Serbia
Zemun Polje
Maize
Milena Simić (smilena@mrizp.rs)

Milan Brankov (mbrankov@mrizp.rs)

Vesna Dragičević (vdragicevic@mrizp.rs)
Most used practices:
Mechanical Control - Herbicides

Maize Living Lab

In the Serbian Living Lab we work on two crops: maize and soybean. Both crops are grown in either conventional growing system or using organic principles. Weed control in maize and soybean is a challenging task today, bearing in mind that some weed populations have become resistant on herbicides. As climate is a subject of change, several weeds become very dominant last years, including Chenopodium album and Ch. hybridum, Sorghum halepense, Helianthus annuus, etc. In the first year of the experiment, three cover crops (CC) are sown: oat, rye, and winter vetch will be sown in autumn, and, in spring either maize or soybean will be sown as the main crop. The control (without CC) will be also included. In each main crop, the following weed management practices will be evaluated in organic production systems: mechanical weeding, mulching, false seedbed, bio-based herbicide, and untreated control. Also, in conventional production systems, weed management practices will be considered: herbicides at the full rates and reduced rates, mechanical weeding, bio-based herbicide, using drones for spraying herbicides, and untreated control. The efficacy will be tested on a weekly basis, up to four weeks, analysing both, weeds and crops.