Relay intercropping of subsidiary legumes with durum wheat (living mulch) can be a viable option to support ecological weed control and optimize nutrient cycling in cereal-based cropping systems. However, the lack of knowledge on suitable legume species is often identified as the main bottleneck for the successful application of legume living mulches. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of 12 different legumes for relay intercropping with wheat in two contrasting Mediterranean cereal-based cropping systems respectively characterized by low-input and integrated management. Each legume was monitored from the undersowing in wheat until the following spring and we compared direct drilling to broadcast sowing of legumes. None of the undersown legumes showed a negative effect on the wheat grain yield. Relay intercropping of legumes proved to be an effective solution to control weeds before and after the wheat harvest, provided suitable legumes species are chosen. Suitable legumes reduced the weed biomass up to the 90% during the intercropping and up to 94% in the following spring. On the contrary, legumes such as Trifoliumresupinatum, Viciavillosa, Medicagotruncatula, and Medicagoscutellata boosted weed growth in the following spring in comparison with the control. According to the performance of legumes, Medicagosativa, Trifoliumrepens and Medicagolupulina had the most suitable characteristics for relay intercropping with durum wheat at the Ravenna site, in a highly productive region whereas Medicagosativa, Hedysarumcoronarium and Trifoliumsubterraneum performed better in the low-input system near Pisa, where yields are generally lower. This is the first time that such a diversity in legumes species is tested in the same experiment for relay intercropping under diversified environmental and management conditions. The results of this study can support farmers in selecting the most appropriated legume species for their specific cropping systems and local conditions.
", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "Living mulch", "Weed management", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "[SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]", "IWMPRAISE", "Crop combinations and interactions", "Integrated Weed Management", "Horizon2020", "Crop diversification", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Cereals", " pulses and oilseeds", "Subsidiary crops"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.iris.sssup.it/bitstream/11382/549112/1/s13593-022-00787-3.pdf"}, {"href": "https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13593-022-00787-3.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-022-00787-3"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Agronomy%20for%20Sustainable%20Development", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s13593-022-00787-3", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s13593-022-00787-3", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s13593-022-00787-3"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-08-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1007/s13593-019-0587-x", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:14:54Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-08-05", "title": "Diversified grain-based cropping systems provide long-term weed control while limiting herbicide use and yield losses", "description": "Integrated weed management encourages long-term planning and targeted use of cultural strategies coherently combined at the cropping system scale. The transition towards such systems is challenged by a belief of lower productivity and higher weed pressure. Here, we hypothesize that diversifying the crop sequence and its associated weed management tools allow long-term agronomic sustainability (low herbicide use, efficient weed control, and high productivity). Four 6-year rotations with different constraints (S2: transition from reduced tillage to no-till, chemical weeding; S3: chemical weeding; S4: typical integrated weed management system; S5: mechanical weeding) were compared to a reference (S1: 3-year rotation, systematic ploughing, chemical weeding) in terms of herbicide use, weed management, and productivity over the 2000\u20132017 period. Weed density was measured before and after weeding. Crop and weed biomass were sampled at crop flowering. Compared to S1, herbicide use was reduced by 46, 65, and 99% in S3, S4, and S5 respectively. Herbicide use in S2 was maintained at the same level as S1 (\u2212\u20099%), due to increased weed pressure and dependence to glyphosate for weed control during the fallow period of the no-till phase. Weed biomass was low across all cropping systems (0 to 5\u00a0g of dry matter m\u22122) but weed dynamics were stable over the 17\u00a0years in S1 and S4 only. Compared to S1, productivity at the cropping system scale was reduced by 22% in S2 and by 33% in S3. These differences were mainly attributed to a higher proportion of crops with low intrinsic productivity in S2 and S3. Through S4\u2019s multiperformance, we show for the first time that low herbicide use, long-term weed management, and high crop productivity can be reconciled in grain-based cropping systems provided that a diversified crop rotation integrating a diverse suite of tactics (herbicides included) is implemented.