Agri-Food Waste as a Method for Weed Control and Soil Amendment in Crops

The continued and extensive use of synthetic herbicides to control weeds to maximize crop yield is no longer sustainable, as it results in negative impacts on the environment and human health. Innovative sustainable and resilient food production systems should preserve resources and environmental he...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Paula Lorenzo, Rosa Guilherme, Sara Barbosa, António J. D. Ferreira, Cristina Galhano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-05-01
Series:Agronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/5/1184
Description
Summary:The continued and extensive use of synthetic herbicides to control weeds to maximize crop yield is no longer sustainable, as it results in negative impacts on the environment and human health. Innovative sustainable and resilient food production systems should preserve resources and environmental health by incorporating alternative natural herbicides, recycling waste, and favoring a circular economy. The present work assesses the value of different organic waste (<i>Urtica dioica</i> residues, <i>Vicia faba</i> pods, spent coffee grounds, and corn cobs) as bioherbicides and fertilizers in different seasons through pot and field two-year sequential experiments. Pot assays revealed that <i>V. faba</i> pods, spent coffee grounds, and corn cob waste showed the best inhibitory effect, which were subsequently evaluated in the Spring–Summer and Autumn crops. In the field, spent coffee grounds reduced the biomass of total naturally-emerged weeds and stimulated crop growth under scarce rainfall and warm days. However, its effect varied under different environmental conditions. Spent coffee grounds can partially control weeds in the field, which valorizes them as a bioherbicide and boosts sustainable agriculture.
ISSN:2073-4395