- Email: [email protected]
Weed control in vegetable production
154 WEED CONTROL IN VEGETABLES
Weed Control in Vegetable Production, by R. Cavalloro and A. El Titi (Editors). A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 1988, 303 pp., hardbound, ISBN: 90-6191845-6. This proceedings of a meeting of the European communities' experts' group in Stuttgart on October 28-31, 1986 was nicely organized as camera-ready copy. The paper is of medium but lasting quality and the script is double spaced and very readable (although changes in type style may be distracting to some readers). Typographical errors were held to a minimum and all papers (representing some 39 authors from 13 countries) were translated into English. The papers address a broad spectrum of issues impinging on modern weed control in general although the intended emphasis is the growing need for alternative weed control strategies for vegetable crops. Thus, sessions of focus include needs for alternative weed-control strategies, composition shifts in weed populations, economic-ecological thresholds for crop production, problems and potentials with selected weed control methods, weed regulation strategies and examples of comprise approaches to reduced herbicide use. The first paper (O. Seibert ) contrasts conventional (high-intensity inputs) with low-input management approaches with repeated justification for the latter given the present and projected political and societal focus on environmental concerns. Although a thoughtful approach to the topic, the readers' ultimate conclusion is that more information based on carefully conducted research and relatively sophisticated problem analyses will be necessary to develop achievable policy concerning sustainability of low-input approaches. A rather brief paper (G. Noye) concerning herbicide resistance in Danish weeds concludes the present consensus among weed scientists that development of herbicide resistance in a given species is relatively rare but worthy of focused attention, and that a primary and growing problem is occupancy of treated areas by progressively troublesome populations resulting from selection pressure imposed by repeated application of the same herbicide. The universal call for careful integration of weed control methods is thus repeated. T h a t theme is emphasized during the remaining papers in that session with papers giving examples from Finland (Kaukovirta), with lettuce crops in Greece (Vassiliou), and from Belgium (Bulcke and Stryckers). A minor flaw in organization is placement of the paper on pesticide residues (Hafner) following the first presentation on weed tolerance to herbicides. However, the discontinuity should not necessarily be distracting since each paper stands alone and the residue paper is appro-
155 priate (giving primary emphasis to pesticides and water, a global concern). The third group of four papers entertains applications and limitations of simulation modeling for predicting threshold weed populations (one by Kropff and another by Vleeshouwers and Streibig which lead nicely into a paper on economics of weed control by Cussans and one concerning weed interference with yield in peas by E1 Titi). The following sessions on Chemical and then Nonchemical Weed Control were developed with an eye toward emphasizing potential for nonchemical alternatives. Such alternatives such as flame weeding, solariz'ation and use of microwaves are revisited. Session 6, Weed Regulation Strategies, entertains ecological topics such as allelopathy, population regulation via the soil seed bank and implications for integrated weed management approaches, crop-weed competition, new weed problems (and alternatives to herbicide use), and another paper concerning biological thresholds and postemergence weed control in selected crops. Although the session organization was probably appropriate for purposes of oral presentations, one wonders why this group of papers was not melded with those in Session 3 on "Threshold Approaches" to improve continuity of thought in the publication. Session 7 addresses practical compromises in use of alternatives to chemical weed control with a couple of nicely-done papers illustrating the benefits of integrating mechanical and chemical methods for production of selected crops. The closing session includes an analysis of utilizing threshold limits in decision making while espousing integrated management systems for crop protection. This session also includes a summary statement of conclusions and recommendations (by E1 Titi). A series of suggested political actions revolve about alterations in income policy, farming structure policy, farming intensity and sensitivity to natural resource conservation. Although the suggestions seem sensible, their resolution (considering economic objectives at the farm firm level) will require major philosophical shifts for production agriculture. The theme of the publication is timely given current global concern with pesticide use and the need to optimize input-output relationships at the farm firm level. It is recommended not only for researchers but for research administrators and policy m.akers as a reference during this time of charting new waters in production agriculture. PROFESSOR C.J. SCIFRES Department of Agronomy 369 Agricultural Hall Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 U.S.A.