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]", "Weed dynamics", "Sustainable agriculture", "Integrated weed management", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "Cropping system . Integrated weed management .Weed dynamics . Crop productivity . Sustainable agriculture", "630", "[SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]", "[SDE.BE] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology", "Crop productivity", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology", "Cropping system"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-019-0587-x"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Agronomy%20for%20Sustainable%20Development", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s13593-019-0587-x", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s13593-019-0587-x", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s13593-019-0587-x"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-08-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/gcb.15585", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:17:30Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-03-24", "title": "Agricultural intensification and climate change have increased the threat from weeds", "description": "AbstractWeeds represent a significant threat to crop yields and global food security. We analysed data on weed competition from the world's longest running agricultural experiment to ask whether potential yield losses from weeds have increased in response to management and environmental change since the advent of the Green Revolution in the 1960s. On plots where inorganic nitrogen fertiliser has been applied, potential yield losses from weeds have consistently increased since 1969. This was explained by a warming climate, measured as air temperature averaged over the growing season for the weeds, and a shift towards shorter crop cultivars. Weeds also reduced yield proportionally more on plots with higher rates of nitrogen which had higher yields when weeds were controlled; the relative benefit of herbicides was, therefore, proportional to potential crop yield. Reducing yield losses from weed competition is increasingly challenging because of the evolution of herbicide resistance. Our results demonstrate that weeds now represent a greater inherent threat to crop production than before the advent of herbicides and integrated, sustainable solutions to weed management are urgently needed to protect the high yield potential of modern crop genotypes.
", "keywords": ["Crops", " Agricultural", "2. Zero hunger", "Herbicides", "Climate Change", "Weed Control", "Weed competition", "Plant Weeds", "Integrated weed management", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "Primary Research Articles", "7. Clean energy", "13. Climate action", "Climate change", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Crop yield", "Herbicide Resistance"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/gcb.15585"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15585"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Global%20Change%20Biology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/gcb.15585", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/gcb.15585", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/gcb.15585"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-03-23T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3389/fagro.2022.841086", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:18:55Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-03-07", "title": "Laser Weeding with Small Autonomous Vehicles: Friends or Foes?", "description": "Weed control is necessary to ensure a high crop yield with good quality. Herbicide application and mechanical weeding are the most common methods worldwide. The use of herbicides has led to the increasing occurrence of herbicide-resistant weeds and unwanted contamination of the environment. Mechanical weed control harms beneficial organisms, increases the degradation of organic matter, may dry out the soil, and stimulate new cohorts of weed seeds to germinate. Therefore, there is a need to develop more sustainable weed control means. We suggest using small autonomous vehicles equipped with lasers as a sustainable alternative method. Laser beams are based on electricity, which can be produced from non-fossil fuels. Deep learning methods can be used to locate and identify weed and crop plants for targeting and delivery of laser energy with robotic actuators. Given the targeted nature of laser beams, the area exposed for weed control can be reduced substantially compared to commonly used weed control methods. Therefore, the risk of affecting non-target organisms is minimized, and the soil will be kept untouched in the field, avoiding triggering weed seeds to germinate. Small autonomous vehicles may have limited weeding capacity, and precautions need to be taken as reflections from the laser beam can be harmful to humans and animals. In this paper, we discuss the pros and cons of replacing or supplementing common used weed control methods with laser weeding. The ability to use laser weeding technology is relatively new and not yet widely practiced or commercially available. Therefore, we do not discuss and compare the costs of the various methods at this early stage of the development of the technology.
", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "S", "alternative weed control", " integrated weed management", " non-chemical weed control", " site-specific weed management", " thermal weed control", " weed killers", "non-chemical weed control", "Plant culture", "Agriculture", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "SB1-1110", "thermal weed control", "integrated weed management", "13. Climate action", "site-specific weed management", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "weed killers", "alternative weed control"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Andreasen Christian, Scholle Karsten, Saberi Mahin,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2022.841086"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Frontiers%20in%20Agronomy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3389/fagro.2022.841086", "name": "item", "description": "10.3389/fagro.2022.841086", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3389/fagro.2022.841086"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-03-07T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/agronomy10071044", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:19:00Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-07-20", "title": "Spatial Modelling of Within-Field Weed Populations; a Review", "description": "Concerns around herbicide resistance, human risk, and the environmental impacts of current weed control strategies have led to an increasing demand for alternative weed management methods. Many new weed management strategies are under development; however, the poor availability of accurate weed maps, and a lack of confidence in the outcomes of alternative weed management strategies, has hindered their adoption. Developments in field sampling and processing, combined with spatial modelling, can support the implementation and assessment of new and more integrated weed management strategies. Our review focuses on the biological and mathematical aspects of assembling within-field weed models. We describe both static and spatio-temporal models of within-field weed distributions (including both cellular automata (CA) and non-CA models), discussing issues surrounding the spatial processes of weed dispersal and competition and the environmental and anthropogenic processes that affect weed spatial and spatio-temporal distributions. We also examine issues surrounding model uncertainty. By reviewing the current state-of-the-art in both static and temporally dynamic weed spatial modelling we highlight some of the strengths and weaknesses of current techniques, together with current and emerging areas of interest for the application of spatial models, including targeted weed treatments, economic analysis, herbicide resistance and integrated weed management, the dispersal of biocontrol agents, and invasive weed species.
", "keywords": ["ANZSRC::3004 Crop and pasture production", "2. Zero hunger", "land and farm management", "Targeted weed treatment", "weed mapping", "S", "site specific weed management", "ANZSRC::3002 Agriculture", "Integrated weed management", "Agriculture", "Spatio-temporal models", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "630", "targeted weed treatment", "spatio-temporal models", "integrated weed management", "Weed mapping", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Site specific weed management"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/7/1044/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10071044"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Agronomy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/agronomy10071044", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/agronomy10071044", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/agronomy10071044"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-07-20T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/plants9060715", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:19:09Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-06-04", "title": "Biology and Management of Vulpia myuros\u2014An Emerging Weed Problem in No-Till Cropping Systems in Europe", "description": "Recently, Vulpia myuros has become a problematic grass weed species in parts of Europe. It is most common in no-till cropping systems. The inherent tolerance to several selective grass weed herbicides is of serious concern to the successful management of V. myuros in arable farming. Here, we reviewed the available knowledge about the biology of V. myuros to identify knowledge gaps and assess management efforts to identify best practices for control. V. myuros is a winter-annual species producing seeds with a short dormancy that can germinate at a wide range of conditions. Seed longevity in the soil is short. Little information is available on the influence of V. myuros on crop yield but some results suggest that yield losses can be significant. The findings provide a better understanding of the weedy characteristics of V. myuros and highlight that management strategies in Europe need to be diversified and integrate preventive and cultural control methods. Finally, we identify some of the management tools that should be considered to minimize the impact of V. myuros on European farming and future needs for research to develop sustainable integrated weed management strategies.
", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "non-chemical weed control", "seed dormancy", "Botany", "seed germination", "Review", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "seed longevity", "chemical control", "vernalization", "cultural weed control", "integrated weed management", "QK1-989", "life cycle", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/6/715/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9060715"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Plants", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/plants9060715", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/plants9060715", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/plants9060715"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-06-03T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5281/zenodo.7517406", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:20:58Z", "type": "Journal Article", "title": "Unravelling the success of weed control by relay intercropping with legumes in low-input cereal-based Mediterranean cropping systems", "description": "This presentation shows the results of a study investigating the performance of three legumes (Medicago sativa, Medicago polymorpha, and Trifolium subterraneum) as a IPM tool in a relay intercropping system with durum wheat. The study was conducted near Pisa (Italy) in a low-input Mediterranean cropping