Integrated Weed Management in Herbaceous Field Crops

Current awareness about the environmental impact of intensive agriculture, mainly pesticides and herbicides, has driven the research community and the government institutions to program and develop new eco-friendly agronomic practices for pest control. In this scenario, integrated pest management and integrated weed management (IWM) have become mandatory. Weeds are commonly recognized as the most important biotic factor affecting crop production, especially in organic farming and low-input agriculture. In herbaceous field crops, comprising a wide diversity of plant species playing a significant economic importance, a compendium of the specific IWM systems is missing, that, on the contrary, have been developed for single species. The main goal of this review is to fill such gap by discussing the general principles and basic aspects of IWM to develop the most appropriate strategy for herbaceous field crops. In particular, a 4-step approach is proposed: (i) prevention, based on the management of the soil seedbank and the improvement of the crop competitiveness against weeds, (ii) weed mapping, aiming at knowing the biological and ecological characteristics of weeds present in the field, (iii) the decision-making process on the basis of the critical period of weed control and weed thresholds and iv) direct control (mechanical, physical, biological and chemical). Moreover, the last paragraph discusses and suggests possible integrations of allelopathic mechanisms in IWM systems

Variation in seed mineral elements profile and yield in field bean (Vicia faba L. var. minor) genotypes

Field bean (Vicia faba L. var. minor) is one of the major leguminous crops cultivated in the world and mainly destined for animal feed. Although its seed is generally recognised as a good protein source, little is known about its mineral elements profile, which is an important aspect for a balanced animal diet. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to assess the seed mineral elements composition, along with some key production parameters, in eight field bean genotypes grown in a Mediterranean environment, without intensive management, over two years (2009/10 and 2010/11). Independently of the year, the seed of Chiaro di Torre Lama was the richest in phosphorus (P), magnesium, calcium and iron contents, while that of Sint 6 and Motta Chiaro 69 were the most effective accumulators of potassium and zinc, respectively. While all the genotypes yielded better in the second year (with more rainfall), the seasonal effect on seed mineral elements composition depended on the genotype. Indeed, the P content was 46% lower in Chiaro di Torre Lama, Motta Chiaro 69 and Sint 6 in the second year, while there was only a negligible seasonal effect for Sint 8 with respect to Fe content. Overall, this crop is reasonably productive under a low management regime and its seed can supply significant amounts of certain minerals (particularly P) in feed formulations. Both aspects are important in a perspective of optimising field bean production in the Mediterranean area and, hence, improving farmers' income

Polyphenol profile and content in wild and cultivated Cynara cardunculus L.

The species Cynara cardunculus L. is native to the Mediterranean Basin, where its commercial production makes a significant contribution to the agricultural economy. It contains phenolic acids and flavones, which play an important role in diet, because of their beneficial effects on human health, and in industrial processing, due to the browning phenomenon. The quantitative and qualitative profile of these compounds is affected by different factors, such as genotype, environmental conditions, crop management and processing procedures. As a consequence, these are relevant for defining the quality of the product. Therefore, our aim was to review the main factors that influence polyphenol biosynthesis and degradation in C. cardunculus. From available data in literature, the genetic background appears to be the main factor, followed by environmental effects. However, crop management also could be a valuable tool to enhance the polyphenol content. C. cardunculus also provides substantial quantities of polyphenol-rich by-products, which could be considered as a natural source of health-promoting compounds and an added value for the farming business

Cover crops for managing weeds, soil chemical fertility and nutritional status of organically grown orange orchard in Sicily

Cover crops can offer significant advantages in the agronomic management of citrus orchards in Mediterranean environments. Therefore, a three-year research was conducted in eastern Sicily aimed at studying the effects of four cover crop sequences (Sinapis arvensis-Trigonella foenum-graecum-T. foenum-graecum; Medicago scutellata-Avena sativa-Lolium perenne; Vicia faba minor-A. sativa-A. sativa; A. sativa-V. faba. minor-L. perenne) on weeds, major soil chemical properties and nutritional status of an organically grown orange orchard. The results highlighted that, among the studied cover crop sequences, Vicia faba-Avena-Avena was the most beneficial for weeds control within the orchard (92%, of cover crop cover, and 586 and 89 g DW m–2 of cover crop aboveground biomass and weeds aboveground biomass, respectively). Overall, the chemical fertility of the soil was positively influenced. In particular, it was observed an increase of the content of total nitrogen and available phosphorus in the soil by both Sinapis-Trigonella-Trigonella (0.75 g kg–1 and 59.0 mg kg–1, respectively) and Vicia faba-Avena-Avena (0.70 g kg–1 and 56.0 mg kg–1, respectively) cover crop sequences. Medicago-Avena-Lolium sequence seemed to be the most useful to ensure a better nutritional status of the orange orchard

