Influence of crop rotation and meteorological conditions on density and biomass of weeds in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

The paper presents the analysis of changes in weed infestation in spring barley cultivated in the years 1990–2004 in crop rotation with a 25% proportion of this cereal (potato – spring barley – sowing peas – winter triticale), when it was grown after potato, and in crop rotation with its 75% proportion (potato – spring barley – spring barley – spring barley), when it was grown once or twice after spring barley. In the experiment, no weed control was applied. Every year in the spring (at full emergence of the cereal) and before the harvest, the composition of weed species and weed density of particular weed species were determined, and before the harvest also their biomass. Weed density increased linearly on all plots during the 15-year period. The average values confirm the increase in weed biomass in the case when spring barley was grown once or twice after this crop; however, those differences were influenced by the previous situation only during some seasons. Weed density and biomass showed high year–to–year variability and a positive correlation with the amount of precipitation and a negative correlation with temperature during the period of the study. A negative correlation between the yield of barley and weed biomass was shown.