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The term “weeds” refers to “plants suitable for habitats modified by man and that interfere with human activities”. It implies an anthropocentric rather than an ecological vision since the existence and the characteristic of the interference depends on men’s purposes. In the archaeological sites, the most important damage is the functional one and...
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... the hazard for structures in archaeological sites, one of the indexes used for estimating the weed impact is the Hazard Index (HI) proposed by Signorini [14] whose criteria are reported in Table S1. ...Context 2
... the hazard for structures in archaeological sites, one of the indexes used for estimating the weed impact is the Hazard Index (HI) proposed by Signorini [14] whose criteria are reported in Table S1. ...Context 3
... sites located in the Apulia Region (Italy) were surveyed during the Spring 2016, that is, in the period of maximum vegetative growth (Table 1). With concern to the general structural characteristics (useful for the purposes of this work), in all sites, the main finds consisted of dry stonewalls, that is, what remained of ancient buildings (houses, churches, theatres, etc.). ...Context 4
... referred to structural hazards to which the artistic or architectural finds of the site may be exposed. A Hazard Index (S-HaI) was assigned to each botanical species and it was estimated according to the procedure proposed by Signorini [14] (see Table S1); it can range from 0 to 10. ...Context 5
... the hazard for structures in archaeological sites, one of the indexes used for estimating the weed impact is the Hazard Index (HI) proposed by Signorini [14] whose criteria are reported in Table S1. ...Context 6
... the hazard for structures in archaeological sites, one of the indexes used for estimating the weed impact is the Hazard Index (HI) proposed by Signorini [14] whose criteria are reported in Table S1. ...Context 7
... sites located in the Apulia Region (Italy) were surveyed during the Spring 2016, that is, in the period of maximum vegetative growth (Table 1). With concern to the general structural characteristics (useful for the purposes of this work), in all sites, the main finds consisted of dry stonewalls, that is, what remained of ancient buildings (houses, churches, theatres, etc.). ...Context 8
... referred to structural hazards to which the artistic or architectural finds of the site may be exposed. A Hazard Index (S-HaI) was assigned to each botanical species and it was estimated according to the procedure proposed by Signorini [14] (see Table S1); it can range from 0 to 10. ...Citations
... They are part of plants commonly called "weeds", of which the most appropriate definition is "plants that are objectionable or interfere with the activities or welfare of man" (https://wssa.net/wssa/wssa-glossary/, accessed on 18 December 2023), representing a critical factor in agricultural, rural and urban areas, and issues at archeological sites [3], trails and transportation corridors [4]. Also considering the role of climate change in inducing significant transformations in the weed flora of ecosystems (e.g., unbalanced presence of certain species as thermophile, late-emerging and opportunistic weeds) [5], weed management is one of the major challenges in crop production and has been of primary concern since ancient times, when humans undertook agricultural practices [6]. ...
Environmental pollution, unintended harm to beneficial organisms, and the development of herbicide resistance among weeds are the main consequences of the massive and consistent use of chemical herbicides in recent decades. The growing need for alternative solutions has been reinforced by restrictive policies, leading to a search for natural herbicidal candidates. Mycoherbicides, formulations containing plant pathogenic fungi, are viewed as promising substitutes for chemical herbicides. In the case of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, one of the worst invasive alien tree species in the world, Verticillium-based mycoherbicides offer a viable method for control, inducing a lethal wilt disease and leading plants to death within a few years. The demonstrated significant effectiveness enables addressing challenges posed by other—conventional—approaches. The current analysis matches key internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats) of Verticillium Nees isolates as environmentally-friendly control agents against the invasive A. altissima, by listing each singularly and then crossing them among the categories, drawing from the collaborative efforts of American, Austrian, and Italian research teams.
... The discrete field data were transformed in richness (total number of species): the midpoints of each cover interval were used to transform the discrete scale into continuous values and to treat the data algebraically [66]. Criteria for assigning the discrete cover-abundance index and the relative midpoints used for their transformation are reported in Fracchiolla et al. [67]. The numerical information obtained was the infestation of each of the main weed species recorded and the total infestation (TI) on each monitoring date. ...
