Living Labs

Latvia
AREI Priekuļi
Rye, Pea
Dace Zarina (dace.zarina@llkc.lv)
Most used practices:
Mechanical Control - Herbicides - Intercropping - Automated Weed Control

Rye & Pea Living Lab

The project “Agroecology for Weeds” (GOOD) aims to develop agroecological strategies for weed control. Experiments are being carried out in 11 countries across Europe, Latvia being the furthest north of Europe in the Nemoral Climate Zone (NEM). In Latvia, the aim is to test different weed control strategies in organically grown rye and peas grown in a conventional farming system. On 18 September 2023, the first rye trial was sown and on 28 September the late sowing was carried on. A total of 60 experimental plots. As well as late autumn undersowing white clover in one of the replications as a test was carried out. In autumn it was difficult to identify the weed species as they failed to develop due to the cold weather. In the rye sowing it was possible to detect Galinsoga parviflora, Matricaria perforate, Thlaspi arvense and Lamium purpureum. Typical autumn weeds. No weed counts have yet been carried out in the spring observation. Visual observations in spring: rye overwintered well, well developed root system. Late sowing of clover failed. In the conventional pea trial, different green manure mixtures were sown in autumn: 1. Radish (Raphanus sativus L), mustard and oats. 2. Rye, ryegrass, phacelia. 3. Rye, vetch, buckwheat and phacelia. Total 96 experimental plots, including control. At the time of observation, the highest biomass was recorded for the first mixture with radish, mustard and oats. The green manure mass naturally died down over the winter due frosts. In spring the field was ploughed, cultivated and peas were sown. The leading weeds at the time of the autumn assessment were chamomile (Matricaria perforate), Thlaspi arvense, Lamium purpureum, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Poa annua and Elytrigia repens.