Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AGROSUS (Agroecological strategies for sustainable weed management in key European crops)
Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-11-30
AGROSUS aim to identify appropriate tools and Agroecological Strategies (AS) to prevent and manage the occurrence of weeds in relevant crops, in conventional as well as organic and mixed farming, at all the 11 biogeographic regions of the EU and associated countries. Thus, AGROSUS aims to reduce reliance on synthetic herbicides and the associated pressure to the environment. The tools and strategies are being co-developed, in collaboration with stakeholders, for the most problematic weeds of the different regions and crops. So far, current weed management mainly relies on the massive use of conventional herbicides, which entails altering soil quality, inducing weed resistance, and compromising ecosystems’ and human health. The most appropriate means to prevent and manage weeds is developing and setting up appropriate combination of AS that would result in sustainable, safe, productive, climate-positive and resilient farming systems. These AS are being implemented in the main crops at all the European biogeographic regions (Continental–Mediterranean–Atlantic–Macaronesian–Pannonian–Anatolian–Black-Sea–Boreal–Alpine–Steppic–Arctic). With the long-term view of reducing and eventually eliminating the use of synthetic herbicides in the European agriculture, AGROSUS aims to unfold and introduce improved holistic agroecological strategies, co-created with all relevant actors, for the transformation of weed management in all the different European biogeographic regions, while increasing the delivery of ecosystem services and accompanying farmers in the new strategies adoption process.
AGROSUS has the overall ambition of “generating and exchanging knowledge, understanding and tools for agroecological weeding in all the biogeographic regions of Europe, while reducing herbicide reliance and increasing ecosystems biodiversity”. For that, AGROSUS will rely on: i) expanded knowledge on problematic weeds on European agriculture, current weeding techniques, and problems encountered by farmers and advisors (farmers and advisors were already engaged by surveys, interviews and co-creation workshops and will be engaged in co-validation workshops). ii) advanced detection tools (drones and robots are being tested in Madeira, Ukraine and Spain). iii) establishment of cultural, mechanical, physical, biological, and biotechnological AS in 68 short-term experimental units sprayed all over Europe (Experiments were co-deigned and stablished, although with important delays). iv) actions carried out with stakeholders and policy makers to promote the most appropriate initiatives at the field, administration and regulatory levels (mainly co-creation workshops), and v) technology transfer and training of stakeholders for prevention and management of weeds (not yet).
AGROSUS has the overall ambition of “generating and exchanging knowledge, understanding and tools for agroecological weeding in all the biogeographic regions of Europe, while reducing herbicide reliance and increasing ecosystems biodiversity”. For that, AGROSUS will rely on: i) expanded knowledge on problematic weeds on European agriculture, current weeding techniques, and problems encountered by farmers and advisors (farmers and advisors were already engaged by surveys, interviews and co-creation workshops and will be engaged in co-validation workshops). ii) advanced detection tools (drones and robots are being tested in Madeira, Ukraine and Spain). iii) establishment of cultural, mechanical, physical, biological, and biotechnological AS in 68 short-term experimental units sprayed all over Europe (Experiments were co-deigned and stablished, although with important delays). iv) actions carried out with stakeholders and policy makers to promote the most appropriate initiatives at the field, administration and regulatory levels (mainly co-creation workshops), and v) technology transfer and training of stakeholders for prevention and management of weeds (not yet).
- Finalisation and distribution of questionary surveys and finalisation of in-person interviews (MS1): Surveys were completed with 937 farmers, and 440 stakeholders participated in in-person interviews, providing key insights into the knowledge and use of agroecological strategies across all European biogeographic regions.
- Weed management database for Europe (D2.2): A comprehensive weed management database was developed, compiling data from literature reviews, surveys, in-person interviews, and co-creation workshops involving 412 participants.
- Harmonized AGROSUS analytical methods (D3.1): Four standardized handbooks were created to ensure consistency in assessing agricultural product quality, plant health, soil health and weed management across all experimental sites.
- Soil sampling in medium to long-term experiments (MS2): Soil samples were collected from 85% of the designated medium to long-term fields and sent for analysis.
- Decision of agroecological approaches: Following co-creation workshops, partners agreed on the best agroecological strategies to implement in short-term experimental fields (MS4).
- Set up of most short-term agroecological experiments: Despite the emerging issues and delays, 75% of planned experiments were successfully implemented (MS5).
- Selection of experimental units: Key sites were identified for conducting environmental socio-economic assessments related to weed management strategies (MS6).
- Multicriteria assessment framework(s) (D5.1): A framework to capture sustainability of weed management, containing economic, environmental and social themes and the indicators to measure them.
- Expert focus groups on weed management: 24 expert focus groups analysed and discussed current weed management strategies to inform best practices and future improvements (MS8).
- Weed management database for Europe (D2.2): A comprehensive weed management database was developed, compiling data from literature reviews, surveys, in-person interviews, and co-creation workshops involving 412 participants.
- Harmonized AGROSUS analytical methods (D3.1): Four standardized handbooks were created to ensure consistency in assessing agricultural product quality, plant health, soil health and weed management across all experimental sites.
- Soil sampling in medium to long-term experiments (MS2): Soil samples were collected from 85% of the designated medium to long-term fields and sent for analysis.
- Decision of agroecological approaches: Following co-creation workshops, partners agreed on the best agroecological strategies to implement in short-term experimental fields (MS4).
- Set up of most short-term agroecological experiments: Despite the emerging issues and delays, 75% of planned experiments were successfully implemented (MS5).
- Selection of experimental units: Key sites were identified for conducting environmental socio-economic assessments related to weed management strategies (MS6).
- Multicriteria assessment framework(s) (D5.1): A framework to capture sustainability of weed management, containing economic, environmental and social themes and the indicators to measure them.
- Expert focus groups on weed management: 24 expert focus groups analysed and discussed current weed management strategies to inform best practices and future improvements (MS8).