Temporal Changes of Elytrigia repens Density in Intensive Cereal-Based Cropping Systems

Abstract

The common effects of cultivation practices, weed management measures and crop rotation on Elytrigia repens population dynamics under condition of large scale fields were studied in South-Western Slovakia during 2007-2014. The evaluated fields reflect the changes of cultivation practices associated with the growing crops in intensive crop rotation systems characterized by high proportion of cereals, changes of tillage practices (mouldboard stubble cultivation replaced by less effective disc stubble cultivation) and exclusion of cover crops and leguminous forage crops. Introduction of management practices with lack of preventive measures into six evaluated large-scale fields led to increasing proliferation of E. repens. Therefore, intensive herbicide application (from 2 to 5 application during 8-year rotation period) was needed to manage E. repens satisfactorily. E. repens was substantially higher in crops following two crops period of sunflower and spring barley crops, but lower in crops following winter oilseed rape.