IMPLICATIONS OF WEED SEEDBANK DYNAMICS TO WEED MANAGEMENT

The species composition and density of weed seed in the soil vary grea tly and are closely linked to the cropping history of the land. Alteri ng tillage practices changes weed seed depth in the soil, which plays a role in weed species shifts and affects efficacy of control practice s. Crop rotation and weed control practices also affect the weed seedb ank. Information on the influence of cropping practices on the weed se edbank should be a useful tool for integrated weed management. Decisio n aid models use information on the weed seedbank to estimate weed pop ulations, crop yield loss, and recommend weed control tactics. Underst anding the light requirements of weed seed may provide new approaches to weed management. Improving and applying our understanding of weed s eedbank dynamics is essential to developing improved weed management s ystems. The principles of plant ecology must be integrated with the sc ience of weed management. to develop strategies that take advantage of basic plant responses in weed management systems for agronomic crops.