Welcome on website of 1^st International Conference:

“CONSERVING ARABLE WEED DIVERSITY – the role of weeds as an ecological resource and indicators of agro-ecosystem function”

Denise Fu Dostatny
Chairman of the Conference
Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute
National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources
Radzikow, 05-870 Błonie, Poland
phone: (+48 22) 725 36 11 (int. 262), fax: (+48 22) 725 47 14
e-mail: d.dostatny@ihar.edu.pl

Agriculture becomes more intensified, as modern technology promotes large scale and selective farming. Among other things, the intensification process involves: chemicalization of agriculture, improper crop rotation, monoculture, use of clean, qualified seed material, and dense sowing. According to observations, some plants that are natural accompanying cereal crops – and are commonly referred to as weeds – are now endangered, because of this approach. A lot of species that are dependent on agricultural land use disappear within a few years. Similar effects involving degradation of entire groups of living organisms as a result of various human influences can be observed all over the globe. We should protect every species of plant, animal and any other organism, even if said species had been deliberately destroyed in the past, as it often happens with weeds, as even them have their own role in the ecosystem. According to Marshall (2002), some weeds need to be maintained within crops for birds and insects and according to Clements (1994), if diversity could be managed while maintaining acceptable crop yields; some previously unrealized benefits of the presence of weeds could be seen. In this way the goal of producing a more sustainable system that incorporates the diversity of the weed community would be complemented by trends in policy towards encouraging biodiversity in agroecosystems. Besides this, greater diversity within weeds species may prevent the proliferation of resistant biotypes.

I am happy to invite all parties interested in this subject to take part in the 1st International Conference on rare weed species. I come from a country blessed by nature with a great wealth – Brazil. We often appreciate what we have „around us” only when it starts missing. Most often, the world realizes its mistakes when it is too late to do anything. Our attempts to introduce increasingly modern techniques and practices in agriculture, our pursuit of most modern farming methods and even larger crops, caused a decline in variety of both flora and fauna, devolution of habitats, in major areas of Europe. We can still prevent this process; this is particularly true for the Eastern part of Europe, which still remains rich in gene pools of crop plants and the accompanying plant species. I invite everyone to take part in this process. I’d like us not to limit ourselves to the presentation of our results and conclusions – we should attempt to find a way to preserve the biodiversity of agricultural ecosystems in a conscious manner, in contrast to today’s preservative approach.

Denise Fu Dostatny