Weed Biology Research Articles

Broadening the scope of weed research: Integrating ecological theories to propel weed management

AbstractWeed science plays a vital role in mitigating the negative impacts of weeds in agriculture and natural ecosystems. However, the field has received criticism for its limited theoretical foundation and excessive focus on phenomenological and narrow scope. Our contention is that weed science needs to integrate more ecological theories to foster a deeper understanding of weed ecology, biology, and management. By embracing theoretical frameworks, weed science can enhance its ability to predict and explain weed dynamics, identify underlying mechanisms, and develop sustainable management strategies. This insight emphasizes the advantages of integrating theoretical approaches and offers practical recommendations to integrate ecological theory effectively into weed science research.

Weed Ecology: Insights for Successful Management Strategies: A Review

In crop ecosystems, the primary challenge in establishing a long-term weed management strategy arise from a lack of understanding regarding the nature of weediness and the factors that contribute to species dominance. To address this, farmers and researchers often rely on quick and efficient, yet temporary weed control methods, which can lead to long-term issues. To develop a more effective and sustainable weed management approach, it is crucial to gain a comprehensive understanding of both the biological characteristics and ecological behaviours of weeds. This can be achieved by incorporating preventive techniques, scientific knowledge and management skills, with the goal of enhancing crop production and benefiting farmers. While further information is needed in all aspects of weed management, the primary objective of weed science is to increase our knowledge of weed biology and ecology, thus fostering a better understanding of weediness. This understanding will facilitate the adoption of appropriate management strategies instead of relying solely on short-term solutions that may create or exacerbate long-term problems. The successful growth and reproduction of any species depend on a variety of conditions. In a given ecosystem, the species that can thrive more efficiently under the specific set of environmental conditions will produce the most viable offspring and become the most abundant organisms. Weed ecology, which examines the adaptive mechanisms that enable weeds to thrive in highly disturbed soil conditions, provides essential insights into the distribution and abundance of weeds in both natural and managed systems. The occurrence of a weed in a particular area is influenced by multiple factors, with climatic, soil-related (edaphic) and biotic factors being the most significant among them.

The leaf micromorphology and anatomy of gamba grass, Andropogon gayanus Kunth (Poaceae: Panicoideae)

Context Andropogon gayanus, commonly known as gamba grass, is one of the declared weeds of national significance in Australia. Past studies have focused on gross morphology of root structures, biogeochemical behaviour, and ecology, but there has been limited work on comparative descriptions of leaf micromorphology and anatomy. Aims We investigated and described its leaf micromorphology and anatomy to understand weed biology and ecophysiology. Methods Optical and scanning electron microscope examination of the adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces of A. gayanus was carried out. We identified and generated a list of morphological characters that were used to compare several dried herbarium specimens of A. gayanus. Key results The leaf characters were consistent across all specimens examined, with minor differences in leaf pubescence, indicating this could be a plastic trait. Conclusions Andropogon gayanus leaves are well adapted to wet and dry tropical conditions. Plasticity in leaf surface pubescence possibly enhances its adaptability, increasing its success as a weed in Australian ecosystems. The success of A. gayanus in Australia could be because the environment compares favourably with the native environment of the species in Africa, where it has adapted to extremes of wet and dry conditions over a large geographical range. Implications Plant morphological and taxonomic studies of A. gayanus focused on describing characters of spikelets and caryopses are recommended to understand how reproductive structures aid in its successful proliferation.

Phenological development, growth, and fecundity of Vicia narbonensis and Vicia hyrcanica under rain-fed conditions

Vicia narbonensis and Vicia hyrcanica as newly emerged weeds represent a great constraint for agricultural production due to their remarkable adaptability and their ability to compete with rain-fed crops. Generally, information on weed biology is crucial for their effective management. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the phenological development, growth, and fecundity of V. narbonensis and V. hyrcanica over 2 years (2019–2020) at a rain-fed farm in Kuzaran region, Kermanshah province, Iran. Results showed that with the establishment of V. narbonensis and V. hyrcanica in the winter when compared with spring, the amount of biomass production increased significantly. The phenological pattern of both weedy species seems to be affected by the establishment time, and plants established in February were always superior to those established in March and April. In general, the results of this study emphasize the importance of controlling the early-established plants of V. narbonensis and V. hyrcanica.. Our study suggests that rain-fed field crop should be planted late in case a field is heavily infested with these two weed species.

