The aim of studies was to identify how different morphological and biological characteristics influence spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) competitiveness against weeds in various organic and conventional farming locations. Do those traits have an influence on the yield and in which growing conditions the selection of genotypes for organic farming should be done? The plant traits related to competitiveness against weeds at the beginning of the vegetation period are important in breeding for organic agriculture. Ten different varieties were included in trials for three years in two organic and two conventional environments. The included varieties were divided in four groups with respect to time of release and adaptation to growing environments: old extensive varieties and landraces for low input agriculture, medium old varieties with good adaptation to unfavourable conditions, modern varieties for low input, and modern varieties for high input conditions. Results showed that such traits as productive tillering ability, development speed and plant height at the beginning of stem elongation stage provide good soil shading. The most of traits were negatively related to the grain yield. Selection of genotypes for traits which influence spring barley competitiveness against weeds, such as a growth habit in the tillering stage, development speed in tillering stage, plant height at the beginning of stem elongation, length of flag leaf and the width of flag leaf, and the plant height before harvest, may take place in conventional conditions as well as in organic conditions.

Growing of economics and new technologies has caused the environment pollution and more intensive use of natural resources. The principles of stable and balanced forestry became more and more important. Ecologization forests economy directly and indirectly impacts environment, water, air, landscape. It is not allowed to use chemicals in ecological farms. In Lithuania the number of ecological farms is growing that is why the new effective ecological methods are needed to protect seedlings from weeds. Alternative to mechanical control of weed is to use high temperature. In ecological farms weed control after sowing time is pursued in mechanic, and recently in thermal way. In thermal weed control the surface of soil remains mechanically undisturbed, the roots of cultural plants remain undisturbed, too. These features are very important in forest nurseries, where different kinds of tree species are growing. Seedlings are very small at the beginning of growing, so mechanical weed control is difficult. Thermal weed control could be a good alternative. Comparable data of 2009-2011 thermal weed control research in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) nursery is given. The efficiency of destroyed 16 weed sorts using thermal and mechanical ways of weed control is given. Thermal weed control for short age weeds is 20.3% more effective in comparison with mechanical way. Mechanical way is 35.2% more effective for perennial weeds. It was detected that in order to control weeds of different growth stages, it is necessary to use different treatment time of damp water stream.

The aim of the study was to compare weed species diversity in organic and conventional farms in Poland. The study was carried out between 2012 and 2014 on production fields located in Lublin province, one of the easternmost regions of Poland. The results showed that diversity and abundance of weeds in spring cereals were generally higher in organic farming system than in conventional one. No significant differences between systems were found in 2013, because local flooding of fields in spring made impossible the execution of agricultural weed management treatment for some farmers. Both above-ground and soil seed bank weed communities were the mainstay of valuable weed species, which is confirmed by the presence of the species threatened with extinction, for example, summer pheasant’s-eye (Adonis aestivalis), poorman’s blue weatherglass (Anagallis foemina) and others in both tested farming systems. Dwarf everlast (Helichrysum arenarium) was the only found species that is subject to partial protection by Polish law. Both organic farms, run under CAP policy and support, and conventional extensive farms of the province of Lublin were the mainstay of biodiversity. Future rural development and CAP should be adapted and implemented regionally. Traditional extensive farms could contribute to the biodiversity and valuable plant species conservation.

The distribution and abundance of Barbarea arcuata (Opiz ex J. et C. Presl) Rchb. were investigated throughout the territory of Latvia. The field survey was carried out to estimate the abundance patterns, and the herbarium materials were used to compile a distribution map. In total 411 localities were recorded in the period from 2015 to 2017. The species has been commonly found on roadsides, which accounts for 66% of the localities. Seventeen percent of the localities occurred in grasslands, 10% – in croplands, 4% – in fallows, 2% – on road embankment slopes, and 1% – on railway embankments. The highest density of B. arcuata were found in new fallows where it forms large populations. Whole field localities account for 5% of the total localities. Medium-sized stands are found in about 20% of localities and are mostly found in grasslands, roadsides, as well as croplands which include cereal fields and oilseed rape fields. Individual specimens are mostly found on roadside habitats and grasslands and account for 75% of the total number of localities. As dominant weed species it is found on fields of oilseed rape, cereal fields and fallows. Herbarium data and the Institute of Biology, University of Latvia lists of species show that B. arcuata distribution was frequent during the period from 1970 to 2014.

The assessment and conservation of agricultural biodiversity is one of the current goals of European Union policies, which are reflected in European Biodiversity Strategy. The biodiversity of soil seed bank and above-ground weed flora were investigated in spring cereals in organic and conventional farming system. The study was carried out between 2012 and 2014. Species of above-ground wild flora were counted on a surface of 1 square m in the field. Soil for seed bank evaluation was taken from the field and evaluated by seedling emergence method in a greenhouse. There were no significant differences in number of species between two communities. Biodiversity of weed community, described by Shannon’s diversity index and Simpson’s dominance index, was significantly better maintained in the soil seed bank than in above-ground flora in both farming systems. A strong, positive correlation between the number of species, Shannon’s diversity index, Simpson’s dominance index of soil seed bank and above-ground weed species was found in both farming systems, while abundance of seeds and above-ground weeds was significantly, positively correlated only in the conventional farming system. Qualitative composition of weed flora depended more on the type of community (soil seed bank or above-ground weed communities) than the farming system.

The change from large scale agriculture to private small scale farming has resulted in a severe lack of plant protection means. Fields of Latvia have become more weedy for last four years. This fact shows the necessity for a change in the strategy of weed control. The effect of inexpensive and wide-spread herbicides 2.4-D and MCPA is insignificant in weed control. From 1994 Latvian State Centre of Plant Protection has been studying the occurance of weed species in the Central part of Latvia (Vidzeme), to make use schedules of necessary herbicides. The research was carried out jointly with the Latvia University of Agriculture. During the research carried out from 1997 to 2000, 60 weed species were established, but in all the crop sowings 10 species were predominant. The number of Elymus repens, Myosotis arvensis and Viola arvensis has increased during last four years. In Vidzeme region, from 1997 to 2000, it was stated that soil infestation of weed seeds varies from 4.5 to 11.1 thousand seeds per square metre on the average. Perennial dicot-weeds have shown the lowest variation coefficient, compaered with other weed groups.

Weed surveys showed that annual broad-leaved weeds were dominant in spring barley sowings in central Latvia. Field trials on broad-leaved weed control in spring barley showed that herbicides Granstar and Duplosan Super at 0,5 and 0,25 doses gave good weed control. There were statistically significant relationships between the abundance of broad-leaved weed and the yield of spring barley when barley yield and broad-leaved weed population were both high.