Weed management is not yet environmentally, agronomically, economically and socially sustainable in olive orchards. It is necessary to study appropriate integrated weed management systems (IWMSs) based on the knowledge of weed population and effects of weeding practices over time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different weed managements on seasonal floristic composition of a super high-density olive orchard, also exploiting the essential principles of an IWMS. Five weeding techniques were compared: chemical control (CHI), mowing (MEC), plastic (nonwoven tissue, TNT and polyethylene, PEN) and organic (with de-oiled olive pomace, DOP) mulching. Weed monitoring was carried out on six dates in a three-year period. The infestation of each of the main 18 weed species recorded (%) and the total infestation (%) on each monitoring date were determined. Results underlined that all weeding practices investigated in this multi-year study affected the floristic composition, weed characteristics(hemicryptophytes, cryptophytes and therophytes) and seed bank. TNT and PEN were the most effective methods for weed management. Particularly, total infestation coefficient was significantly lowest when plots were managed with TNT (13.91%) and PEN (14.38%) and highest for MEC (141.29%). However, DOP also significantly reduced infestation compared to CHI and MEC. Therefore, DOP could constitute an excellent strategy for weed management in super high-density olive groves, since it also has the possibility of distributing mulching materials in a mechanized way in field and can result in improvement of soil fertility and the possibility of valorizing waste. Further studies should be carried out to investigate the mechanism of action (physical and allelochemical) of de-oiled pomace or other organic agro-industrial materials and the recovery time of these mulching materials in super high-density olive orchards.
... This method, commonly used by scientists for weed researches, considers both the abundance and the cover of each species. Therefore, it constitutes an effective means of evaluating the effects of agronomic practices on both the number and the vigor of weeds [27][28][29]. ...
Italy represents the world leading producer of globe artichoke, and Puglia (Southern Italy) supplies about one-third of the nation’s production. In this research, the influence of mulching (both living mulch with subterranean clover and biodegradable mulch film) on both weed infestation and globe artichoke yield in comparison with conventional tillage was evaluated. Two globe artichoke genotypes (Capriccio—hybrid cultivar—and Brindisino—sanitized local variety) were tested in an open field located in Puglia. The following parameters were evaluated: weed infestation, yield and canopy of globe artichoke, and biomass and canopy of subterranean clover. Yield of globe artichoke (on average 16 buds plant−1) was not influenced by soil management although the total weed cover was lower by using conventional tillage. Mean canopy of T. subterraneum was higher under Brindisino (about 65%) in comparison with Capriccio (about 45%). Dry weight was higher in Brindisino (about 12 g m−2) than Capriccio (about 6 m−2) without differences among soil management treatments. Subterranean clover showed a good ability to control weed cover especially under Brindisino genotype (weed infestation always less than 1%) highlighting its particularly suitability for local varieties of globe artichoke instead of hybrid cultivars (weed infestation up to 5%). In conclusion, the results of this study suggest the positive effects of living mulch with subterranean clover for a sustainable weed management in globe artichoke as annual cropping in Puglia.
This study was carried out to determine the effect of hot water obtained by the solar method (solar energy) on the different plant growth stages of Convolvulus arvensis, Amaranthus retroflexus, and Setaria viridis species, which are problematic in agricultural areas. Hot water at a temperature of 98 °C, obtained using the solar method, was applied at 15:00 pm. The hot water was applied in two different doses depending on the driving speed (1st speed: 4 km h-1, 2nd speed: 2 km h-1) of the tractor. The application was carried out at three stages of plant growth (20, 40, 60 days old plants). According to the BBCH scale, these periods correspond approximately to GS:19, GS:40, and GS:60. In the results of the study; it was found that hot water application was more effective in the of GS:19 2 km h-1 (77%) to the aerial parts of C. arvensis and GS:19 2 km h-1 (68%) to the underground parts of A. retroflexus. In the hot water speed, it was observed that the 2nd speed (2 km h-1) was more effective on weeds than the 1st speed (4 km h-1).
This paper summarizes the development of a weed monitoring system in the Parco archeologico del Colosseo (hereinafter, Parco) using Deep Learning (DL) techniques to recognize forty-one species of plants now present in the area. The project is part of SyPEAH (System for the Protection and Education of Archaeological Heritage), a platform designed to safeguard the Parco by its Authority. This study emanates from an extended phase of the photographic collection spanning ten months. This endeavour facilitated the compilation of a dataset comprising nearly 5,000 photographs depicting the flora of pertinent significance. In the paper, we detail the first version of the system, consisting of a neural network trained to predict the species of plants and the materials on which they grow. We also describe transfer learning techniques aimed at improving performance. The present system attains recognition accuracy exceeding 90% for common species, enabling near real-time monitoring of the entire Park’s flora through image analysis using supplied fixed and mobile devices. It will support proactive interventions for maintenance. The paper details data analysis and neural network design and envisions future developments.
