Agroecological Management of Weeds – Minimizing Chemical Herbicides in Arable Cropping

Weeds have a strong impact on arable production, causing yield quantity and quality losses. Adequately controlling them is fundamental in arable cropping. However, weeds develop strategies to survive control. For decades, the dominating method to manage weeds was the use of chemical herbicides. Weeds becoming resistant against these chemical herbicides is an obvious and global reaction; together with undesired environmental consequences, this creates increasing pressure to overcome chemical herbicide use. Therefore, foreseeing weed management demands exploiting and evaluating novel methods to replace them. Since each single method will probably be less effective than chemical herbicides, systematic integration and upscaling on levels like fields, farms, cropping systems, landscapes and socio-economics is required in research. Agro-ecological management of weeds stands for this ambition.

We invite submissions about new innovative methods and updated methods of weed management without herbicides. Results of original experiments are welcome. Special interest is on integrating weed management into ambitious cropping systems aiming to reduce herbicide use fundamentally. IPM systems are in focus, while not excluding Organic farming. Knowledge based tools for practical support are within the scope as well as ways of disseminating and communicating weed management innovations.

Some of the main aspects of this Research Topic include, but are not limited to:
• Bio-based and natural herbicides
• Mechanical strategies to manage plants and propagules
• Cultural strategies to manage plants and propagules
• Physical strategies to manage plants and propagules
• Biological strategies to manage plants and propagules
• Precision agriculture including remote sensing and weed imaging
• Cropping systems design and effects
• On farm adaptations
• Socio-economic aspects
• IWM
• Models to integrate strategies of management