Comprehensive insights into herbicide resistance mechanisms in weeds: a synergistic integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses.

Omics techniques, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have smoothed the researcher's ability to generate hypotheses and discover various agronomically relevant functions and mechanisms, as well as their implications and associations. With a significant increase in the number of cases with resistance to multiple herbicide modes of action, studies on herbicide resistance are currently one of the predominant areas of research within the field of weed science. High-throughput technologies have already started revolutionizing the current molecular weed biology studies. The evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds (particularly via non-target site resistance mechanism) is a perfect example of a complex, multi-pathway integration-induced response. To date, functional genomics, including transcriptomic and metabolomic studies have been used separately in herbicide resistance research, however there is a substantial lack of integrated approach. Hence, despite the ability of omics technologies to provide significant insights into the molecular functioning of weeds, using a single omics can sometimes be misleading. This mini-review will aim to discuss the current progress of transcriptome-based and metabolome-based approaches in herbicide resistance research, along with their systematic integration.

A global perspective of education in weed science

AbstractIn modern agriculture, weed problems are predicted to worsen and become more complicated as a result of increasing invasiveness, herbicide resistance, and emphasis on high-input methods. Weeds cause huge economic yield losses that range from US$100 million to US$26 billion globally. The knowledge of weed science has offered success in the past through effective, reasonably priced, and secure technologies; specifically, synthetic herbicides to effectively control weeds in agroecosystems. Weed science is accepted and adopted by many universities with teaching, research, and/or extension programs in agriculture. Globally, approximately 7% of all the universities offering agricultural education have dedicated weed science departments focusing on weed biology, ecology, and management. Some universities also offer weed science degree programs or at least certain courses in their degrees related to associated disciplines, such as plant protection, agronomy, and ecology. Although substantial advances have been made in weed science, such as a separate weed science discipline, specialized journals, and specific weed science societies and conferences worldwide, many constraints (e.g., lack of trained weed scientists) and barriers to adoption of new weed science technologies remain. Slow modernization in weed science research and low funding has slowed the progress of this discipline. New curricula in the weed science discipline should focus on the role of biochemistry, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, and genetics in weed science research.

Weed management in sunflower: A review on challenges and opportunities

Weed management is a science-based decision-making process that coordinates the use of macro andmicro-environment information, weed biology and ecology, and all available technologies to control weeds by the most economical and ecologically viable methods. The concept of weed management is not new and many advances have been made in recent years in India. Weeds compete with crop plants for nutrients, soil water, space and sunlight causing poor growth and yield losses. The extent of yield losses caused by weeds depends up weed density and type of weed flora. The age old practice of controlling weeds in sunflower by hand weeding and hoeing is time consuming, more expensive and tedious although it is more effective. However, timely weed management may not be possible manually due to non-availability of labourers and high rate of wages during peak farm operation. Under such condition, use of herbicides is the need of the hour for crop production. Therefore, use of newly introduced pre-emergence and post emergence herbicides along with cultural and mechanical methods is needed for effective weed management and increase the productivity of sunflower.

A survey of weed research priorities: key findings and future directions

AbstractWe conducted an online survey of weed scientists in the United States and Canada to (1) identify research topics perceived to be important for advancing weed science in the next 5 to 10 years and (2) gain insight into potential gaps in current expertise and funding sources needed to address those priorities. Respondents were asked to prioritize nine broad research areas, as well as 5 to 10 subcategories within each of the broad areas. We received 475 responses, with the majority affiliated with academic institutions (55%) and working in cash crop (agronomic or horticultural) study systems (69%). Results from this survey provide valuable discussion points for policy makers, funding agencies, and academic institutions when allocating resources for weed science research. Notably, our survey reveals a strong prioritization of Cultural and Preventative Weed Management (CPWM) as well as the emerging area of Precision Weed Management and Robotics (PWMR). Although Herbicides remain a high-priority research area, continuing challenges necessitating integrated, nonchemical tactics (e.g., herbicide resistance) and emerging opportunities (e.g., robotics) are reflected in our survey results. Despite previous calls for greater understanding and application of weed biology and ecology in weed research, as well as recent calls for greater integration of social science perspectives to address weed management challenges, these areas were ranked considerably lower than those focused more directly on weed management. Our survey also identified a potential mismatch between research priorities and expertise in several areas, including CPWM, PWMR, and Weed Genomics, suggesting that these topics should be prime targets for expanded training and collaboration. Finally, our survey suggests an increasing reliance on private sector funding for research, raising concerns about our discipline’s capacity to address important research priority areas that lack clear private sector incentives for investment.

