Ecological Management of Agricultural Weeds

by Matt Liebman, Charles L. Mohler, Charles P. Staver

Overview

This volume provides principles and practices for ecologically based weed management in a wide range of temperate and tropical farming systems. The authors describe how tillage and cultivation practices, manipulations of soil conditions, competitive cultivars, crop diversification, grazing livestock, arthropod and microbial biocontrol agents, and other factors can be used to reduce weed germination, growth, competitive ability, reproduction, and dispersal. Special attention is given to the evolutionary challenges that weeds pose and the roles that farmers can play in the development of new weed management strategies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521037877
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/09/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	548
Product dimensions:	6.65(w) x 9.53(h) x 1.06(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Weed management: a need for ecological approaches Matt Liebman; 2. Weed life history: identifying vulnerabilities Charles L. Mohler; 3. Knowledge, science and practice in ecological weed management: farmer-extensionist-scientist interactions Charles P. Staver; 4. Mechanical management of weeds Charles L. Mohler; 5. Weeds and the soil environment Matt Liebman and Charles L. Mohler; 6. Enhancing the competitive ability of crops Charles L. Mohler; 7. Crop diversification for weed management Matt Liebman and Charles P. Staver; 8. Managing weeds with insects and pathogens Matt Liebman; 9. Livestock grazing for weed management Charles P. Staver; 10. Weed evolution and community structure Charles L. Mohler; 11. Weed management: the broader context Charles L. Mohler, Matt Liebman and Charles P. Staver; Taxonomic index; Subject index.

Editorial Reviews

"The intent of the book is clearly stated...and the authors fulfilled this intent... this is an excellent book that was long overdue. The authors have examined cultural and ecological methods for weed management comprehensively and at a depth seldom attempted. The book is thoroughly referenced and should be of value to researchers and graduate students in weed management and ecology. It may also be appropriate as a text for advanced courses in weed management and as a supplemental reference for undergraduate courses in weed science."
Douglas D. Buhler, Crop Science

"This book weaves a rich and coherent concept of ecological weed management from strands that have been spun out over the last two decades.... I would judge that [Liebman, Mohler and Staver] have been most successful, and have made a unique and very valuable contribution to the literature of weed science.... Without exception, the book's chapters are thorough, readable accounts, and provide very useful reference material for ecologists, agronomists and extension workers. Commendably, the book balances coverage among industrialized farming in developed countries and various forms of farming in developing countries."
Ecoscience

"The literature review alone is easily worth the price of the book...this is an excellent book for an advanced course in weed ecology and management...A major strenth of this book is that it draws on the basic ecology and plant biology as well as applied literature...In addition to valuable synthesis the book provides, the authors also make a point of highlighting key areas in need of further research...I appluad the efforts of Liebman, Mohler, and Staver and recommend this book to scientist elucidating principles and processes in a more integrated and biologically based agriculture."
Ecology

"The well researched contents with extensive references could easily provide a good grounding in the subject matter....[The authors did] a well timed and well done text."
The Canadian Field-Naturalist

"I laud the authors for their balanced—not shrill—call for a philosophical shift in how we view and sustainably manage pests in agroecosystems."
Robert N. Wiedenmann, Entomological Society of America

From the Publisher

While the majority of texts on weed management focus on the use of herbicides, this volume emphasizes weed management procedures that rely on manipulations of ecological conditions and relationships. Liebman (Iowa State U., US), Mohler (Cornell U., US), and Staver (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, Nicaragua) analyze and synthesize the literature on ecological weed management and relevant aspects of weed ecology. They identify the principles that underlie ecological weed management, assess the strengths and weaknesses of specific weed management strategies in different cropping systems, and attempt to identify current gaps in understanding of ecological approaches to weed management. Throughout, they argue that "ecological weed management can greatly reduce herbicide use through the creation of agricultural systems that suppress weeds and resist their impacts." Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)