Allelopathic potential of leaf aqueous extracts from Cynara cardunculus L. on the seedling growth of two cosmopolitan weed species

The search for sustainable alternatives to synthetic herbicides for weed control, has led the scientific community to an increased interest for plant allelopathic mechanisms. The utilization of plant extracts as possible bioherbicides represents an important solution. In the present study, laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate, for the first time, the differences in the allelopathic activity of the three Cynara cardunculus L. botanical varieties (globe artichoke, cultivated and wild cardoon) leaf aqueous extracts on the seedling growth of Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Portulaca oleracea L. In addition, the autoallelopathic effect on wild cardoon growth and the qualitative profile of the aqueous extract through HPLC analysis were evaluated. Overall, the allelopathic effects were both genotype- and weed species-dependent. Wild cardoon showed the highest allelopathic potential (–23.4%), followed by cultivated cardoon and globe artichoke, and P. oleracea was the most sensitive target species (–32%). Besides, root system length was the most affected parameter (–32.6%). The autoallelopathic effect of wild cardoon extract was also demonstrated on root system length, hypocotyl and epicotyl length and total dry weight. C. cardunculus leaf aqueous extract was characterised by 5 sesquiterpene lactones, 2 caffeoylquinic acids, 6 flavones and 1 lignan. From the HPLC analysis we found that apigenin and luteolin 7-O-glucoronide were detected only in wild cardoon, apigenin 7-O-glucoside was typic of globe artichoke, and 11,13-dihydro-desacylcynaropicrin and 11,13-dihydroxi-8-desoxygrosheimin were characteristics of cultivated cardoon

Phytoremediation potential of Arundo donax (Giant Reed) in contaminated soil by heavy metals

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Exploitability of cultivated and wild cardoon as long-term, low-input energy crops

The potential ability in terms of biomass, achenes, oil and energy yield of two Cynara cardunculus L. genotypes (one cultivated cardoon and one wild cardoon) was evaluated along a 7-year experiment. It was carried out in a marginal farmland of Southern Italy, with low soil fertility and minimal external inputs. Under these conditions, they reached an annual harvestable biomass ranging from 0.74 (wild cardoon) to 1.46 kg m −2 (cultivated cardoon) and an energy yield ranging from 13.8 to 27.5 kJ m −2 . The lower heating value of biomass (including achenes) was on average 18.2 kJ kg −1 , while the oil yield from achenes varied between 25.1 and 25.7 g 100 g −1 of dry matter. The cultivated cardoon was able to produce high yields until the fifth season and therefore is prone for medium long-time cropping systems. Conversely, wild cardoon showed a most stable yield pattern and plant survival over seasons, suggesting its particular suitability for perennial cropping systems in Mediterranean marginal areas

The genome sequence of the outbreeding globe artichoke constructed de novo incorporating a phase-aware low-pass sequencing strategy of F1 progeny

Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) is an out-crossing, perennial, multi-use crop species that is grown worldwide and belongs to the Compositae, one of the most successful Angiosperm families. We describe the first genome sequence of globe artichoke. The assembly, comprising of 13,588 scaffolds covering 725 of the 1,084 Mb genome, was generated using ~133-fold Illumina sequencing data and encodes 26,889 predicted genes. Re-sequencing (30×) of globe artichoke and cultivated cardoon (C. cardunculus var. altilis) parental genotypes and low-coverage (0.5 to 1×) genotyping-by-sequencing of 163 F(1) individuals resulted in 73% of the assembled genome being anchored in 2,178 genetic bins ordered along 17 chromosomal pseudomolecules. This was achieved using a novel pipeline, SOILoCo (Scaffold Ordering by Imputation with Low Coverage), to detect heterozygous regions and assign parental haplotypes with low sequencing read depth and of unknown phase. SOILoCo provides a powerful tool for de novo genome analysis of outcrossing species. Our data will enable genome-scale analyses of evolutionary processes among crops, weeds, and wild species within and beyond the Compositae, and will facilitate the identification of economically important genes from related species

Salinity and temperature effects on germination, emergence and seedling growth of globe artichoke

