Management and diversity of weed communities in Mediterranean cereal steplands: New proposals under the sustainability paradigm

Abstract

The word weed is used to define the herbaceous plants that inhabit the cultivated fields. In rainfed crops, weeds have been considered one of the main causes of yield loss. However, works on the relationship between management practices, crop yields and weed communities in cereal steplands, are still scarce. Nonetheless, some of these works challenge the prevailing negative view on weeds, while questioning the efficacy of a weed management solely based on herbicide use. In Spain, the large extension of cereal steplands (6.5Mha) made the management of its weed diversity a question of great relevance. In this study, we summarize the state of the art on the effects of management practices on weed communities of cereal steplands. We identify knowledge gaps, and point out new research to support the development of management strategies based on the recovery of traditional crop rotations, the reduction of soil tillage and the use of organic fertilization. These will serve as the basis for the design of management strategies that permit to maintain crop yields and biodiversity.