What is it about?
We review studies that investigate the relationship between weed species in a field and crop quality. Principles of plant ecology and competition suggest that different suites of weeds stress crops can cause changes in crop quality (grain protein or oil content). We advocate research to determine how different suites of weeds, different phylogenetic groups of weeds, or weeds sharing particular functional traits may affect crop quality.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Controlling weeds in agricultural fields is expensive and time consuming. When the focus is on crop quality rather than quantity, then the presence of some weeds may be beneficial.
Perspectives
We hope that this article helps ecologists realise how their work can relate to agricultural production. And, we hope that agriculturalists will see some benefit from the ideas that we propose.
Professor David J Gibson
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Can weeds enhance profitability? Integrating ecological concepts to address crop-weed competition and yield quality, Journal of Ecology, June 2017, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.12785.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