Two experiments were performed. With the first, conducted in the laboratory, the influence of 4 levels of germination medium salinity (0, $-0.3$, $-0.6$ and $-0.9$ MPa), 2 germination temperatures ($20 \pm 0.5~^{\circ}$C and $30 \pm 0.5~^{\circ}$C) and 2 cultivars (`Romanesco' and `4055' F$_1$) on germination response was evaluated. With the second experiment, carried out in open air pots, the effect of 3 levels of irrigation water salinity [ $-0.04$ MPa (tap water), $-0.5$ MPa and $-1.0$ MPa] on emergence and seedling growth was studied. Germination percentage and rate decreased with decreasing osmotic potential of germination medium but with lower magnitude at 20 $^{\circ}$C than at 30 $^{\circ}$C. The threshold of osmotic potential that reduced germination by 50% was $-1.61$ MPa for `Romanesco' and $-1.75$ MPa for `4055' F$_1$ at a germination temperature of 20 $^{\circ}$C, and significantly increased to $-0.84$ MPa and $-1.00$ MPa, respectively, at 30 $^{\circ}$C. Seedling emergence, which was 96% with tap water, declined to 48% as the osmotic potential of irrigation water decreased to $-0.5$ MPa and was 0 at $-1.0$ MPa. More than 50% of emerged seedlings irrigated with water at osmotic potential of $-0.5$ MPa died 4-5 days after emergence.Effets de la salinité et des températures sur la germination, l'émergence et la croissance des plantules d'artichaut. Deux expériences ont été réalisées. Dans la première effectuée en laboratoire, l'influence de 4 niveaux de salinité du milieu de germination (0, $-0,3$, $-0,6$ et $-0,9$ MPa), de 2 températures de germination ($20 \pm 0,5~^{\circ}$C et $30 \pm 0,5~^{\circ}$C), et de 2 cultivars (`Romanesco' et `4055' F$_1$) sur la germination des graines a été étudiée. Dans la seconde expérience, réalisée avec des pots placés en plein air, les effets de 3 niveaux de salinité de l'eau d'irrigation [ $-0,04$ MPa (eau de source), $-0,5$ MPa et $-1,0$ MPa] sur l'émergence et l'accroissement des plantules, ont été étudiés. Le pourcentage et la vitesse de germination diminuent avec le potentiel osmotique du milieu de germination, mais avec une intensité moins grande à la température de 20 $^{\circ}$C qu'à celle de 30 $^{\circ}$C. Le seuil du potentiel osmotique pour lequel la germination a été réduite de 50 % est de $-1,60$ MPa (pour la cv. Romanesco) et de $-1,75$ MPa (pour la cv. 4055 F$_1$), avec une température de germination de 20 $^{\circ}$C ; en revanche, avec une température de 30 $^{\circ}$C, le seuil du potentiel osmotique est augmentée de façon significative à $-0,84$ MPa et $-1,00$ MPa respectivement, pour les deux cultivars. Le pourcentage d'émergence des plantes, est passé de 96 % avec l'utilisation de l'eau de source à 48 % avec l'utilisation d'eau avec un potentiel osmotique de $-0,5$ MPa, et à 0 % avec un potentiel de $-1,0$ MPa. Plus de 50 % des plantules irriguées avec des eaux salines (potentiel osmotique de $-0,5$ MPa) sont mortes 4 à 5 jours après l'émergence

Eco-Physiological and Productive Response of Deficit Irrigated Potatoes

A comprehensive study on both the eco-physiological and productive response of potatoes to dynamic deficit irrigation is lacking. Therefore, the aim was to study, over two growing seasons and on two potato cultivars—Arinda and Timate, the effects of five irrigation regimes (I0–dry control, I1—irrigated control, I2—supply 100% of the maximum evapotranspiration—ETm from tuber initiation up to 50% of tuber growth and 0% ETm from 50% to the end of tuber growth, I3—supply 100% of ETm from tuber initiation up to 50% of tuber growth and 50% ETm from 50% to the end of tuber growth, I4—supply 100% of ETm from tuber initiation up to 50% of tuber growth and 75% ETm from 50% to the end of tuber growth) simultaneously on the crop physiology (via chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf gas exchange traits), above-ground biomass yield, tuber yield and its components, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), source/sink ratio and tubers’ dry matter content. Regardless of cultivars and seasons, in I3 and I4 for eco-physiological and productive traits, values comparable with I1 were found. Compared to I1, I2 reduced tuber yield by about 18% but increased the IWUE by about 110%, saving a high amount of irrigation water (about 1500 m3 ha−1 per season). Arinda appeared more susceptible than Timate to water deficit in the second part of tuber growth, namely I2, from an eco-physiological point of view, but no differences between cultivars were found from a productive point of view. It was possible to effectively apply dynamic deficit irrigation to save irrigation water without compromising yields strongly