Effects of cultivation and herbicide application regimes on the plant species composition of uncropped arable margins

Uncropped cultivated margins are an important instrument for the conservation of rare arable plants. However, they can be associated with the build-up of pernicious perennial weeds, which in turn may affect levels of uptake by the farming community. To test management techniques for conserving and enhancing populations of rare arable plants, while at the same time controlling undesirable pernicious weeds, replicated split-plot experiments were set up at three different sites across southern England. The tested management regimes varied in cultivation timing (spring vs autumn), cultivation depth, and herbicide regime. Here, we present preliminary results from one of these experimental sites, situated at the Roundwood Estate in the Hampshire Downs. We focus on the management impacts on plant cover, species richness and species composition of the experimental margins at this site. Our findings demonstrate the potential of inversion tillage for promoting establishment of desirable arable species.