Weed Densities in Perennial Flower Mixtures Cropped for Greater Arable Biodiversity

The cropping of perennial wildflower mixtures to produce biomass for use in biogas plants is one option breaking maize’s dominance as a bioenergy feedstock. aim this study was investigate the development weeds commercially produced mixtures. Weed control during establishment very difficult manage and raises issue new weed problems when In three-year field experiment with staggered starts four sites northeast Germany, crop mixture sown each year. crops were surveyed annually June. Plant densities species numbers counted diversity indices calculated. Data analysed using linear mixed models. Across all sites, density decreased significantly over years (=cropping seasons), while richness remained unchanged. decreased, increased seasons. did not increase at any experimental sites. Although high poor first growing seasons, mix able suppress following season. It concluded that flower could contribute biodiversity without causing problems.