Weed Control in Vegetable Production, by R. Cavalloro and A. El Titi (Editors). A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 1988, 303 pp., hardbound, ISBN: 90-6191845-6. This proceedings of a meeting of the European communities' experts' group in Stuttgart on October 28-31, 1986 was nicely organized as camera-ready copy. The paper is of medium but lasting quality and the script is double spaced and very readable (although changes in type style may be distracting to some readers). Typographical errors were held to a minimum and all papers (representing some 39 authors from 13 countries) were translated into English. The papers address a broad spectrum of issues impinging on modern weed control in general although the intended emphasis is the growing need for alternative weed control strategies for vegetable crops. Thus, sessions of focus include needs for alternative weed-control strategies, composition shifts in weed populations, economic-ecological thresholds for crop production, problems and potentials with selected weed control methods, weed regulation strategies and examples of comprise approaches to reduced herbicide use. The first paper (O. Seibert ) contrasts conventional (high-intensity inputs) with low-input management approaches with repeated justification for the latter given the present and projected political and societal focus on environmental concerns. Although a thoughtful approach to the topic, the readers' ultimate conclusion is that more information based on carefully conducted research and relatively sophisticated problem analyses will be necessary to develop achievable policy concerning sustainability of low-input approaches. A rather brief paper (G. Noye) concerning herbicide resistance in Danish weeds concludes the present consensus among weed scientists that development of herbicide resistance in a given species is relatively rare but worthy of focused attention, and that a primary and growing problem is occupancy of treated areas by progressively troublesome populations resulting from selection pressure imposed by repeated application of the same herbicide. The universal call for careful integration of weed control methods is thus repeated. T h a t theme is emphasized during the remaining papers in that session with papers giving examples from Finland (Kaukovirta), with lettuce crops in Greece (Vassiliou), and from Belgium (Bulcke and Stryckers). A minor flaw in organization is placement of the paper on pesticide residues (Hafner) following the first presentation on weed tolerance to herbicides. However, the discontinuity should not necessarily be distracting since each paper stands alone and the residue paper is appro-
155 priate (giving primary emphasis to pesticides and water, a global concern). The third group of four papers entertains applications and limitations of simulation modeling for predicting threshold weed populations (one by Kropff and another by Vleeshouwers and Streibig which lead nicely into a paper on economics of weed control by Cussans and one concerning weed interference with yield in peas by E1 Titi). The following sessions on Chemical and then Nonchemical Weed Control were developed with an eye toward emphasizing potential for nonchemical alternatives. Such alternatives such as flame weeding, solariz'ation and use of microwaves are revisited. Session 6, Weed Regulation Strategies, entertains ecological topics such as allelopathy, population regulation via the soil seed bank and implications for integrated weed management approaches, crop-weed competition, new weed problems (and alternatives to herbicide use), and another paper concerning biological thresholds and postemergence weed control in selected crops. Although the session organization was probably appropriate for purposes of oral presentations, one wonders why this group of papers was not melded with those in Session 3 on "Threshold Approaches" to improve continuity of thought in the publication. Session 7 addresses practical compromises in use of alternatives to chemical weed control with a couple of nicely-done papers illustrating the benefits of integrating mechanical and chemical methods for production of selected crops. The closing session includes an analysis of utilizing threshold limits in decision making while espousing integrated management systems for crop protection. This session also includes a summary statement of conclusions and recommendations (by E1 Titi). A series of suggested political actions revolve about alterations in income policy, farming structure policy, farming intensity and sensitivity to natural resource conservation. Although the suggestions seem sensible, their resolution (considering economic objectives at the farm firm level) will require major philosophical shifts for production agriculture. The theme of the publication is timely given current global concern with pesticide use and the need to optimize input-output relationships at the farm firm level. It is recommended not only for researchers but for research administrators and policy m.akers as a reference during this time of charting new waters in production agriculture. PROFESSOR C.J. SCIFRES Department of Agronomy 369 Agricultural Hall Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 U.S.A.