CA23123 - Non-chemical weed management in medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) (weedingMAPs)

Weed management is generally one of the most challenging aspects of crop production. If not optimally managed, weeds pose a serious competition for nutrients, water or light and therefore often lead to lower yields and higher levels of pests and diseases. The sector of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is particularly affected by weeds, as herbal raw materials are strictly standardised according to pharmacopeia requirements, for example with regards to the content of organic contamination, as well as pesticides or other toxic residues. This creates numerous challenges for cultivation, but also further down the value chain. There is a strong need to establish a proper strategy for sustainable weed management for these groups of plants; especially with regards to the EU Green Deal, which aims to reduce chemical pesticides by 50% by 2030. Farmers involved or interested in the cultivation of MAPs need clear support and easy access to training, information and exchange of experiences with regards to new technologies and the application of non-chemical tools and methodologies. Intensifying collaboration, sharing knowledge and research outcomes more widely and more efficiently along the entire value chain, while at the same time creating an environment for innovation (not exclusively in technological terms) is one of the main goals of this COST Action. The clear value of this network is its strongly emphasised interdisciplinary and multi-actor approach, which comes to fruition by considering not only the strictly agricultural and technological aspects, but also the socio-economic scientific factors.