Weed research status, challenges, and opportunities in China
2020
Zhu, Jinwen | Wang, Jian | DiTommaso, Antonio | Zhang, Chaoxian | Zheng, Guiping | Liang, Wen | Islam, Faisal | Yang, Chong | Chen, Xuexin | Zhou, Weijun
Weeds are a major constraint to crop production, which is of crucial importance for food security in China given its 1.37 billion population. In recent years, an increasing number of herbicide resistant weeds and invasive alien plants have become prevalent and challenging to manage in China as elsewhere in the world. In this review, we provide an overview of several key facets of weed science research in China, including (i) weed community shifts as a result of cropping system and weed management changes, (ii) the status of invasive weeds, (iii) weed management options for the increasing number of herbicide resistant weeds, and (iv) the challenges and opportunities in weed research in China. Invasive weeds in tandem with changes in cropping systems have significantly altered weed communities in crops such as rice (Oryza sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). At present, 30 weed species have evolved resistance to 11 herbicide sites of action that includes 48 commonly used herbicides. Although tactics such as crop rotation and biological control have been used to manage some weeds in China, weed control has and continues to rely primarily on herbicides. Research priorities for weed management include developing and implementing a preventive risk assessment framework and a better understanding of the mechanisms that allow some alien weeds to be highly aggressive and difficult to manage. Moreover, the development and evaluation of additional weed management tactics such as breeding competitive crop cultivars, straw mulching, optimizing water management, and site-specific fertilizer and herbicide applications warrant further study. The use of an integrated weed management approach in coming years will rely heavily on a more in-depth understanding of the biological and ecological principles governing weed population dynamics. Approaches such as herbicide resistance weed management (HRWM) programs in tandem with conservation agriculture (CA) can be employed to develop sustainable weed management strategies in cropping systems.
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