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Exploring the use of residues from the invasive Acacia sp. for weed control

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2018

Pablo Souza-Alonso ,
Carolina G. Puig ,
Nuria Pedrol ,
Helena Freitas ,
Susana Rodríguez-Echeverría  and
Paula Lorenzo
Pablo Souza-Alonso*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, University Campus, 36310-Vigo, Spain
Carolina G. Puig
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, University Campus, 36310-Vigo, Spain
Nuria Pedrol
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, University Campus, 36310-Vigo, Spain
Helena Freitas
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology -Science for People & the Planet-CFE, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456Coimbra, Portugal
Susana Rodríguez-Echeverría
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology -Science for People & the Planet-CFE, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456Coimbra, Portugal
Paula Lorenzo
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology -Science for People & the Planet-CFE, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456Coimbra, Portugal
*
Author for correspondence: Pablo Souza-Alonso, E-mail: souzavigo@gmail.com
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Abstract

A sustainable practice for weed control and crop protection is the incorporation of green manures with phytotoxic potential. It is gaining attention as a way to reduce the use of synthetic herbicides in agriculture and so pot experiments and field trials were conducted to explore the possible use of residues of Acacia species to alleviate weed emergence. We assessed, under greenhouse conditions, the herbicidal effect of phytotoxic manures from Acacia dealbata and Acacia longifolia applied to soil at different doses (1.5 and 3% w/w) on maize growth, some accompanying weeds, and the physiological profile of soil microbes. Applied at a higher dose, A. dealbata residues reduced the emergence of dicotyledons in the short-term (P < 0.05) and, after 30 days, there was a decrease in total weed emergence (P < 0.005) and a mild effect on weed composition, while total weed biomass remained unaffected. Regardless of the inclusion of Acacia residues, the physiological profile of the soil bacterial community did not show significant alterations. Additionally, we tested A. dealbata residues as a mulch or a green manure at the field scale. Although the effects of manures were site-dependent and affected monocot and dicot weeds differentially, dicots were more sensitive. The herbicide potential of acacia residues was only evident for dicots at sites with low-weed density in the seed bank. Nevertheless, due to the absence of phytotoxic effects on maize and minor modifications in the functional profile of bacterial communities, residues of acacia could be used as a complementary tool used together with other practices to reduce the reliance on synthetic herbicides in maize-based cropping systems.

Keywords

Green manureherbicideinvasive speciesphytotoxicitysoil microbial functionweed control

Information

Type
Research Paper
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , February 2020 , pp. 26 - 37
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018

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