Issue Information

Weed Biology and ManagementVolume 23, Issue 2 p. 35-36 Issue InformationFree Access Issue Information First published: 19 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/wbm.12251AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume23, Issue2June 2023Pages 35-36 RelatedInformation

Issue Information

Weed Biology and ManagementVolume 23, Issue 1 p. 1-2 Issue InformationFree Access Issue Information First published: 01 March 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/wbm.12250AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume23, Issue1March 2023Pages 1-2 RelatedInformation

Impact of Futuristic Climate Variables on Weed Biology and Herbicidal Efficacy: A Review

Our changing climate will likely have serious implications on agriculture production through its effects on food and feed crop yield and quality, forage and livestock production, and pest dynamics, including troublesome weed control. With regards to weeds, climatic variables control many plant physiology functions that impact flowering, fruiting, and seed dormancy; therefore, an altered climate can result in a weed species composition shift within agro-ecosystems. Weed species will likely adapt to a changing climate due to their high phenotypic plasticity and vast genetic diversity. Higher temperatures and CO2 concentrations, and altered moisture conditions, not only affect the growth of weeds, but also impact the effectiveness of herbicides in controlling weeds. Therefore, weed biology, growth characteristics, and their management are predicted to be affected greatly by changing climatic conditions. This manuscript attempted to compile the available information on general principles of weed response to changing climatic conditions, including elevated CO2 and temperature under diverse rainfall patterns and drought. Likewise, we have also attempted to highlight the effect of soil moisture dynamics on the efficacy of various herbicides under diverse agro-ecosystems.

Biological Response of Invasive Parthenium Weed to Elevated Concentration of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Soil Salinity

Climate change elements including elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and soil salinity significantly impact weed biology and management. In this study, we evaluated the performance of a highly invasive plant species, parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) grown at various soil salinity levels (ranging from 0 to 16 dS m−1) at two CO2 concentrations (ambient: 400 ppm and elevated: 700 ppm). The CO2 concentration and soil salinity individually affected various early growth attributes of parthenium weed. The interaction between CO2 and salinity was significant for chlorophyll index, stem dry weight and phenolics content. Parthenium weed plants grew taller (13%), achieved greater leaf area (28%) and produced more dry weight (24%) when raised under elevated as compared with the ambient CO2. Soil salinity had a dose-dependent, negative effect on various growth attributes, chlorophyll index, relative water content and phenolics content. Even the modest levels of salinity (4.2 to 4.6 dS m−1) caused 50% reduction in dry weights of leaves, roots and whole plants. Sodium ion (Na+) concentration peaked at the highest salinity level (16 dS m−1) as compared with the lower salinity levels (0 to 12 dS m−1). Overall, salinity had a negative effect on different growth variables but elevated CO2 improved growth and phenolics content regardless of the salt stress regime. Hence, parthenium weed could benefit from future atmospheric CO2 concentration and may invade some salt-affected areas.

News and perspectives for Annals of Applied Biology in 2023: Looking forward to more and more submissions

News and perspectives for <scp><i>Annals of Applied Biology</i></scp> in 2023: Looking forward to more and more submissions

Keyword Index

Weed Biology and ManagementVolume 22, Issue 4 p. 96-96 Keyword Index Keyword Index First published: 13 December 2022 https://doi.org/10.1111/wbm.12260Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume22, Issue4December 2022Pages 96-96 RelatedInformation

Author Index

Weed Biology and ManagementVolume 22, Issue 4 p. 95-95 Author Index Author Index First published: 13 December 2022 https://doi.org/10.1111/wbm.12259Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume22, Issue4December 2022Pages 95-95 RelatedInformation

Biological Characteristics, Impacts, and Management of Crenate Broomrape (Orobanche crenata) in Faba Bean (Vicia faba): A Review

