Morphological response of weed and crop species to nitrogen stress in interaction with shading

Reducing herbicide use may result in residual weed flora arable fields, increasing crop–weed competition for resources. In temperate cropping systems, light and nitrogen are the main resources which plants compete. As increases, soil mineral might become less abundant as of fertiliser is reduced environmental reasons (pollutions biodiversity loss). Better understanding crops weeds competitive abilities help manage promote biological regulation by sowing more crops. Our objectives were to (1) quantify diversity species morphological response stress, interaction with shading (2) investigate relationships between responses features (clade, crop vs. weed, Ellenberg indexes). Response three aboveground variables, important competition, (specific leaf area [SLA], biomass ratio [LBR] height per unit [HBR]) stress was measured on four grown a greenhouse under various treatments two levels. Increasing SLA, LBR HBR improve plant competitiveness situation deficiency. SLA decreased all species, higher decrease nitrophilic species. varied weeds, decreasing while tended increase it. independent most Shading had small no effect stress. These results suggest that investigated parameters characterise intrinsic variables next future, integrating these properties into mechanistic model performing simulations will allow drawing generic conclusions situations.