The effects of organic and inorganic mulching on weed flora and composition in irrigated and non‐irrigated vineyards

Abstract As climate change intensifies, sustainable vineyard management practices are critical to conserving agricultural water and finding herbicide alternatives. This study investigated the effectiveness of organic and inorganic mulch materials for weed control in vineyards under irrigated (50% water) and conditions. The experiment carried out from 2021 to 2023 at Çukurova University in Adana, Türkiye, used organic mulch from mown cover crops including Lathyrus sativus L., Trifolium alexandrinum L., Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth., and Vicia sativa L. + Triticale sp. sown in rows. Inorganic mulches, namely basaltic pumice, and zeolite were applied at 75 kg m −2 and 10 cm high. The experiment was set up as a split‐plot design with main plots with different water levels and subplots with organic and inorganic mulches, with three replications. The study measured weed dry biomass, and species density and diversity indices, using the Shannon–Wiener and Simpson diversity indices to assess changes in weed community composition. Discriminant analysis was also used to evaluate the relationship between mulch treatments and species composition. Over 3 years, the results showed that V. sativa + Triticale and zeolite significantly suppressed weed growth compared to herbicide (Glyphosate) application, indicating their potential as environmentally friendly alternatives. Additionally, mulching treatments altered species dominance and abundance, leading to shifts in weed community structure. These results underline the viability of using organic and inorganic mulches to enhance sustainable vineyard practices while reducing reliance on chemical herbicides, ultimately promoting environmental health in viticulture.