Globe artichoke and cardoon could manage weeds in sustainable, eco-friendly way Crop rotation is gaining increasing research- and policy attention as an environmentally friendly way to manage weeds. In such rotations, crops are introduced that release chemicals into the environment known to inhibit weed 30 January 2020 germination or growth (so-called allelopathic crops). Previous studies have Issue 537 identified Cynara cardunculus L., a perennial thistle, including varieties of globe Subscribe to free artichoke and cardoon, as a potential allelopathic candidate. This study conducted weekly News Alert field experiments using three botanical varieties of C. cardunculus to evaluate their effect on weeds within an ecosystem. The results confirm that C. cardunculus has Source: Scavo, A., an allelopathic effect in monoculture, reducing the amount of weed seeds present Restuccia, A., Abbate, C. in soil. This paves the way for its inclusion in crop rotation as part of eco-friendly, And Mauromicale, G. sustainable weed-management strategies. (2019). Seeming field allelopathic activity of Weeds are one of the most significant pests in agroecosystems; they are Cynara cardunculus L. responsible for considerable economic losses and contribute to food insecurity. reduces the soil weed seed However, synthetic herbicides can result in harmful associated environmental impacts and bank. Agronomy for rising levels of resistance. Efforts to reduce the use of synthetic herbicides and replace them Sustainable Development, with more environmentally friendly, sustainable weed-management practices are central to 39, 41. much contemporary environmental and agricultural policy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s1 3593-019-0580-4. In this context, allelopathic weed control has emerged as a particularly promising alternative. Allelopathy refers to the chemical inhibition of one plant species by another. Contact: Introducing allelopathic crops into crop rotations could help to effectively and sustainably [email protected] control weeds within an ecosystem, and reduce reliance upon herbicides. Read more about: Previous studies have identified Cynara cardunculus L. as a potentially allelopathic crop, Agriculture, Soil, suggesting that its three botanical varieties (globe artichoke, cultivated cardoon and wild Sustainable cardoon) release chemicals with effects both phytotoxic (poisonous to plants) and consumption and antimicrobial (fatal to microorganisms). However, this had not been evaluated in field conditions. production To rectify this, an Italian research team conducted two field experiments to evaluate the results of three consecutive years of C. cardunculus cultivation on weed soil seed banks and eubacterial (single-celled bacteria) communities in Mediterranean conditions. The experiments comprised monocultures of globe artichoke, cultivated cardoon and wild cardoon and control systems of a) an olive grove (a typical perennial Mediterranean crop) The contents and views and b) fava bean and wheat on classic rotation (an arrangement representative of the grain included in Science for Environment Policy are legume/cereal rotation most common in the Mediterranean basin). based on independent, peer-reviewed research In both field experiments, the presence of C. cardunculus caused a significant reduction and do not necessarily (from 34% to 50%) in the amount of weed seeds found in the soil of both sites compared to reflect the position of the European Commission. control. In some cases, the number of weed species also decreased. While cultivated Please note that this cardoon negatively affected the beneficial ubiquitous bacteria Bacillus subtilis (also known as article is a summary of the hay or grass bacillus and found in soil and the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants and only one study. Other studies may come to humans), it positively affected two other beneficial soil bacteria: Pseudomonas putida and other conclusions. Azospirillum brasilense. To cite this article/service: "Science for Environment Policy": Continued on next page. European Commission DG Environment News Alert Service, edited by SCU, The University of the West of England, Bristol. Globe artichoke and cardoon could manage weeds in sustainable, eco-friendly way (continued) 30 January 2020 Issue 537 Subscribe to free weekly News Alert The researchers also investigated the in vitro antibacterial activity of aqueous, methanolic, and ethanolic leaf extracts of cultivated cardoon against three bacteria involved in the soil Source: Scavo, A., nitrogen cycle (Rhizobium leguminosarum, Sinorhizobium meliloti and Bacillus Restuccia, A., Abbate, C. licheniformis). The results revealed no negative effects on R. leguminosarum or S. meliloti, And Mauromicale, G. but the methanolic and ethanolic leaf extracts were shown to inhibit B. licheniformis. Taken (2019). Seeming field together, these findings suggest that C. cardunculus plays a positive role in the microbial allelopathic activity of community of the rhizosphere (the soil surrounding root systems). Cynara cardunculus L. reduces the soil weed seed Overall, these results show for the first time that C. cardunculus has an allelopathic effect in bank. Agronomy for monoculture in the field. The researchers suggest their findings offer a practical Sustainable Development, demonstration of the possibility of introducing the species into a crop-rotation system in 39, 41. Mediterranean, or other, agroecosystems as a sustainable approach to weed management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s1 They also call for further investigation of C. cardunculus field allelopathic activity. 3593-019-0580-4. Contact: [email protected] Read more about: Agriculture, Soil, Sustainable consumption and production The contents and views included in Science for Environment Policy are based on independent, peer-reviewed research and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Commission. Please note that this article is a summary of only one study. Other studies may come to other conclusions. To cite this article/service: "Science for Environment Policy": European Commission DG Environment News Alert Service, edited by SCU, The University of the West of England, Bristol. .