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Field trials were conducted (2022–2023) in a randomized complete block design to evaluate the combined use of a microbial biostimulant, P-K Stim, which contains phosphate and potassium solubilizing bacteria (109 Colony Forming Units mL−1), various fertilization rates, and herbicide use on weed growth and the productivity of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), and durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). The following treatment list was the same on all trial fields: (1) 100% basal fertilization (100N), (2) 20% basal fertilization and application of microbial biostimulant P-K Stim (20N + PK), (3) 100% basal fertilization and post-emergence herbicide treatment (100N + H), (4) 20% basal fertilization together with the application of P-K Stim and a post-emergence herbicide treatment (20N + PK + H), and (5) 50% basal fertilization together with the application of P-K Stim and a post-emergence herbicide treatment (50N + PK + H). The combined use of fertilization, biostimulants, and herbicides significantly affected crop yield, its components and weed biomass (p ≤ 0.05). The concentrations for potassium and phosphorus were higher in the 20N + PK + H and 50N + PK + H treatments for all crops compared to other treatments. Nutrient concentrations were remarkably high across all crops, closely approximating the values of the recommended nitrogen fertilization. Crop yield and its components were positively influenced by the 20N + PK + H and 50N + PK + H treatments. Weed biomass was significantly lower in these plots compared to other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the potential benefits of weeds in agricultural ecosystems and introduces the concept of "service weeds" that can provide ecosystem services without harming crops. It highlights the importance of quantifying and enhancing these services and proposes a five-step approach to integrating weeds into agricultural practices. The document emphasizes the need for collaboration with farmers and stakeholders, as well as training and technical support. It acknowledges the challenges associated with promoting weeds as ecosystem service providers but suggests that further research and policy initiatives are needed to explore their potential. The document also provides a list of references from various scientific articles on related topics. [Extracted from the article]

Recently, there has been growing interest in the use of summer cover crops that can be grown during summer fallow periods of crop rotation. This study evaluates the potential of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), velvetbean [Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.] and cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]. as three annual legumes summer cover crops. The main objective of this review was to conduct global research comparing these summer cover crops to investigate the benefits, challenges, and trade-offs among ecosystems services when implementing these summer cover crops. In European agriculture, there are three main windows in crop rotation when these summer legumes can be grown: Around mid-spring after winter fallow, early summer after harvest of a winter crop, and mid- to late summer after harvest of an early-season crop. All three legumes can suppress weeds while they are actively growing. After termination, their mulch can create unfavorable conditions for weed emergence. Sunn hemp and velvetbean cover crops can cause a reduction in weed biomass of more than 50%. In addition to their ability to suppress weeds, sunn hemp, velvetbean, and cowpea provide a variety of ecosystem services, such as improving soil health, quality, and fertility, controlling pests, and sequestering carbon. The review highlights their promising role in weed suppression and their contribution to sustainable agricultural practices. However, further research is needed to evaluate their performance in weed management and their environmental impact in field trials under different soil-climatic conditions, as cover cropping is an effective practice but highly context-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable crop and weed management is among the crucial challenges in the era of the EU Green Deal. The main objective of the present study was to apply an innovative approach for the rapid assessment of herbicide efficacy in maize (Zea mays) crop in four different trials during two years. Weed NDVI values were recorded at two weeks after treatment, while weed biomass and crop yield were also measured. The results revealed significant differences between the several treatments. In many cases, significant effects of herbicide application on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values and weed biomass were noticed at two weeks after treatment. Moreover, the mixture nicosulfuron + rimsulfuron + mesotrione resulted in high efficacy on the crop yield of all fields. Consequently, our approach can allow for an early prediction of the real field efficacy of several herbicides and thus act as an alert for the farmers in order to choose the most efficient herbicide, avoid applications of low efficacy and reduce the herbicide inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercropping cereals with legumes is a widely used agronomic practice to improve forage yield and quality in forage cropping systems. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the potential of a false seedbed to reduce weed pressure in intercrops and monocultures of annual ryegrass and berseem clover during the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 growing seasons in western Greece. A split-plot randomized complete block design with four replications was set up. Seedbed manipulations assigned to the main plots included: normal seedbed preparation (NSB) and seeding, and two different false seedbeds. In the first (FSB 1) and second false seedbeds (FSB 2), weeds were controlled by shallow tillage at 1 and 2 weeks, respectively, after the first tillage and immediately before crop sowing. Forages were subplots of berseem clover (BCM) and annual ryegrass monocultures (ARM) and three intercrops with BCM:ARM ratios of 75:25 (ARBC 1), 50:50 (ARBC 2), and 25:75 (ARBC 3). FSB 1 reduced weed biomass by 27% and 34% compared to NSB in 2020–2021 and 2021–2022, respectively (p ≤ 0.001). FSB 2 improved forage yield by 9% and 14% in 2020–2021 and 2021–2022, respectively, compared to FSB 1. Compared to NSB, FSB 2 also increased forage yield by 11% in 2020–2021 and 17% in 2021–2022. Berseem clover biomass was higher in FSB 2 than in NSB main plots in both years. In the first harvest, ARBC 3 was the most weed-suppressive intercrop, which also provided the highest forage yield in both the first and second harvests of both years, followed by ARM and ARBC 2. In the second harvest, forage yield was 11% and 12% higher in ARBC 3 subplots than in ARBC 1 and BCM subplots, respectively. Similar results were obtained for cumulative forage yield from two harvests. Further research is needed to evaluate other alternative practices for agroecological weed management in low-input forage production systems in the Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allelopathic effects of various plants can be exploited for use against weeds; however, the selectivity in different crops is also important. In the current study, the effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) allelochemicals on seed germination and seedling emergence of three biomass crops and three legume species were evaluated. Seed germination of rapeseed was reduced by 19, 30, 56, and 80% in the concentrations of 1, 2, 5 and 10%, respectively, as compared to the control group, whereas sweet sorghum seeds showed a more intermediate response and sunflower germination was affected only by the highest concentration. Seed germination of common bean was by 25, 34 and 60% lower at 1, 2 and 5% extract concentrations, respectively, in comparison to the control whereas up to 85% reduction of seed germination was recorded in 10% concentration. Peanut seed germination percentage ranged between 72 and 47% of control in 5 and 10% concentrations, respectively, while soybean germination was least affected from M. officinalis leaf extracts since it was reduced by only 25 and 41% in 5 and 10% concentrations, respectively, as compared to the control. Seedling emergence of rapeseed was reduced by 14, 25, 46, and 79% in the concentrations of 1, 2, 5 and 10%, respectively, as compared to the control whereas lemon balm extracts showed increased selectivity on the sunflower. Soybean emergence was reduced by only 27 and 46% in 5 and 10% concentrations, respectively, in comparison to the control whereas common bean’s seedling emergence was reduced up to 35% even in 2% concentration. Allelopathic response index values confirmed that sunflower and rapeseed were the least and most sensitive biomass crops to lemon balm allelochemicals, respectively, whereas sweet sorghum showed an intermediate response. Increased was the selectivity of the aqueous leaf extracts on soybean, whereas seed germination and seedling emergence of peanut were more affected and common bean was the most sensitive crop. Further research is needed to investigate the selectivity of M. officinalis and other aromatic plants’ allelochemicals on various crops and under different soil and climatic conditions to optimize their efficacy as tools of more eco-friendly weed management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]