Soil seed bank of weeds in agrolandscapes of the northern forest-steppe in the Southern Urals

Abstract

Infestation of the plough soil layer by weed seeds was studied in different crop rotations after several forecrops with various methods of soil cultivation. The investigations were performed in the northern forest steppe of the Southern Urals in 1999–2008. It is revealed that the forecrops exert effect on the amount of weeds in crops and of their seeds in soils. The method of soil cultivation used during crop rotation affects the total content of weed seeds and their distribution pattern in the plough layer. It is shown that the 0–10-cmthick soil layer contains the greatest amount of weed seeds, and crop rotation favors a decrease in their content in soils.