A nationwide survey revealed that grass weeds are a challenge in both conventional plough-based (CPS) and non-inversion tillage (NIT) systems, with sterile brome (62% of farms) and spring wild oats (56%) being the most common. Blackgrass, Italian ryegrass, and lesser canary grass were less prevalent. Alarmingly, 38% of blackgrass-infested farms were unaware of its presence until identified by project staff. Herbicide-resistant grass weeds were widespread, with 22 resistant populations found on 18 farms, including resistance to ACCase and ALS herbicides. The project worked with ten Focus Farms, each facing different weed challenges, to develop and monitor management strategies to reduce grass weeds. Most farms saw reductions in grass weeds, though results were mixed. The co-validation programme provided valuable insights for a wider audience dealing with similar issues. The project also established weed screens and cover crop demonstrations to assess the impact of herbicide timing and stacking on grass weeds. While some cover crop demonstrations showed varying success in establishment and biomass growth, further research is needed to determine their long-term impact on reducing the weed seed bank.
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Agricultural run-off and subsurface drainage tiles transport a significant amount of nitrogen and phosphorus leached after fertilization. alchemia-nova GmbH in collaboration with University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna developed two multi-layer vertical filter systems to address the agricultural run-off issue, which has been installed on the slope of an agricultural field in Mistelbach, Austria. While another multi-layer addressing subsurface drainage water is implemented in Gleisdorf, Austria. The goal is to develop a drainage filter system to retain water and nutrients. Both multi-layer filter systems contain biochar and other substrates with adsorption properties of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus). The filter system can be of practical use if an excess of nutrients being washed out is of concern in the fields of the practitioner by keeping the surrounding waters clean. This approach may result in economic value by re-using the saturated biochar as fertilizer and improving the soil structure, thus increasing long-term soil fertility. Link: https://wateragri.eu/a-bio-inspired-multilayer-drainage-system/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735. FACTSHEET NANOCELLULOSE MEMBRANES FOR NUTRIENT RECOVERY Key information Functionalized nanocellulose membranes can take up nitrate and phosphate. These membranes can be put in a water treatment unit. As the membranes are biobased, degradable materials, they can after use be added to the soil, thus returning the leached nutrients back for their original purpose providing fertilizers (nutrient recycling).
Because variables such as temperature and humidity have a profound effect on the activity of crop pests, diseases and natural enemies, the ability to monitor environmental conditions within a crop has always been important for crop protection.