Crenate broomrape, Orobanche crenata Forskal belongs to the family Orobanchaceae. It is a root holoparasitic weed devoid of chlorophyll and entirely dependent on host plants for its growth requirement. This parasite considerably infects plant species of the families Leguminosae, Apiaceae, and Asteraceae in highly infested drier and warmer areas of the world. It is well-known for its devastating effects on cool-season food legumes especially on faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and for threatening the livelihood of subsistence farmers. Yield losses of infected crops reach up to 100% depending on the level of infection by the parasitic weed. The long-term impact of the parasite is even more serious than its short-term effects as its numerous minute seeds are easily spread using different mechanisms and persist in the soil for up to 20 years. Besides, its management is difficult as no single method proved to be effective, economical, and complete in managing the weed. This review article gives an overview of information on the biological characteristics and harmful effects of crenate broomrape and summarizes scientifically proven management techniques for its effective management. Different approaches should be validated, demonstrated, and scaled for wider uses to manage crenate broomrape sustainably and boost the host crop productivity. Therefore, besides narrowing the knowledge gaps on the weed biology more strengthened efforts in searching for host plant resistance and/or tolerance based integrated management approaches by considering socio-economic and ecological conditions of faba bean growers are found paramount importance.

Pasture weed biology and management in Brazil

The livestock production model historically practiced in Brazil has a strong extractive bias, wherein the premise is to produce livestock with absolutely no concern for the preservation or renewal of environmental resources. The absence of technical criteria for the use of pastures has generated low productivity rates, making the activity unsustainable from both economic and environmental points of view. This scenario led the several sectors linked to the production chain to develop a package of strategies to solve the problems faced by livestock farmers. This package of strategies is conventionally called postmodern or corporate farming, in which the extractive process gives way to the business logic of avoiding waste and recovering profit margins mainly through pasture perpetuation. However, there is still a technical gap in corporate cattle farming related to problems caused by pasture weeds because all the concepts applied are derived or copied from concepts generated in agriculture. Furthermore, few researchers have studied or scientific articles written on elucidating the real problem of weeds in livestock production. Thus, the goal of the present review was to present some aspects related to weed ecology, their interference, and management alternatives in pasture areas, thereby collaborating with corporate livestock farming in Brazil because solutions to weed problems are crucial to increase commitment in all sectors of the production chain.

Weed management in organic farming for better crop production

Weed is an unwanted plant, many reasons for controlling weeds become more complex because weeds complete with crop plants for water, light and nutrient. In organic farming principles and standards preclude the use of most herbicides, many organic farmers consider weeds their most serious barrier to successful organic production and effective organic weed control a top research priority. Weed management in organic farming is elimination of weeds expensive and hard to achieve and it would be appropriate to adopt various methods combination rather than in isolation to manage these weeds from organic source depending upon the nature and intensity of weeds. A good understanding of weed biology, such as morphology, lifecycles, seed production, etc., are essential to effective organic and integrated weed management. The basic approach is to minimize production lose caused by weeds, through weed may exist as part of whole system. In the organic agriculture one may often identify weeds as the key problem. Weed population can increase rapids during the early stages of conversion, although there are evidences that population stability with increased time of organic farming. Weed management techniques leading to less yield reductions and minimum disturbance to environment and understanding of crop-weed ecology and its management is essential for weed control in organic farming system. All means other than synthetic chemicals could be tried to minimize/manage the weeds in the organic production systems.

Weed Biology: An Important Science to Develop Effective Weed Management Strategies

The world’s population is increasing at an alarming rate and to feed this population, food production needs to be increased significantly. There are several abiotic and biotic factors affecting the productivity of crops. Among biotic factors, weeds are the most important constraint to crop production throughout the world. They cause a huge yield loss in different crops and cost growers a significant amount of money. Herbicides are widely used to control weeds; however, there are concerns over the evolution of resistance in weeds, limited availability of herbicides with new modes of action, and environmental pollution. These issues suggest the need to reduce reliance on herbicides and develop sustainable weed management programs. However, to develop such programs, there is a need to gain a better understanding of weed biology. This article briefly describes the importance of weed biology in managing weeds.

Volume Contents

Weed Biology and ManagementVolume 21, Issue 4 p. 221-224 Volume Contents Volume Contents First published: 19 December 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/wbm.12244AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume21, Issue4December 2021Pages 221-224 RelatedInformation