Perennial sow-thistle

Last changed: 06 December 2023

Development of management strategies

Project manager: Anneli Lundkvist, Department of Crop Production Ecology, SLU.

Regulation of perennial weeds like sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis L.), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.), and common couch (Elymus repens (L.) Gould) is one of the greatest challenges in organic farming. In northern parts of Sweden in particular, S. arvensis has become one of the most difficult perennial weeds to control on organic farmland. Several studies have been performed on how to control C. arvense and E. repens. However, fewer experiments have been performed on S. arvensis and much research remains to be done in this area, for example detailed studies in a controlled environment on the influence of competition from crops in combination with mechanical control on the growth and development of S. arvensis.

In the experiments planned here, we are therefore going to study how S. arvensis is affected by various crops, cultivation techniques and mowing. 

The aim is to develop more efficient weed control methods for S. arvensis in organic farming.

Anbari, S., Lundkvist, A., Forkman, J., Verwijst, T. 2016. Effects of root fragmentation on generative reproduction of Sonchus arvensis. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica B – Soil and Plant Science 66 (5) 391-398. DOI:10.1080/09064710.2015.1134637

Anbari, S. 2015. Population dynamics of the perennial weed species Sonchus arvensis L. Diss. (sammanfattning/summary) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., Acta Universitatis agriculturae Sueciae, 1652-6880; 2015:92.

Anbari S, Lundkvist A, Forkman J & Verwijst T. 2015. Population dynamics and nitrogen allocation of Sonchus arvensis L. in relation to initial root size. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B – Soil & Plant Science 66:1, 75-84. DOI: 10.1080/09064710.2015.1064540. 

Torssell B, Eckersten H, Anbari S, Lundkvist A & Verwijst T. 2015. Modelling belowground shoot elongation and emergence time of Sonchus arvensis shoots. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B – Soil & Plant Science 65(7), 582-588. doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2015.1044463

Anbari S, Lundkvist A & Verwijst T. 2011. Sprouting and shoot development of Sonchus arvensis L. in relation to initial root size. Weed Research 51(2), 142-150.

Eckersten, H., Lundkvist, A., Torssell, B. & Verwijst, T. 2011. Modelling species competition in mixtures of perennial sow-thistle and spring barley based on shoot radiation use efficiency. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil & Plant Science, 61 (8) 739-746. doi:10.1080/09064710.2011.555778  

Eckersten, H., Lundkvist, A. and Torssell, B. 2010. Comparison of monocultures of  perennial sow-thistle and spring barley in estimated shoot radiation use and nitrogen uptake efficiencies. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section B, Soil and Plant Science 60: 126-135. doi:10.1080/09064710902721347 

Lundkvist, A. & Verwijst, T. 2008. The effects of pre-emergence variation in roots of Sonchus arvensis L. and Cirsium arvense(L.) Scop. on their population dynamics. Proceedings EWRS workshop on Perennial weeds– A growing problem. Wageningen, The Netherlands, 10-12 November. p. 12.

Lundkvist, A., Fogelfors, H. & Ericson, L. 2007. Weed control in organic farming – a study of Sonchus arvensis L. Proceedings XIV European Weed Research Society (EWRS) Symposium. Session 3. Crop-weed interactions and non-chemical methods. Hamar, Norway, 18-21 June 2007, p. 100.