Effect of row distance on plant architecture, weed suppression and yield of silage maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in a pesticide-free cultivation system in Southern Germany
{"title":"Effect of row distance on plant architecture, weed suppression and yield of silage maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in a pesticide-free cultivation system in Southern Germany","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2024.106866","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Conventional farming prioritizes monocultures and synthetic chemicals to secure high yields. However, there are a growing number of initiatives worldwide to reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides. One option for pesticide-free weed management is the adjustment of sowing pattern (row distance, plant arrangement, sowing density). This study investigated the effects of an equal distance sowing versus a normal distance sowing (EDS and NDS<sup>1</sup>) at constant sowing density on plant morphology, growth and yield of silage maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) and soybean (<em>Glycine</em> max (L.) Merr.) as well as the weed occurrence. Therefore, a 3-year (2020–2022) pesticide-free, field experiment was conducted at the Heidfeldhof Research Station, University of Hohenheim, Germany. In silage maize, neither plant architecture nor biomass yield showed significant differences between EDS with 0.375 m and NDS with 0.75 m row distance. In contrast, soybean developed a bushier plant architecture with more branches and shorter petioles in EDS with 0.15 m compared to plants in NDS with 0.50 m row distance, demonstrating phenotypic plasticity. A higher number of pods per plant (EDS: 28.05; NDS: 22.73) and seed yield (EDS: 406.58 g m<sup>−2</sup>; NDS: 389.34 g m<sup>−2</sup>) indicated the potential for increased yields applying EDS. Crop competitiveness against weeds was higher in EDS than in NDS, especially early in the growing season. The results highlight the importance of EDS as a valuable tool for pesticide-free, non-organic cropping systems through positive effects on crop yield and efficient weed control.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219424002941/pdfft?md5=71d6261927e0972073cd0e41e12d3870&pid=1-s2.0-S0261219424002941-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Crop Protection","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261219424002941","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"AGRONOMY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Conventional farming prioritizes monocultures and synthetic chemicals to secure high yields. However, there are a growing number of initiatives worldwide to reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides. One option for pesticide-free weed management is the adjustment of sowing pattern (row distance, plant arrangement, sowing density). This study investigated the effects of an equal distance sowing versus a normal distance sowing (EDS and NDS1) at constant sowing density on plant morphology, growth and yield of silage maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) as well as the weed occurrence. Therefore, a 3-year (2020–2022) pesticide-free, field experiment was conducted at the Heidfeldhof Research Station, University of Hohenheim, Germany. In silage maize, neither plant architecture nor biomass yield showed significant differences between EDS with 0.375 m and NDS with 0.75 m row distance. In contrast, soybean developed a bushier plant architecture with more branches and shorter petioles in EDS with 0.15 m compared to plants in NDS with 0.50 m row distance, demonstrating phenotypic plasticity. A higher number of pods per plant (EDS: 28.05; NDS: 22.73) and seed yield (EDS: 406.58 g m−2; NDS: 389.34 g m−2) indicated the potential for increased yields applying EDS. Crop competitiveness against weeds was higher in EDS than in NDS, especially early in the growing season. The results highlight the importance of EDS as a valuable tool for pesticide-free, non-organic cropping systems through positive effects on crop yield and efficient weed control.
期刊介绍:
The Editors of Crop Protection especially welcome papers describing an interdisciplinary approach showing how different control strategies can be integrated into practical pest management programs, covering high and low input agricultural systems worldwide. Crop Protection particularly emphasizes the practical aspects of control in the field and for protected crops, and includes work which may lead in the near future to more effective control. The journal does not duplicate the many existing excellent biological science journals, which deal mainly with the more fundamental aspects of plant pathology, applied zoology and weed science. Crop Protection covers all practical aspects of pest, disease and weed control, including the following topics:
-Abiotic damage-
Agronomic control methods-
Assessment of pest and disease damage-
Molecular methods for the detection and assessment of pests and diseases-
Biological control-
Biorational pesticides-
Control of animal pests of world crops-
Control of diseases of crop plants caused by microorganisms-
Control of weeds and integrated management-
Economic considerations-
Effects of plant growth regulators-
Environmental benefits of reduced pesticide use-
Environmental effects of pesticides-
Epidemiology of pests and diseases in relation to control-
GM Crops, and genetic engineering applications-
Importance and control of postharvest crop losses-
Integrated control-
Interrelationships and compatibility among different control strategies-
Invasive species as they relate to implications for crop protection-
Pesticide application methods-
Pest management-
Phytobiomes for pest and disease control-
Resistance management-
Sampling and monitoring schemes for diseases, nematodes, pests and weeds.