrogen, while elevated soil temperatures accelerate nitrification, promoting nitrogen loss, especially during the peak nitrogen demand period of maize. Plastic film mulching, which conserves moisture, regulates temperature, and suppresses weeds, can improve the soil environment. A two-year field experiment was conducted with polyethylene (PE) films of various thicknesses (0.01, 0.014, 0.02 millimeters) and colors (black, white, silver-black) with an un-mulched control plot. Soil nitrogen content, microbial diversity, soil properties, and crop productivity were analyzed. The results indicated that plastic film mulching significantly altered soil nutrient availability and rhizosphere microbial community structures, while simultaneously enhancing crop productivity. The 0.014 mm black and white films performed best, showing a positive association with enhanced nitrogen transformation indices, which coincided with increased available nitrogen, biomass, and crop yield. However, long-term soil nutrient depletion remains a risk, suggesting the need for strategies like organic fertilizers or crop rotation to maintain soil fertility and ecological sustainability. Full article