Broomrape weeds (Orobanche and Phelipanche spp.) are root holoparasites that feed off a wide range of important crops. Among them, Orobanche crenata attacks legumes complicating their inclusion in cropping systems along the Mediterranean area and West Asia. The detrimental effect of broomrape parasitism in crop yield can reach up to 100% depending on infection severity and the broomrape-crop as...

Site-specific weed management requires sensing of the actual weed infestation levels in agricultural fields to adapt the management accordingly. However, sophisticated sensor systems are not yet in wider practical use, since they are not easily available for the farmers and their handling as well as the management practice requires additional efforts. A new sensor-based weed detection method is...

Environ. Enlomol. 12: 2%-298 (1983) ABSTRACT Sweep-nel sampling and pilfalllrapping were used 10 survey insects in weedy and weedfree soybean habitals. Weedy soybean habitats consisted of (I) grassy soybeans; (2) soybeans with broadleaf weeds; and (3) soybeans with broadleaf weeds and grasses. Insect species diversity was greater in weedy soybean habitats than in weed-free soybeans. Greatest di...

Phelipanche ramosa (L.) Pomel (branched broomrape) is a holoparasitic plant that reproduces on crops and also on weeds, which contributes to increase the parasite seed bank in fields. This parasite extracts all its nutrients at the host's expense so that host-parasite trophic relationships are crucial to determine host and parasite growth. This study quantified the intensity with which P. ramos...

Phelipanche aegyptiaca Pers. is a root holoparasitic plant considered to be among the most destructive agricultural weeds worldwide. In order to gain more knowledge about the metabolic profile of the parasite during its developmental stages, we carried out primary metabolic and lipid profiling using GC-MS analysis. In addition, the levels of amino acids that incorporate into proteins, total pro...

Conventional methods of weed control are weather dependent, costly and labour intensive. Indiscriminate use of chemicals for controlling weeds may pose environmental problems. Sorghum allelopathy is a new technique, which has been tested for controlling weeds of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as a substitute for chemical herbicides to reduce environmental pollution. Mature sorghum herbage contain...

Weeds are often one of the biggest problems encountered by farmer in conventional agriculture. Maximum productivity of crops can be achieved by proper weeds management. Applying excessive herbicide uniformly throughout the field has an adverse effect on the environment. An automated weed control system which can differentiate the weeds and crops from the digital image could be a feasible soluti...

Weeds are a severe pest in agriculture, causing extensive yield loss. Weed control of grass and broadleaf weeds is commonly performed by applying selective herbicides homogeneously all over the field. As presented in several studies, applying the herbicide only where needed has economical as well as environmental benefits. Combining remote sensing tools and techniques with the concept of precis...

In order to reduce herbicide application an intelligent sprayer boom is being developed. It only sprays with herbicides if the weed infestation exceeds a certain weed control threshold. The estimation of leaf cover of weeds through image analysis is a prerequisite for the weed management model of the intelligent sprayer boom. Destructive and human perception methods of leaf cover estimation are...

In spite of the large yield losses that weeds inflict on crops, we know little about the genomics of economically important weed species. Comparative genomics between plant model species and weeds, map-based approaches, genomic sequencing and functional genomics can play vital roles in understanding and dissecting weedy traits of agronomically important weed species that damage crops. Weed geno...