Alexander Menegat

Simplified crop rotations, the excessive use of fertilizers and the reliance on herbicides to control weeds has led to a cascade of complex problems in todays’ agroecosystems. This is including the rapid spread of herbicide resistant weed populations, pesticide contamination of the environment and food chain, health risks to pesticide users and consumers as well as a tremendous loss of biodiversity. Todays weed communities are typically dominated by a few highly adapted species that are difficult to manage with strategies that are solely based on direct weed control measures. For addressing these problems, across-scales and multidisciplinary research and teaching is required, aiming to improve the environmental, social and economic sustainability of todays’ cropping systems.

My current research is focusing on weed biology and ecology, on modelling weed population dynamics as well as on the use of cover crops and crop diversification for weed suppression. Beyond my core research activities, I am interested in participatory research approaches as well as in environmental, social and economic implications of agroecosystem management in general and weed management in particular.

I am leading the Master course "Sustainable Plant Production". The course is part of the Master program in Plant Biology for Sustainable Production and the program in Agriculture - Soil and Plant Science at SLU.

I am leading the following research projects:

• IMPULSE - Fostering organic cultivation of grain legumes; a multi-scale feasibility study for soybean and lupin production in Sweden (FORMAS). (2019 - 2022)
• PADILSO - Participatory design of innovative crop management strategies for lupine and soybean production in organic farming (Ekhaga Foundation). (2022 - 2024)
• Preparing for the future: sustainable cropping systems without glyphosate (SLF). (2020 - 2022)
• Facilitating reduced and no-tillage organic grain legume production systems (EkoForsk). (2020 - 2022)
• Sustainable control of grass weeds in intensive cereal cropping systems (long-term trial financed by the NJ faculty, SLU). (2012 - )

• since 2019 Associate Senior Lecturer in Plant Ecology with Specialisation in Weed Biology, SLU Department of Crop Production Ecology
• 2015 - 2018 Postdoctor at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Crop Production Ecology
• 2012 - 2015 Postdoctor at University of Hohenheim, Institute for Phytomedicine
• 2012 Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences, University of Hohenheim (Germany) and China Agricultural University (Beijing, China)
• 2008 Master in Agricultural Sciences, University of Hohenheim, Germany, Major: Crop Science

I am co-supervisor of Steffen Dahlke and Elsa Lagerkvist.

Complete list of publications