Abstract
The experiment was conducted in the years 2004-2006 in a private farm in the village of Frankamionka in Zamość district. There were two experimental factors: I. Cultivation methods - sole cropping and strip intercropping; and II. Tending methods - mechanical, mechanical-chemical, and chemical weed control. The subject of the study was weed infestation of the Mela variety of common bean. Beans were sown between 30 April and 5 May. Weed infestation was assessed in the last week before harvesting by determining its floristic composition and the frequency of occurrence of particular weed species, as well as the air-dry weight of weeds. The dominant weed species were <i>Galinsoga parviflora</i>, <i>Echinochloa crus-galli</i>, <i>Chenopodium album</i>, and <i>Amaranthus retroflexus</i>, which comprised 84.7% of the total number of weeds. Strip intercropping markedly reduced the number of weeds per unit area (by 50%), as well as the dry weight of their aerial parts. The most effective method of weed control was the mechanical-chemical method, which resulted in the lowest occurrence of weeds. It also significantly reduced the weight of weeds.
Highlights
Common bean belongs to plants sensitive to weed competition
The greatest number of species was noted where chemical tending was applied, and the fewest when tending was limited to mechanical weeding of the inter-rows
The highest dry weight of aerial parts was noted in the case of mechanical weeding, while significantly lower weights were produced by the weeds when one of the other tending methods was applied
Summary
Common bean belongs to plants sensitive to weed competition. To avoid yield decrease, common bean crop should be kept weed-free 3 to 5 weeks after sowing (Dobrzański , 1996; Chmielowiec and Borowy , 1998). One of the ways to achieve this goal is intercropping that has been used for fodder and food production for many years in various parts of the world (Carruthers et al 1998). This system results in more stable yields, and due to the more efficient use of nutrients, water, and light, it is possible to limit expenditures [Horwith , 1985; Fukai and Trenbath , 1993; Z a n g and L i , 2003]. Because strip intercropping involves more species, it is similar to a natural ecosystem, and the spatial diversity can lead to increased total yield. The Polish literature contains numerous studies on the advantages of mixed cropping (Leszczyńska and Cacak - Pietrzak , 2006; Buczek et al 2007; Sadowski et al 2003), but none have examined how strip intercropping influenced weed infestation and how it can be used in Polish agriculture
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
