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Effects of soil fungi on weed communities in a corn–soybean rotation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 May 2008

N. Jordan  and
S. Huerd
N. Jordan*
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota, 411 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
S. Huerd
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota, 411 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
*
*Corresponding author: jorda020@tc.umn.edu
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Abstract

In a variety of ecosystems, interactions between soil microbiota and weedy plants can strongly affect population and community dynamics of these plants. However, weed–soil microbe interactions are not well characterized in field-crop agroecosystems. In Minnesota (USA), we repeatedly applied a fungicide (benomyl) to field plots in a corn–soybean crop rotation in each of 3 years, and sowed experimental weed communities containing host species for arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and non-host species. Benomyl typically suppresses formation of mycorrhizal symbiosis in AMF-host plant species, and may also affect other soil fungi. We assessed weed density and biomass production, and monitored AMF colonization rates in each of 3 years. We found that weed density, biomass, community composition and the relative performance of AMF-host and non-host weed species were all significantly responsive to fungicide applications, although for all attributes responsiveness was variable. Fungicide application increased total weed density and biomass production in nearly all cases; most effects were modest but reached a maximum of 49%. Fungicide application also increased the relative performance of non-host species in most cases, although most effects were again modest. Our findings are the first assessment of responses by field-crop weeds to direct manipulation of soil microbial communities in a field setting, and suggest that the population and community ecology of these weeds can be strongly affected by the fungal component of soil microbiota.

Keywords

weed ecologysoil microbiologyplant–soil interactionmycorrhizaeweed biocontrol
Type
Research Papers
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , June 2008 , pp. 108 - 117
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Cambridge University Press

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