Practices and Challenges Associated With Vulpia myuros Infestations in Western European Arable Systems
Abstract
Vulpia myuros has recently emerged as a problematic grass weed in European arable systems, particularly under reduced tillage. An online survey of 471 farmers across Western Europe was used to assess the distribution of V. myuros , associated farming practices, and perceived management challenges. Overall, 79% of respondents were aware of the species, and 65% reported its presence on their farms, with infestations most often described as relatively recent (< 5 years). More than one‐third of affected farmers (37%) indicated that V. myuros had become more problematic in the past 3 years, and 20% reported infestations affecting more than 25% of the field area. Vulpia myuros was most reported in winter crops (71%) and more frequently under reduced tillage than under inversion tillage. No difference in soil type was observed between farms with and without V. myuros . Most respondents used herbicides as the main weed control, and 65% of farmers with V. myuros considered the weed difficult to control. Perceived difficulty of control was positively associated with the percentage of the field area infested but showed no clear relationship with tillage practice or the length of time the species had been present on the farm. Differences in the age and extent of infestations were observed between France and the United Kingdom, with older and more severe infestations observed in France. Overall, these results identify V. myuros as an emerging and increasingly challenging weed in European arable systems, highlighting the need for earlier recognition and more proactive, integrated management strategies.
Related
- Solar panel, vegetation management and legacy effects on vegetation in Western European solar parks
- The challenges of the camel welfare in western countries
- Comorbidity Burden and Clinical Management Challenges in Severe Asthma: Insights from a Pan-European SHARP Study
- Fluffy nests and bloody parasites: feather lining does not mitigate bird blow flies infestations
- Knowledge, attitude, and practices towards anthrax among Communities in the Southern and South-western Ethiopia
BibTeX
@article{bibi2026practices,
title = {{Practices and Challenges Associated With Vulpia myuros Infestations in Western European Arable Systems}},
author = {Kainat Bibi and Jonne Rodenburg and Stéphane Cordeau and Laura Crook and Truly Santika and Richard Hull and Lucie Büchi},
journal = {Weed Research},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1111/wre.70108},
url = {https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05736605v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Practices and Challenges Associated With Vulpia myuros Infestations in Western European Arable Systems
AU - Kainat Bibi
AU - Jonne Rodenburg
AU - Stéphane Cordeau
AU - Laura Crook
AU - Truly Santika
AU - Richard Hull
AU - Lucie Büchi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/16
JO - Weed Research
DO - 10.1111/wre.70108
UR - https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05736605v1
AB - Vulpia myuros has recently emerged as a problematic grass weed in European arable systems, particularly under reduced tillage. An online survey of 471 farmers across Western Europe was used to assess the distribution of V. myuros , associated farming practices, and perceived management challenges. Overall, 79% of respondents were aware of the species, and 65% reported its presence on their farms, with infestations most often described as relatively recent (< 5 years). More than one‐third of affected farmers (37%) indicated that V. myuros had become more problematic in the past 3 years, and 20% reported infestations affecting more than 25% of the field area. Vulpia myuros was most reported in winter crops (71%) and more frequently under reduced tillage than under inversion tillage. No difference in soil type was observed between farms with and without V. myuros . Most respondents used herbicides as the main weed control, and 65% of farmers with V. myuros considered the weed difficult to control. Perceived difficulty of control was positively associated with the percentage of the field area infested but showed no clear relationship with tillage practice or the length of time the species had been present on the farm. Differences in the age and extent of infestations were observed between France and the United Kingdom, with older and more severe infestations observed in France. Overall, these results identify V. myuros as an emerging and increasingly challenging weed in European arable systems, highlighting the need for earlier recognition and more proactive, integrated management strategies.
SN - 0043-1737
SN - 1365-3180
ER -