Abstract
Eight experiments comparing various degrees of cultivation ranging from deep ploughing to direct drilling have been sampled regularly for various pest and beneficial invertebrates over 4 to 10 years. Most species of invertebrates have been 1.5 to 2.0 times more numerous in direct drilled plots than in ploughed plots. Attacks by slugs and wireworms ( Agriotes spp.) are much more serious after direct drilling than in ploughed soils. In experimental fields growing cereals continuously, attacks by stem‐boring fly larvae ( Oscinella spp.) were less in direct drilled crops than in ploughed soil. Numbers of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris were 2–6 times greater in direct drilled than in ploughed fields; most other species of earthworms were more numerous in direct drilled plots but the differences were less. Box experiments have shown conclusively that invertebrates, and particularly earthworms, are important in promoting early root growth of cereals in soil that has been direct drilled for several years. In the light of this evidence likely changes in the spectrum of pests under direct drilled systems will be discussed. Huit experiences de plein champ, destinees a definir I'incidence qu'exercent sur certains ravageurs et sur les auxiliaires differentes methodes de culture, allant du labourage profond au semis direct et portant sur 4 a 10 annees, ont ete entreprises. Dans les parcelles a semis direct, la majorite des populations dinvertebres etait de 1,5 a 2 fois plus elevee que dans les parcelles labourees. En revanche, les attaques dues aux limaces et aux taupins (Agriotes spp.) etaient plus graves apres semis direct qu'apres labourage, alors que les attaques d'oscinella spp. demeuraient plus faibles dans les parcelles a semis direct, notamment dans le cas de cultures cerealieres continues. En ce qui concerne I'espece Lumbricus terrestris, les populations etaient de 2 a 6 fois plus elevees apres semis direct; la même situation s'est produite pour les autres vers de terre, mais dans une moindre mesure. Des experiences en cases ont clairement demontre que les invertebres, et en particulier les vers de terre, favorisent un developpement precoce des racines des cereales dans les champs ou est pratique le semis direct pendant plusieurs annees. Les consequences probables sur le developpement de plusieurs especes de ravageurs sont etudiees dans ces conditions.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Most invertebrate species were 1.5 to 2.0 times more numerous in direct drilled than ploughed plots.
Verbatim
e0“Most species of invertebrates have been 1.5 to 2.0 times more numerous in direct drilled plots than in ploughed plots.”
Claim · model-written summary
Slug attacks were more serious after direct drilling than in ploughed soils.
Verbatim
e0“Attacks by slugs and wireworms ( Agriotes spp.) are much more serious after direct drilling than in ploughed soils.”
Claim · model-written summary
Wireworm attacks were more serious after direct drilling than in ploughed soils.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Attacks by slugs and wireworms ( Agriotes spp.) are much more serious after direct drilling than in ploughed soils.”
Claim · model-written summary
Stem-boring fly larval attacks were less in direct drilled continuously grown cereals than in ploughed soil.
- Taxon
- cerealse0
- Treatment
- direct drillede0
- Outcome
- attacks by stem‐boring fly larvaee0
- Direction
- lesse0
- Qualifier
- growing cereals continuouslye0
- Comparator
- ploughed soile0
- Setting
- experimental fieldse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“In experimental fields growing cereals continuously, attacks by stem‐boring fly larvae ( Oscinella spp.) were less in direct drilled crops than in ploughed soil.”
Claim · model-written summary
Lumbricus terrestris numbers were 2–6 times greater in direct drilled fields.
- Taxon
- Lumbricus terrestris
Lumbricus terrestrise0 - Treatment
- direct drillede0
- Outcome
- Numbers of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestrise0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- 2–6 timese0
- Comparator
- ploughed fieldse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
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Verbatim
e0“Numbers of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris were 2–6 times greater in direct drilled than in ploughed fields”
Claim · model-written summary
Other earthworm species were more numerous in direct drilled plots, with smaller differences.
Verbatim
e0“most other species of earthworms were more numerous in direct drilled plots but the differences were less.”
e1“than in ploughed fields”
Claim · model-written summary
Invertebrates, particularly earthworms, promoted early cereal root growth in soil direct drilled for several years.
- Taxon
- cerealse0
- Interactor
- earthwormsCrassiclitellatae0other
- Outcome
- early root growthe0
- Qualifier
- soil that has been direct drilled for several yearse0
Verbatim
e0“Box experiments have shown conclusively that invertebrates, and particularly earthworms, are important in promoting early root growth of cereals in soil that has been direct drilled for several years.”