Edible Weeds in Agricultural Landscapes as a Research Emphasis for Sustainability

Weeds have been attributed negative connotations since an expansion of monocultures gained increasing worldwide support. For the last forty years however, agroecology has been emerging as a respectable paradigm for sustainable agriculture, which exposes the flaws of industrial farming and its implications for resource depletion and environmental degradation. Within an agroecological framework, weeds have become more appreciated for spurring agrobiodiversity and providing a variety of ecological services, including culinary uses. Therefore, there is a compelling need to re-consider management practices that were initially conceived to eradicate weeds from agroecosystems. This chapter aimed at highlighting ecological approaches in controlling and/or even enhancing weeds populations in agricultural landscapes for nutrition purposes. Through a systematic review of the literature we described present knowledges available for managing edible weeds in agroecosystems in the U.S., with a focus on uses and ecological services these provide. Our study suggests that weeds may contribute effectively to human nutrition and to environmental health. In addition, we present ideas that may inspire more growers to redesign and manage farms through agroecological principles and approaches that are conservative of native plant communities. Many of these plants that are becoming marketable as vegetables are appreciated also for diversifying human diets as well as ecosystems. Although the idea of consuming wild plants is not new, an emerging interest in edible weeds looks promising as a research agenda for an enhancement of sustainability in agriculture, with its benefits extending from agroecosystems to food systems and public health.