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Linking Farmer Weed Management Behavior with Weed Pressure: More than Just Technology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Marleen M. Riemens ,
Roel M. W. Groeneveld ,
Martin J. J. Kropff ,
Lambertus A. P. Lotz ,
Reint Jan Renes ,
Wijnand Sukkel  and
Rommie Y. van der Weide
Marleen M. Riemens*
Affiliation:
Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 616, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Roel M. W. Groeneveld
Affiliation:
Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 616, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Martin J. J. Kropff
Affiliation:
Department of Crop and Weed Ecology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Lambertus A. P. Lotz
Affiliation:
Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 616, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Reint Jan Renes
Affiliation:
Department of Communication Science, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW Wageningen, The Netherlands
Wijnand Sukkel
Affiliation:
Applied Plant Research, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 430, 8200AK Lelystad, The Netherlands
Rommie Y. van der Weide
Affiliation:
Applied Plant Research, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 430, 8200AK Lelystad, The Netherlands
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: marleen.riemens@wur.nl
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Abstract

Most studies on weed population dynamics in farming systems have focused on the effects of different weed control strategies. Those studies usually assume that farmers, operating within a particular system, have a uniform management style. However, it is likely that weed management decision making also varies between farmers that operate within a system. In this study, the relationship between weed management behavior and the outcome of that behavior within an organic farming system is studied. It is hypothesized that differences in weed pressure between organic farms can be related to differences in farmers' weed management behavior. We explore which weed and general management factors are of main influence on the weed pressure, and investigate the influence of farmer's beliefs and knowledge on weed control techniques and the observed weed pressure. Preventive measures and timing of main soil tillage operation were identified as the weed management factors most influential for weed pressure. With the increasing number of preventive measures applied, weed pressure decreased, with a stale seedbed being the most important preventive measure. The weed pressure increased with the number of days after September 1st on which the main tillage operation was carried out. Because of this postponement of the tillage treatments, the growing season of weeds was extended and more species were able to reproduce before winter, thereby enhancing weed pressure. Field size, rather than weed pressure, determined the number of hand-weeding hours per ha; with increasing field size the amount of hand weeding per surface area was reduced. On farms with lower weed pressures a higher percentage of competitive crops were grown than on farms with higher weed pressures. The farmer's beliefs and knowledge on weed control techniques differed between farmers with different weed pressures. Market-oriented growers had a higher on-farm weed pressure than crop-growth–oriented growers. It was concluded that studies on weed management behavior and the effect of that behavior can lead to a better understanding of farming systems and to more effective weed management in those systems.

Keywords

Organic farming systemhand weedingbeliefsweed densityweed seed productionmanagement behavior
Type
Symposium
Information
Weed Science , Volume 58 , Issue 4 , December 2010 , pp. 490 - 496
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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