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Agronomy
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Sustainable Weed Management: Biological Principles and Improvement of Conventional Methods
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Sustainable Weed Management: Biological Principles and Improvement of Conventional Methods

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Weed Science and Weed Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 23138

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Gabriella Kazinczi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Plant Protection, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Deák F. str. 16., H 8361 Keszthely, Hungary
Interests: weed biology; weed ecology; sustainable weed management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In intensive vs. sustainable agricultural systems, the role of weeds is complex. Climate change is predicted to help the spread of invasive alien plants, and urge the application of environmentally friendly weed management methods, such as the increased use of bioherbicides. Environmental and human health considerations also justify an increase in the proportion of other non-chemical methods within the framework of integrated weed management. Knowledge of weed biology and ecology remains the foundation for successful weed management, but besides classical methods (e.g., germination biology, crop–weed interference studies), new approaches (molecular methods, gene expression studies, molecular background of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes, evolutionary genetics) are necessary in the future to better understand the biological bases. Site-specific, precision weed management and the use of automation for weed identification and control are promising and decisive methods for the future. This Special Issue invites papers on the topics of weed biology and ecology, molecular herbology, non-chemical weed management, climate–weed relations and advanced weed control technologies.

Prof. Dr. Gabriella Kazinczi
Guest Editor

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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.

Keywords

  • biological principles
  • climate change
  • bioherbicides
  • precision weed management
  • herbicide resistance
  • molecular herbology
  • invasive weeds

