Modelling the effects of cropping systems on the dynamics of a parasitic weed, Phelipanche ramosa, in interaction with the non-parasitic weed flora

Abstract : The current decrease in herbicide use may increase and diversify weed flora in crops as well as companion bioagressors spreading via weeds. Among these bioagressors is Phelipanche ramosa, a parastic plant which is very harmful on oilseed rape. The objective of the present work was to develop a model (called PHERASYS) of the effects of cropping systems on parasite dynamics, in interaction with non-parasitic weed hosts. The structure of the first model version was based on models developed for other parasitic plants and on FLORSYS which quantifies the effects of cropping systems on non-parasitic weed flora. PHERASYS was parametrized with preliminary values from literature and expert opinion, connected to FLORSYS for weed host predictions, and used to simulate parasite dynamics in a few contrasting cropping systems.