Diversifying your crops may lead to less weed problems

Farmers have long known that different crops have different weed problems. For example, legumes are particularly good at preventing parasitic weeds from growing nearby, but they also bring their own challenges in the form of herbicide resistance and diseases like soybean rust. 

What isn’t as well-known is how using multiple crops on the same farm can help you get rid of your weed problems altogether! A recent study published in PLoS ONE has found that farms with high crop diversity had 60% less parasitic weed abundance than farms with low crop diversity.

Crop diversity can reduce weed pressure

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences offers a potential explanation for why crop diversity can reduce weed pressure. It turns out that when farmers grow two or more crops, they are able to avoid most parasites that are specialized on one type of plant. This is because a host plant and its parasite depend on each other for survival, so only host plants with parasites will be found in an area. In other words, by planting different types of crops, farmers inadvertently create an ecological trap that weeds can't survive--a good reason to diversify!

Diverse cropping systems can improve soil health

Crop diversification can be a way of reducing the pressure that weeds put on a farm. Crop diversity is when farmers grow different crops in their fields, rather than just one crop, which helps reduce the amount of time and money spent on herbicide or weeding. In addition, when farms use crop diversity they are more likely to have a diverse mix of natural enemies (like insects) that help keep down pest populations without the use of pesticides.

In order for this effect to be seen in an agricultural setting, there needs to be good mixing between plants and livestock so that parasites and fungi don't build up in one place. This can be done by rotating animals through pasture (or another area), or by planting multiple species of plants close together at once.

Crop rotation can break the cycle of weeds

Crop rotation is one way that farmers can break the cycle of weeds. The idea is that by planting different types of plants in the same space each year, the soil gets depleted of certain nutrients, which means that some types of weeds will be weakened and not grow as well. For example, a farmer might plant soybean or corn in a field one year, then plant alfalfa in the same field the next year. 

This type of farming goes against what most people think about farming: you're supposed to rotate crops so they can all get the same amount of sun and time on their respective fields.

cover crops can reduce the establishment of new weeds

Diversifying crop types in a field can help reduce pest and disease incidence, but can also be an effective strategy for managing weeds. Cover crops are plants grown specifically for the purpose of controlling weeds and fertilizing the soil. The study showed that cover cropping can reduce the establishment of new weeds by up to 53% in comparison with non-cropped fields. This effect was most pronounced during summer months when weed density is typically at its peak.

Cultural practices such as mowing, flaming, and mulching can reduce the abundance of existing weeds

Crop diversification is a practice that can be used in conjunction with other cultural practices, such as mowing, flaming, and mulching. All these practices will help reduce the abundance of existing weeds; however, they are not all equally successful at killing new weed seedlings. 

Mowing is one of the most commonly used cultural practices for controlling weeds on agricultural land.