Weed Ecology. Population ecology, interactions with other species, studies on plant communities linked to crops

Update on June 2014

Throughout the world there are great extensions of crops in which chemical weed control must be reduced; alternative or complementary methods for weed management are needed, in order to generate less pollution and consume less energy.

Currently we were working, as intensively as we can, in the study of the interaction between Digitaria sanguinalis and Ustilago syntherismae (weed-smut pathosystem) with the prospect of diminishing population density of this present day's weed species. The study of this plant-pathogen interaction involves various approaches: . field research phenology demography within population variation

. laboratory research

seeds and spores germination abilities

fungal reproductive system infective processes
. greenhouse work plant reproductive system multiplication

Today’s weeds could be the cultivated plants of tomorrow. The ruderal plants of the Paleolithic were the cultivated plants of the Neolithic. In fact, the concept of the weed is completely anthropogenic and volatile; it depends on the interests of each time and place. Knowledge of these fast-growing, fast-reproducing plants is a matter of global interest.

Furthermore, the weed research team has worked on various projects ranging from approaches of a botanical nature to applied crop technologies: · flora and vegetation in the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park
· weed-drift communities of transgenic glyphosate-tolerant soyabean crops in Argentina · use of mulch in mandarin orchards
· use of spontaneous plant cover in margins of some fruit orchards · tillage system effects on weed communities under Mediterranean dryland conditions
The team has worked also on the physiology of germination of weed species such as Portulaca oleracea and Amaranthus retroflexus (thermal shocks on seed germination in relation to the use of solarization techniques); the population dynamics of Polygonum aviculare in relation to tillage practices in cereal fields;
the demography of Tribulus terrestris populations in old fields.

Our research on weeds began in the 90's of the past century.

Research team:

Antoni Maria Claret Verdú González. Biologist (Botany) 1976. PhD in Biology (Ecology) 1984.

Maite Mas Serra. Biologist (Botany) 1988. PhD in Biology (Genetics) 1997.