Ecological Management of Agricultural Weeds
Matt Liebman, Charles L. Mohler, Charles P. StaverBooks.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
"This book provides principles and practices for ecologically based weed management in a wide range of temperate and tropical farming systems. After examining weed life histories and processes determining the assembly of weed communities, the authors describe how tillage and cultivation practices, manipulations of soil conditions, competitive cultivars, crop diversification, grazing livestock, arthropod and microbial biocontrol agents, and other factors can be used to reduce weed germination, growth, competitive ability, reproduction, and dispersal. Special attention is given to the evolutionary challenges that weeds pose and the roles that farmers can play in the development of new weed management strategies."--BOOK JACKET.Synopsis
Presents principles and practices for ecologically based weed-management in a range of farming systems.
Booknews
While the majority of texts on weed management focus on the use of herbicides, this volume emphasizes weed management procedures that rely on manipulations of ecological conditions and relationships. Liebman (Iowa State U., US), Mohler (Cornell U., US), and Staver (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, Nicaragua) analyze and synthesize the literature on ecological weed management and relevant aspects of weed ecology. They identify the principles that underlie ecological weed management, assess the strengths and weaknesses of specific weed management strategies in different cropping systems, and attempt to identify current gaps in understanding of ecological approaches to weed management. Throughout, they argue that "ecological weed management can greatly reduce herbicide use through the creation of agricultural systems that suppress weeds and resist their impacts." Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)