The intensity of mechanical cultivation measures vs. the amount of weed seeds in the soil

Abstract

The effect of the number of mechanical operations in sugar beets plantation on the amount and species composition of weed seeds in the 0-5 cm deep layer of the loessial soil was studied. It has been proved that reduction in the number of weed seeds depends upon both the frequency of weeding-out operations and the level of agrotechnic. The highest decrease in the number of fruit and weed seeds was caused by eightfold weed removal which took place during the period from emergence phase to the joining of sugar beet rows. Application of increased mineral fertilization, microelements, fungicides, and insecticides caused the number of weed seeds to be reduced by 5,9%, in comparison to extensive agrotechnical level.