Weed-crop competition relationships differ between organic and conventional cropping systems

Experiments comparing conventional and organic systems often report similar yields despite substantially higher weed abundance in the organic systems. A potential explanation for this observation is that weed-crop competition relationships differ between the two types of systems. We analysed weed an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Weed research 2009-12, Vol.49 (6), p.572-580
Main Authors: Ryan, M.R, Smith, R.G, Mortensen, D.A, Teasdale, J.R, Curran, W.S, Seidel, R, Shumway, D.L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
biomass
competition
conventional
corn
crop yield
crop-weed competition
cropping systems
Cropping systems. Cultivation. Soil tillage
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General agronomy. Plant production
Generalities. Cropping systems and patterns
Glycine max
legume
long-term
maize
manure
organic
organic production
Parasitic plants. Weeds
Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection
soyabean
soybeans
Weeds
Zea mays
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Summary:Experiments comparing conventional and organic systems often report similar yields despite substantially higher weed abundance in the organic systems. A potential explanation for this observation is that weed-crop competition relationships differ between the two types of systems. We analysed weed and crop yield data from the Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial (FST), which provides a unique 27-year dataset of a conventional (CNV) and two organic [manure (MNR) and legume (LEG)] soyabean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and maize (Zea mays L.) cropping systems. Average soyabean yields were similar between the MNR and CNV systems and only slightly reduced in the LEG system, whereas average maize yields did not differ among systems despite the two organic systems having more than four and six times greater weed biomass in soyabean and maize respectively. Plot-level weed biomass-crop yield relationships indicated that weed-crop competition differed between the two organic and CNV systems in maize, and was strongest in the CNV system, intermediate in the LEG system and weakest in the MNR system. These results suggest that organic cropping systems may be able to tolerate a greater abundance of weeds compared to conventional systems and that fertility management within organic systems may influence weed-crop competition.
ISSN:0043-1737
1365-3180
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-3180.2009.00736.x