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1955 KiB  
Communication
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Loose and Compressed Wood Chip Mulch in Field-Grown Blueberries—A Preliminary Study
by Kwame Sarpong Appiah, Siaw Onwona-Agyeman, Richard Ansong Omari, Naomi Horiuchi, Elsie Sarkodee-Addo, Edward Benjamin Sabi and Yoshiharu Fujii
Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020351 - 26 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2100
Abstract
Blueberry production in the field faces several challenges, including competition from weeds and soil suitability. Different mulch types are widely used in blueberry cultivation to control weeds, conserve moisture, and mitigate soil erosion. However, the comparative effects of loose and compressed wood chips [...] Read more.
Blueberry production in the field faces several challenges, including competition from weeds and soil suitability. Different mulch types are widely used in blueberry cultivation to control weeds, conserve moisture, and mitigate soil erosion. However, the comparative effects of loose and compressed wood chips on fruit quality and weed control in blueberry production systems have not been studied. Many farmers use expensive imported peat moss as soil covers, while others apply organic mulches such as chips or chaff, which can be easily washed away by runoff. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of compressed mulching boards (MB) fabricated without the use of chemical adhesives using pressurized steam and compression technologies in blueberry cultivation. During the two growing seasons, the effectiveness of compressed MB on soil moisture retention, fruit quality, and weed biomass was compared to that of wood chip (WC) and control treatments in a blueberry field. Although a significant difference was observed in the fruit fresh weight, no significant differences were observed in the other fruit growth parameters for all the treatments. Generally, the compressed MB significantly improved soil moisture retention capacity compared to WC and control during the two-year study. The compressed MB showed effective weed suppression ability by significantly reducing the weed biomass at all sampling times. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Weed Management: Biological Principles and Improvement of Conventional Methods)
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15 pages, 1208 KiB  
Article
Weed Community in Soybean Responses to Agricultural Management Systems
by Edita Stefanic, Sanda Rasic, Pavo Lucic, Snjezana Tolic, Dinko Zima, Slavica Antunovic, Božica Japundžić-Palenkić and Ivan Stefanic
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2846; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112846 - 14 Nov 2022
Viewed by 2526
Abstract
Weed infestation is a major cause of the poor yield of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.); therefore, proper weed management represents one of the most important and expensive steps in soybean production. Field experiments were established in northeastern parts of Croatia, in [...] Read more.
Weed infestation is a major cause of the poor yield of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.); therefore, proper weed management represents one of the most important and expensive steps in soybean production. Field experiments were established in northeastern parts of Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia county from 2014 to 2016, arranged in a split-plot design with four replications. Two different studies were conducted: the first study was to determine the weed interference, weed biomass accumulation, yield, and yield components of soybeans growing in three different rows spacing (25, 50, and 70 cm), and the second study aimed to simulate a risk analysis by building models of probabilities for generating profit as a result of weed control. The weed community in soybean during the study period comprised 34 dicot and grass species of a varied perennation. Compositional differences in the weed community tended to be affected most by the year (humid–arid environment), followed by row spacing. There were no differences in the weed biomass accumulation with a reduction in row spacing from 70 to 50 and 25 cm. The dominant weed species Amaranthus retroflexus, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Chenopodium album, Datura stramonium, Setaria viridis, and Sorghum halepense formed the main biomass and were spread over all row spacings. There was a significant influence of row spacing, the duration of weed interference, and year on soybean yield and yield components. Weed infestation until the second trifoliate (V2) stage had no detrimental effect on soybean yield, regardless of the row spacing. The number of pods per plant significantly decreased at the same V2 stage in 25 and 50-cm rows, but in 70-cm soybean rows, this process started later, at four unfolded trifoliate leaves (V4 stage). A 1000 kernel weight was less sensitive to weed infestation and was significantly decreased at full flowering (R2 stage) in 25 and 70 cm rows, while it already decreased at the V4 stage in 50 cm rows. The probability distribution of achieving a profit showed the best results for soybeans growing in 70 cm rows, with preemergence herbicide application and two inter-row cultivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Weed Management: Biological Principles and Improvement of Conventional Methods)
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12 pages, 635 KiB  
Article
Weed Management by In Situ Cover Crops and Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation in Plasticulture
by Gursewak Singh, Brian Ward, Amnon Levi and Matthew Cutulle
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2754; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112754 - 5 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2091
Abstract
Weeds negatively affect organic vegetable crop growth and profitability. Weed management is the greatest challenge for vegetable organic growers since control options are limited for organic vegetable production. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a novel non-chemical pest management technique that creates anoxic conditions [...] Read more.
Weeds negatively affect organic vegetable crop growth and profitability. Weed management is the greatest challenge for vegetable organic growers since control options are limited for organic vegetable production. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a novel non-chemical pest management technique that creates anoxic conditions in the topsoil layer for a limited time. ASD is primarily based on the addition of labile carbon sources to topsoil to promote anaerobic conditions driven by microorganisms in moist soil mulched with polyethylene film (polyfim). Field studies were conducted in the summer–fall of 2020 and 2021 to determine the efficacy of warm season cover crops used as carbon sources for ASD and their role in weed management. The study used a factorial experimental design with four cover crop residue treatments (sorghum-sudangrass, sunn hemp, both, or none) in two soil aeration conditions (aerated or non-aerated). Cover crops were grown for 75 days, incorporated into the soil, and sealed with totally impermeable film (TIF) clear mulch, followed by a 4-week ASD process. All incorporated cover crop treatments in non-aerated conditions generated moderate to higher anaerobic conditions (0–150 mV) and provided significantly higher (p < 0.05) weed control than all the other treatments tested or controls. Tomato plants transplanted in non-aerated, cover crops incorporated plots were more vigorous and produced higher yields than aerated plots. No phytotoxicity was observed on tomato plants following ASD treatment in any of the treatments tested. This study demonstrated that warm season cover crops could potentially serve as a carbon source for ASD in organic tomato production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Weed Management: Biological Principles and Improvement of Conventional Methods)
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11 pages, 2190 KiB  
Article
Wiper Application of Herbicides to Cirsium arvense
by Clyton Moyo, Kerry C. Harrington, Peter D. Kemp, Johannes P. J. Eerens and Hossein Ghanizadeh
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2262; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102262 - 21 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2075
Abstract
Wiper applicators allow herbicides to be selectively delivered to upright target weeds, thereby avoiding application to nearby lower-growing desirable pasture plants. In this research, we investigated the efficacy of wiper application of four herbicides, clopyralid, metsulfuron, glyphosate and a triclopyr/picloram mixture, to control [...] Read more.
Wiper applicators allow herbicides to be selectively delivered to upright target weeds, thereby avoiding application to nearby lower-growing desirable pasture plants. In this research, we investigated the efficacy of wiper application of four herbicides, clopyralid, metsulfuron, glyphosate and a triclopyr/picloram mixture, to control Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., a troublesome weed of pastures in New Zealand. The results showed that wiper application of herbicides was a useful technique for controlling C. arvense. In one trial when plants were treated at the post-flowering stage, stem density reductions in the following season of 93%, 90% and 82% were achieved following a double pass with a rotary weed wiper containing glyphosate, clopyralid and metsulfuron, respectively. A double pass gave better control of dense infestations of C. arvense than a single pass for glyphosate and triclopyr/picloram, but not for clopyralid and metsulfuron. Despite wiper applicators usually being selective, some damage to pastures was recorded, very likely due to rain falling soon after wiper application. Overall, the results of this study revealed that wiper application can be used to selectively control C. arvense when the plants are treated at the post-flowering stage, though only if plants are actively growing. In addition, among the herbicides tested, glyphosate appears to be the best choice when using weed wipers to manage C. arvense, as this herbicide caused the least damage to pasture plants if washed off afterwards by rain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Weed Management: Biological Principles and Improvement of Conventional Methods)
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10 pages, 1090 KiB  
Article
Effect of Chitosan Molecules on Paraquat Herbicidal Efficacy under Simulated Rainfall Conditions
by Denny Kurniadie, Uum Umiyati, Ryan Widianto and Hisashi Kato-Noguchi
Agronomy 2022, 12(7), 1666; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12071666 - 13 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1906
Abstract
Unexpected rainfall before herbicide absorption by plants can wash away herbicides from plant tissue surfaces, which may reduce the herbicidal efficacy and increase the adverse effects on nontarget organisms and the environment, including water networks. The objective of this study was the evaluation [...] Read more.
Unexpected rainfall before herbicide absorption by plants can wash away herbicides from plant tissue surfaces, which may reduce the herbicidal efficacy and increase the adverse effects on nontarget organisms and the environment, including water networks. The objective of this study was the evaluation of the effect of chitosan on paraquat efficacy under simulated rainfall conditions. Simulated rainfall within 3 h after paraquat application decreased its herbicidal efficacy. A mixture of paraquat (280 g a.i./ha) and chitosan (0.05% w/v) significantly increased the herbicidal efficacy against Ageratum conyzoides L. (21% increase), Borreria alata Aubl. (15%) and Paspalum conjugatum Bergius (8%) under the rainfall conditions. The chemical structure of chitosan may contribute to the penetration of paraquat into plant tissues. However, a mixture of paraquat and chitosan did not affect the herbicidal efficacy against Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. The morphological characteristics of I. cylindrica may interfere with the enhancement effect of chitosan. Chitosan is a degradable, nontoxic and easily available and low-cost material made from crustacean shells. These results suggest that chitosan may increase paraquat efficacy against some noxious weed species under rainfall conditions, which may reduce the risk of paraquat contamination into the environment. Therefore, the application of herbicides with chitosan may provide the economic and environmental benefits. Chitosan may enhance the efficacy of other herbicides under unexpected rainfall conditions; however, this possibility requires further investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Weed Management: Biological Principles and Improvement of Conventional Methods)
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Review

