Abstract:The effects of long-term fertilization regimes on weed communities were evaluated in a rice-oilseed rape cropping system in Tai Lake region of Jiangsu Province. The fertilization treatments were: no fertilizer (NoF), N fertilizer (NF), chemical fertilizer (CF), chemical fertilizer plus pig manure (CFM), chemical fertilizer plus oilseed rape stalk (CFO), chemical fertilizer plus rice straw (CFR), and chemical fertilizer plus oilseed rape stalk and rice straw (CFOR). For each treatment there were three replicated plots and treatments were maintained for 20 years. The amount of fertilizer applied per year was 427.5 kg/hm2 N as urea, 45 kg/hm2 P2O5 as super phosphate, 54 kg/hm2 K2O, 2250 kg/hm2 (fresh weight) oilseed rape stalk and/or rice straw, and 16800 kg/hm2 pig manure (fresh weight) for the respective treatments. In October 2006, the number, coverage, and aboveground fresh weight of each weed species present in five 1-m2 quadrats per plot were determined. A total of 11 weed species from 6 families were recorded. Of these, Rotala indica, Lindernia procumbens, Monochoria vaginalis and Cyperus difformis had high population densities under all fertilization treatments. The sedge weed Eleocharis yokoscensis was found only in the NoF and NF plots, while Pycreus globosus and Scirpus juncoides were found only in NoF plots. The weed species richness varied significantly among different fertilization treatments, ranging from 7.3 in CFOR to 10.7 in NoF. The composition and abundance of weed species also differed in different fertilization treatments. The Shannon-Wiener index for the NoF, CFM and CFR treatments was significantly higher than that of the other fertilization treatments. The Simpson dominance index in the NoF, CFM treatments was significantly lower than that of the other fertilization treatments. The Pielou evenness index in the NoF and NF treatments was significantly lower than that of the other fertilization treatments. Based on the Whittaker index, the CF and CFM treatments had the greatest, and the CFO and CFOR treatements the second greatest, effects on weed community composition. Whereas, the NF and CFR treatments had no significant effect on community composition as compared to the NoF treatment. The Srensen similarity index and clustering analysis gave similar results as the Whittaker index. The results indicate that the application of a balanced N, P, K fertilizer with or without organic manure (pig manure and/or crop straw) allowed for all weed species present to thrive, thus maintaining weed species diversity as a result of no one species becoming dominant.