Nowadays, it is necessary to adopt sustainable practices mainly based on the reduction of chemical inputs in the agro-ecosystems aimed to improve agro-biodiversity and natural biological processes. Mineral fertilization, typical of conventional agriculture, despite having an excellent effect on crop production, negatively affects the stability of agro-ecosystems, promoting specific pests, reducing soil fertility, and compromising the health of the environment. Conversely, the use of organic fertilizers provides benefits on soil fertility through increasing organic matter, improving soil structure and its stability. To reduce the use of mineral fertilizers, the European Commission promotes the application of organic waste in agricultural land. However, to achieving benefits on agro-ecosystems, fertilization management should be evaluated also in terms of weed community composition and evolution. Under sustainable agriculture, the optimal weed specie composition should avoid dominant weed species combined with low overall density. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate sustainable farming practices to meet agro-ecological goals. The main objective of this study was to evaluate how fertilization source (mineral and organic) affects weed specie composition and diversity after four years of durum wheat-potato rotation.
Weed Community Evolution In Durum Wheat - Potato Rotation After 4-year Of Organic And Mineral Fertilization
Valentina Quintarelli;Emanuele Radicetti;
2022
Abstract
Nowadays, it is necessary to adopt sustainable practices mainly based on the reduction of chemical inputs in the agro-ecosystems aimed to improve agro-biodiversity and natural biological processes. Mineral fertilization, typical of conventional agriculture, despite having an excellent effect on crop production, negatively affects the stability of agro-ecosystems, promoting specific pests, reducing soil fertility, and compromising the health of the environment. Conversely, the use of organic fertilizers provides benefits on soil fertility through increasing organic matter, improving soil structure and its stability. To reduce the use of mineral fertilizers, the European Commission promotes the application of organic waste in agricultural land. However, to achieving benefits on agro-ecosystems, fertilization management should be evaluated also in terms of weed community composition and evolution. Under sustainable agriculture, the optimal weed specie composition should avoid dominant weed species combined with low overall density. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate sustainable farming practices to meet agro-ecological goals. The main objective of this study was to evaluate how fertilization source (mineral and organic) affects weed specie composition and diversity after four years of durum wheat-potato rotation.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