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16 pages, 337 KiB  
Review
Herbicide Resistance: Managing Weeds in a Changing World
by Rita Ofosu, Evans Duah Agyemang, Adrienn Márton, György Pásztor, János Taller and Gabriella Kazinczi
Agronomy 2023, 13(6), 1595; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13061595 - 13 Jun 2023
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 11362
Abstract
Over the years, several agricultural interventions and technologies have contributed immensely towards intensifying food production globally. The introduction of herbicides provided a revolutionary tool for managing the difficult task of weed control contributing significantly towards global food security and human survival. However, in [...] Read more.
Over the years, several agricultural interventions and technologies have contributed immensely towards intensifying food production globally. The introduction of herbicides provided a revolutionary tool for managing the difficult task of weed control contributing significantly towards global food security and human survival. However, in recent times, the successes achieved with chemical weed control have taken a turn, threatening the very existence we have tried to protect. The side effects of conventional farming, particularly the increasing cases of herbicide resistance agricultural weeds, is quite alarming. Global calls for sustainable weed management approaches to be used in food production is mounting. This paper provides detailed information on the molecular biological background of herbicide resistant weed biotypes and highlights the alternative, non-chemical weed management methods which can be used to prevent the development and spreading of herbicide-resistant weeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Weed Management: Biological Principles and Improvement of Conventional Methods)
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