Abstract
<p>The aim of this 3-year field study was to evaluate the effect of some stubble crops and weed control methods on the species composition, number and air-dry weight of weeds in a spring barley crop grown in short-term monoculture. The study was conducted in the period 2009–2011 at the Uhrusk Experimental Farm, on mixed rendzina soil classified as very good rye soil complex. It included stubble crops which were ploughed under in each year (control treatment without cover crop, white mustard, lacy phacelia, a mixture of legumes – narrow-leaf lupin + field pea) and 3 weed control methods used in spring barley crops (mechanical, mechanical and chemical, chemical weed control). <em>Veronica persica </em>was the weed species that occurred in greatest numbers in the spring barley crop sown after stubble crops. All cover crops reduced the numbers of <em>Avena fatua </em>which was the dominant species in the control treatment. Chemical as well as chemical and mechanical weed control significantly reduced the numbers of <em>Avena fatua</em> compared to the treatment where only double harrowing was used for weed control. The stubble crops did not reduce weed infestation of spring barley. Compared to the control treatment, the ploughing-in of white mustard and the mixture of legumes reduced the dry weight of weeds by 49.1 and 22.7%, respectively. Mechanical weed management proved to be less effective in reducing the number and dry weight of weeds compared to the other weed control methods. A significant negative correlation was found between the dry weight of weeds in the spring barley crop and the dry weight of the ploughed-in white mustard cover crop under the conditions of chemical weed control as well as in the case of the mixture of legumes when complete mechanical and chemical weed control was used.</p>
Highlights
Spring barley belongs to plants that are sensitive to crop sequencing and responds with a distinct decrease in yield to the lack of crop rotation [1,2]
The lowest number of weeds in the spring barley crop was found under the conditions of complete mechanical and chemical weed control
The study results presented in this paper show that the ploughed-in stubble crops did not reduce significantly the number of weeds in the spring barley crop
Summary
Spring barley belongs to plants that are sensitive to crop sequencing and responds with a distinct decrease in yield to the lack of crop rotation [1,2]. In such crop stands, increased weed infestation and compensation of troublesome weed species are frequently found, among others, which results in a deterioration of most crop and ear components and in reduced yields [3,4]. Optimal agronomic solutions that will mitigate the negative effects of continuous cropping are constantly sought One of such methods is the introduction of cover crops as plants that play a phytosanitary role, supplement mineral fertilization and improve soil organic matter balance. The studies of some authors show that the ploughing-in of such crops before winter reduces weed infestation, increases cereal crop yields and is a more beneficial method for counteracting the negative effects of continuous cereal cropping compared to soil mulching with cover crops for the winter period [9,11]
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