Biodiversity of segetal weed communities when chlorsulfuron-based weed control is being used on continuous winter wheat

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between herbicide rate and weed community biodiversity in continuous wheat. A six-year field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of four chlorsulfuron rates in comparison with untreated (the control) plots, on the status and severity of weed infestation - in successive study years of cultivating winter wheat in monoculture. In addition, the following indices were calculated: Shannon-Wiener and Simpson’s index of biodiversity, and Simpson’s index of domination. A total of 36 weedy species were identified in the experimental plots. The richest segetal communities were established in the control plots. An application of herbicide reduced the biodiversity of the agrophytocensosis. A short-term monoculture did not impoverish the species richness of the weed community established in winter wheat. The average number of species in the community was significantly greater in the second study year. In the initial study years of monoculture, the biodiversity of the segetal community increased markedly compared with rotation-based cultivation. The calculated indices of biodiversity were not significantly affected by herbicide rate or monoculture but the indices confirmed the trends outlined by an analysis of the status and level of weed infestation.