Understanding and Managing Weed Seed Banks: A Review

Abstract

The seed bank is an important part of the weed life cycle since it is where weed seeds rest. Seed banks are the only source of future weed populations for those annual and perennial weed species that reproduce only through seeds. As a result, understanding the fate of seeds in the seed bank may be crucial for overall weed management. When weed seeds reach the seed bank, a number of factors determine how long they may stay viable. Seeds in the seed bank can sense their surroundings and use these stimuli to go dormant or commence germination. Soil and crop management strategies can have a direct impact on the environment of seeds in the soil weed seed bank, allowing them to be utilised to manage weed seed longevity and germination.