Sustainable weeds management in maize cultivation: Evaluating agroecological practices and tillage systems

Abstract

The study evaluated the effectiveness of agroecological approaches to weed control in maize crops. The experiment, conducted in 2023-2024, included three tillage systems (deep ploughing, disking, milling), two seeding densities (1.1 seeding units/ha and 1.3 seeding units/ha), and two herbicide control approaches (herbicide application and non-application), with a total of 12 variants in 36 replications. The largest weed level was recorded in the variant with disking, low seeding density, and no herbicides (S2H2A1) – 22.3 plants/m2; the lowest – in the variant with ploughing, high seeding density, and herbicide use (S1H1A2) – 12 plants/m2. Variants with compacted sowing, regardless of herbicide exposure, demonstrated a better ability to suppress weeds due to rapid closing of row spacings and reduced light access. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the greatest influence on the number of weeds was soil cultivation (F = 95.28; p < 0.0001), followed by sowing density (F = 29.06; p < 0.000001), while the contribution of herbicides was the smallest (F = 5.37; p ≈ 0.021). The significant interaction between the cultivation system and density (F = 62.85; p < 0.000001) reflected the need for comprehensive planning of agrotechnical measures. Cluster analysis based on the Jaccard index revealed strong ecological relationships between weed species, specifically, C. arvensis, E. repens, and R. sativum had a similarity coefficient of 0.92, which allows predicting typical phytosocial combinations and developing targeted control measures. The findings indicated that agroecological strategies, including shallow tillage and compacted seeding, can successfully replace chemical methods, reducing the environmental burden and maintaining productivity stability. The practical value of this study lies in the proven possibility of minimising herbicide use while maintaining high maize yields by implementing adapted agrotechnical solutions.