Changes in weed infestation of spring barley depending on variable pluvio-thermal conditions

Abstract

<p>The aim of the study was to analyze segetal weeds present in spring barley against the background of changes in pluvio-thermal conditions observed over the last 20 years (1993–2012) at the Field Experimental Station of the Institute of Plant Protection – National Research Institute in Winna Góra, Poland. Based on the mean value of the Sielianinov hydrothermal coefficient for the three months of spring vegetation, i.e., April, May, and June, three classes of pluvio-thermal conditions (very dry, moderately dry, humid) were distinguished. The phytosociological stability of weed species analyzed during the study period was assessed and the Shannon–Wiener index of species diversity in the communities and the Simpson dominance index were calculated for segetal weeds present in spring barley.</p><p>In the 20-year period analyzed, <em>Chenopodium album</em> and <em>Viola arvensis</em> exhibited the highest phytosociological stability and the highest abundance in the spring barley crop. Over the years analyzed, the dry spring vegetation periods were characterized by significant precipitation deficiency between late April and mid-June. In the years with favorable meteorological conditions, the weed species diversity measured by the Shannon–Wiener diversity index was higher than in the years with precipitation deficiency. In the very dry years, the species dominance index in the spring vegetation period was higher than in the wet years. The yield loss caused by weed infestation in the very dry years was higher by 6% as compared to moderately dry and wet years.</p>