The spread of field horsetail and couch grass in Zemgale [Latvia] | Tīruma kosas un ložņu vārpatas izplatība Zemgalē
2019
Lapins, D., Latvia Univ. of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava (Latvia) | Kopmanis, J., Latvia Univ. of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava (Latvia) | Melngalvis, I., Latvia Univ. of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava (Latvia) | Piliksere, D., Latvia Univ. of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava (Latvia) | Sanzarevska, R. [and two others], Latvia Univ. of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava (Latvia)
Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council stipulated that all Member States of the European Union had to operate according to the principles of Integrated Pest Management as of 1 January 2014. The aim of the study was to explain the changes in the incidence of arable-field weeds’ species, namely, field horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) and coach grass (Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski) in the farms of Zemgale region. Differences in the occurrence of weed species were explained depending on soil conditions, crop and the choice of technology. Weed monitoring was carried out between 2013 and 2017 in Zemgale region in 12 farms. Weed surveys were carried out using the occurrence method (Rasiņš, Tauriņa, 1982) in each of six sown fields or planted fields each year. The surveys were carried out once during the growing season (the 3rd decade of June – the 2nd decade of July) by determining the composition of the weed population, the dominant species and the level of their distribution in the sown fields and planted fields of different crops. The research findings show that in Zemgale weed species could be divided into the following four dominant groups according to their occurrence: 1) field pansy (89% of all fields in all years); 2) black bindweed (66%); 3) field horsetail, red dead-nettle, goose grass (distribution 59%, 57% and 54%); 4) field speedwell, goosefoot, couch grass, annual meadow grass and sun spurge with the prevalence of 42% to 48% of all fields in all years. The fact that the field horsetail and couch grass rank No 3 and 8−9 in Zemgale points to the viability of these plants and the unappreciated breeding opportunities of farmers. In the middle of the previous century Professor Jānis Apsītis pointed out that the field horsetail was a weed typical of poorly managed fields, pastures and meadows (Apsītis, 1956). The course books, handbooks and recommendations of the previous century include descriptions how to combat the weed species (by removing it because it inappropriate to have it in fields). There is also a relatively broad spectrum of herbicides to combat it.
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