Salonen, Jukka; Zarina, Livija and Melander, Bo (2016) Cover crops in cereals – better companions than weeds? In: Proceedings of the 7th International Weed Science Congress, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, 16521 Prague 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic, p. 639.
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Summary
Cover crops have gained popularity in cereal cropping now that they are one of the subsidized options in agri-environmental schemes of the EU. Several studies on cover/catch crops affecting nutrient leaching have been published but less information is available concerning their applicability for weed management. In our opinion, combinations of crop and cover crop types as well as crop sequencing conform IPM principles and optimize weed management. The PRODIVA project (ERA-Net Core Organic Plus Action, www.coreorganicplus.org) aims at identifying weed community associations with most common crop types in organic crop production systems. We will clarify the characteristics and relative competitiveness of cover crops providing strong weed suppression without severely compromising weed species diversity and crop yields. Long-term cropping system experiments in Denmark, Finland and Latvia provide information on weed dynamics both in terms of weed biomass production and weed community associations with cropping factors such as crop type, crop sequencing and mechanical weed control. We aim at understanding the main factors driving weed pressure and weed community assemblies under northern European circumstances. Perennial weed species (e.g. Cirsium arvense, Elymus repens, Sonchus arvensis) are particular important in organic cropping systems because they heavily constrain crop productivity. Cover crop establishment and early growth are key factors for the suppression of weeds. Poorly developed cover crops can cause extensive proliferation of rhizomatous perennials. Clover species (Trifolium spp.) are one of the most applicable cover crops thriving in the Nordic/Baltic agroclimate. Clovers supply nitrogen to the crops to improve both yield and crop competitiveness against weeds and they suppress C. arvense in cropping systems where clover together with grasses acts as a green manure that is repeatedly mown.
EPrint Type: | Conference paper, poster, etc. |
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Type of presentation: | Poster |
Keywords: | Weed management Biodiversity |
Agrovoc keywords: | Language Value URI English Cover plants http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1936 English Perennial weeds http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5697 English Cultural weed control http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_330744 |
Subjects: | Crop husbandry > Weed management |
Research affiliation: | European Union > CORE Organic Plus > PRODIVA |
ISBN: | 978-80-213-2648-4 |
Deposited By: | Salonen, Dr Jukka |
ID Code: | 30624 |
Deposited On: | 25 Oct 2016 11:37 |
Last Modified: | 25 Oct 2016 11:37 |
Document Language: | English |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Not peer-reviewed |
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