system for two consecutive wheat-sorghum rotations to assess the effects of relay intercropping of legumes on weeds at crop rotation level. During the intercropping period legumes reduced weed biomass up to 90% compared with the control (wheat sole crop), without negative impact on yield. After wheat harvest, legumes persisted in the field and biomass production level determined their weed control capacity. Medicago sativa and Trifolium subterraneum established a suppressive mulch and reduced weed biomass up to 90 % compared with the control whereas no significant effect was observed for Medicago polymorpha. In the subsequent spring legumes were incorporated into the soil and sorghum was sown. Residual effects of Medicago sativa significantly reduced weeds biomass by the 50% in sorghum compared with the control. Results of this experiment confirmed that the biomass production is a good indicator of the weed control ability of legumes. However, biomass did not fully explain the variability in weed control capacity of the selected legumes. Allelochemical effects of legumes may also be involved. Studying the allelochemical properties of legumes can be difficult under field conditions and therefore two additional laboratory experiments were conducted to deepen the knowledge about the chemical interactions between wheat, legumes, and weeds during two critical phases for weed control: the intercropping period and the period after the incorporation of legume residues into the soil. An intercropping pattern was created in pots to explore the effect of the co-cultivation with wheat on the biosynthesis and root exudation of flavonoids in legumes. Flavonoids with potential allelochemical activity such as daidzein, genistein, medicarpin, formononetin and kaempferol significantly increased in plant tissues and root exudates of the legumes in response to co-cultivation with wheat. An additional pot experiment was carried out to investigate the allelopathic effect of the legume fresh biomass on the germinability of four weed species (Alepecurus myosuroides, Lolium rigidum, Chenopodium album and Sinapis alba). To simulate the incorporation of legumes before the sorghum sowing, legume fresh leaves were grinded and mixed with field soil at two concentrations: 25 and 50 g/l. Results of this experiment were consistent with what had been observed under field conditions and confirmed that Medicago sativa has the highest allelochemical potential compared with the Trifolium subterraneum and Medicago polymorpha. This research was supported by the H2020 project IWMPRAISE (grant number 727321) and FL had a PhD scholarship from Scuola Superiore Sant\u2019Anna in Pisa", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Integrated Weed Management", "Crop diversification", "Living mulch", "Root exudate", "Plant interactions", "15. Life on land", "Subsidiary crops", "Allelopathy"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Leoni, Federico, Carlesi, Stefano, Kudsk, Per, Moonen, Anna-Camilla,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7517406"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/19th%20EWRS%20Symposium", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5281/zenodo.7517406", "name": "item", "description": "10.5281/zenodo.7517406", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5281/zenodo.7517406"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-01-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5281/zenodo.7517503", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:20:58Z", "type": "Journal Article", "title": "The legume choice determines crop production, nitrogen dynamics, weed control and economic viability of relay intercropping in a Mediterranean cereal based low-input cropping system", "description": "The relay intercropping of subsidiary legumes with durum wheat (living mulch) can be a valuable agroecological practice to supports nutrient availability and non-chemical weed control at crop rotation level without negative impacts on crop productivity (Tosti et al., 2016; Hiltbrunner et al., 2007). This study aimed to investigate the long-term agronomical and economical sustainability of eight different legumes among perennial, annual and annual self-seeding species tested in relay intercropping with durum wheat in a Mediterranean low-input cereal-based cropping system. In particular we evaluated the impact of each legume on 1) intercropped wheat, through the evaluation of N uptake, grain yield and protein content, 2) the subsequent forage sorghum taking into account the residual effects of the legumes on the following summer crop through the evaluation of biomass production and N uptake, 3) the effects of legume on weeds community composition and biomass before and after wheat harvest and in the subsequent cash crop. Finally we performed an economic assessment to test if costs due to the relay intercropping are balanced by the ecosystem services it provides at crop rotation level taking into account the impact of the legumes on the co-cultivated wheat and on the following forage sorghum.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Integrated Weed Management", "Crop diversification", "Living mulch", "15. Life on land", "Subsidiary crops"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Federico Leoni, Stefano Carlesi, Anna-Camilla Moonen,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7517503"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Annual%20Meeting%20of%20Italian%20Society%20for%20Agronomy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5281/zenodo.7517503", "name": "item", "description": "10.5281/zenodo.7517503", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5281/zenodo.7517503"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-01-01T00:00:00Z"}}], "links": [{"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "This document as GeoJSON", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Integrated+weed+management&f=json", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "title": "This document as HTML", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Integrated+weed+management&f=html", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection URL", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"type": "application/geo+json", "rel": "first", "title": "items (first)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Integrated+weed+management&", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "last", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "items (last)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Integrated+weed+management&offset=8", "hreflang": "en-US"}], "numberMatched": 8, "numberReturned": 8, "distributedFeatures": [], "timeStamp": "2026-09-21T12:49:59.365011Z"}