Managing the Weed Seedbank

Published: 26 Feb 2010

Cover of Managing the weed seedbank factsheet

Managing weeds – it starts with the seeds

Exhausting the seedbank is the key to integrated weed management (IWM) strategies. There are numerous techniques to deplete the seedbank, depending on the farming system, location and weed threat.

Key points

  • No single management technique provides 100 per cent weed seed control. A combination of techniques need to be employed throughout the year.
  • Decisions about which tool to use should be based on the weed species, rotation, farming system, budget and market opportunities.
  • As some seeds can last in the soil for several years, back-to-back years of weed control need to be employed to drive numbers down.
  • Manage weed blowouts before the seed goes into seedbank.
  • The computer-based models RIM and Weed Seed Wizard help predict the amount of weed seeds emerging each year.

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Region: National; North; South; West