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Long term effects of cover crops on weeds in Mediterranean low input arable management systems

Carlesi, Stefano; Antichi, Daniele; Bigongiali, Federica; Mazzoncini, Marco and Barberi, Paolo (2015) Long term effects of cover crops on weeds in Mediterranean low input arable management systems. In: proceedings of the 17th European Weed Research Society Symposium.

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Summary

The introduction of cover crops (CC) in crop rotations is a key tool to control weed and ameliorate soil conditions in low input arable systems. In 1992 a long term experiment (LTE) was set up at Centre for Agri-environmental Research “E. Avanzi (CIRAA), University of Pisa to determine the combined effect of tillage intensity, nitrogen fertilization levels and CC types on soil quality, crop yield and weed communities.
The LTE is based on 4-year crop rotation (maize, durum wheat, sunflower, durum wheat) with cover crops grown twice, in between wheat and summer crops. Two tillage systems were compared: i) a conventional system (CS), with annual ploughing (30 cm depth); ii) a low input system (LIS), with chiseling (30 cm depth) for summer crops and no till for wheat. In both systems cover types were: control; Brassica juncea L.;Trifolium squarrosum L.; and Vicia villosa Roth.). Four Nitrogen levels (from 0 to a maximum rate, varying across crop type) were applied. The experiment was replicated in 4 blocks for a total of 128 plots (21 x 11 m). Weed and CC above-ground biomass were assessed at CC termination, while weed species cover and total biomass were assessed at harvest. Data collected in CC (2011, 2014), sunflower (2012), durum wheat (2012) were used to calculate species richness, weed community diversity indices (Shannon’s H’ and inverse Simpson index) and Pielou equitability. Weed biomass and cover were analyzed by split-split plot ANOVA. Weed community composition was analyzed by a permutational multivariate analysis of variance based on Bray Curtis dissimilarity and Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling.


EPrint Type:Conference paper, poster, etc.
Type of presentation:Speech
Subjects: Crop husbandry > Crop combinations and interactions
Crop husbandry > Soil tillage
Environmental aspects > Biodiversity and ecosystem services
Crop husbandry > Weed management
Farming Systems > Farm nutrient management
Research affiliation: Italy
Italy > Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa
Italy > Univ. Pisa, Agricultural Sciences
Horizon Europe or H2020 Grant Agreement Number:289277
ISBN:978-2-905550-41-5
Deposited By: carlesi, PhD stefano
ID Code:29700
Deposited On:09 Feb 2016 14:55
Last Modified:22 Sep 2016 09:39
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

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