Ancient varieties can help control weed density while preserving weed diversity
Rattachement africain : ar, fr. Niveau de preuve : code pays fourni par la source.
Le résumé fourni par la source
Weeds are a major component of agricultural diversity affecting crop yield and ecosystem services. Compared to modern varieties, ancient wheat cultivars (released before 1960) are taller and this trait can be used to control weeds in organic farming systems, especially without herbicides. However, there is still a lack of quantitative assessments of the relative contribution of wheat breeding-history (ancient vs modern varieties) and synthetic inputs in explaining weed density and community structure. In this study, a field experiment was undertaken where five modern and five ancient varieties were either treated as in a conventional system with synthetic inputs (nitrogen, herbicide and fungicide) or as in an organic system without synthetic inputs. Crop light interception and weed density was recorded for 12 weeks until crop maturity. On average, ancient varieties reduced weed density by 17% compared with modern varieties, while the application of chemical inputs was responsible for an average reduction of 37%. The stronger competitive effect of ancient varieties was associated with increased sunlight interception. Species richness was higher in the absence of inputs for some weeks, but not by the end of the experiment. The field-based results illustrated that ancient varieties helped to control weed density in organic systems that do not rely on synthetic inputs to control weeds. Despite this effect of crop interference on weed density, a reduction in weed diversity was not observed. These findings could be of particular interest to promote agrobiodiversity in agricultural systems without synthetic inputs.
Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.
Le contrôle bibliographique ouvert
Où se fait cette recherche
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Agricultural Plant Physiology and Ecology Research Institute pays non établi dans la noticeStructure de recherche
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Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture pays non établi dans la noticeOrganisme public
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Agroécologie pays non établi dans la noticeStructure de recherche
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Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté pays non établi dans la noticeUniversité ou école supérieure
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Institut Agro Dijon pays non établi dans la noticeInstitution
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Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA) pays non établi dans la noticeStructure de recherche
Agricultural Plant Physiology and Ecology Research Institute, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture et Agroécologie, avec 3 autres affiliations.
Une affiliation ne permet pas de déduire la nationalité d’un auteur.