Sustainable Crop and Weed Management in the Era of the EU Green Deal: A Survival Guide
Agricultural systems in the EU have become more vulnerable and less sustainable due to an overreliance on herbicides and the tremendous increase in herbicide-resistant weeds. The EU Green Deal aims to reduce the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50% by 2030, although it is still undefined wheth...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/3/589 |
| _version_ | 1797473408443744256 |
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| author | Alexandros Tataridas Panagiotis Kanatas Antonia Chatzigeorgiou Stavros Zannopoulos Ilias Travlos |
| author_facet | Alexandros Tataridas Panagiotis Kanatas Antonia Chatzigeorgiou Stavros Zannopoulos Ilias Travlos |
| author_sort | Alexandros Tataridas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Agricultural systems in the EU have become more vulnerable and less sustainable due to an overreliance on herbicides and the tremendous increase in herbicide-resistant weeds. The EU Green Deal aims to reduce the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50% by 2030, although it is still undefined whether a reduction in herbicide use could be feasible in different farming systems and situations. This review aims to provide a holistic framework for sustainable crop and weed management to reduce the herbicide input and ensure crop protection. Current and future dilemmas and policies that need to be handled to ensure the agroecological transition of the EU’s agricultural systems are also discussed. The integration of non-chemical alternatives for integrated weed management is feasible and includes novel cultivation techniques (e.g., intercropping, false seedbed, reduced tillage, crop rotation and diversification, adjustments on sowing densities and dates), non-chemical tools (e.g., flaming, seed coating, beneficial microorganisms, mechanical weeding, biocontrol agents and natural herbicides), competitive plant material (hybrids and cultivars, cover crops, service crops), and new technologies and precision agriculture tools (e.g., Decision Support Systems, robots, remote sensing, UAVs, omics and nanotechnology). A special focus should be appointed to agroecology and biodiversity conservation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:14:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eddb6ecea3294045a9496dba7e0a43f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:14:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-eddb6ecea3294045a9496dba7e0a43f62023-11-24T00:07:22ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952022-02-0112358910.3390/agronomy12030589Sustainable Crop and Weed Management in the Era of the EU Green Deal: A Survival GuideAlexandros Tataridas0Panagiotis Kanatas1Antonia Chatzigeorgiou2Stavros Zannopoulos3Ilias Travlos4Laboratory of Agronomy, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Crop Science, University of Patras, P.D. 407/80, 30200 Mesolonghi, GreeceLaboratory of Agronomy, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, GreeceEFET, Hellenic Food Authority, 124 Kifisias & 2 Iatridou Str., 11526 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Agronomy, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, GreeceAgricultural systems in the EU have become more vulnerable and less sustainable due to an overreliance on herbicides and the tremendous increase in herbicide-resistant weeds. The EU Green Deal aims to reduce the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50% by 2030, although it is still undefined whether a reduction in herbicide use could be feasible in different farming systems and situations. This review aims to provide a holistic framework for sustainable crop and weed management to reduce the herbicide input and ensure crop protection. Current and future dilemmas and policies that need to be handled to ensure the agroecological transition of the EU’s agricultural systems are also discussed. The integration of non-chemical alternatives for integrated weed management is feasible and includes novel cultivation techniques (e.g., intercropping, false seedbed, reduced tillage, crop rotation and diversification, adjustments on sowing densities and dates), non-chemical tools (e.g., flaming, seed coating, beneficial microorganisms, mechanical weeding, biocontrol agents and natural herbicides), competitive plant material (hybrids and cultivars, cover crops, service crops), and new technologies and precision agriculture tools (e.g., Decision Support Systems, robots, remote sensing, UAVs, omics and nanotechnology). A special focus should be appointed to agroecology and biodiversity conservation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/3/589EU Green Dealintegrated weed managementprecision agricultureagroecosystem servicesherbicide reductionsustainability |
| spellingShingle | Alexandros Tataridas Panagiotis Kanatas Antonia Chatzigeorgiou Stavros Zannopoulos Ilias Travlos Sustainable Crop and Weed Management in the Era of the EU Green Deal: A Survival Guide Agronomy EU Green Deal integrated weed management precision agriculture agroecosystem services herbicide reduction sustainability |
| title | Sustainable Crop and Weed Management in the Era of the EU Green Deal: A Survival Guide |
| title_full | Sustainable Crop and Weed Management in the Era of the EU Green Deal: A Survival Guide |
| title_fullStr | Sustainable Crop and Weed Management in the Era of the EU Green Deal: A Survival Guide |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustainable Crop and Weed Management in the Era of the EU Green Deal: A Survival Guide |
| title_short | Sustainable Crop and Weed Management in the Era of the EU Green Deal: A Survival Guide |
| title_sort | sustainable crop and weed management in the era of the eu green deal a survival guide |
| topic | EU Green Deal integrated weed management precision agriculture agroecosystem services herbicide reduction sustainability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/3/589 |
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