Weed seedbank management and the infuence of seed predators

Abstract

Increasing herbicide resistance has led weed scientists to focus on managing the weed seedbank. Indeed, seedbank management is critical and should be a priority for annual weeds. Post-emergence weed control should be seen as a rescue treatment and not as a first line of defence. But which weeds do we prioritize and what tactics can we use to manage the seedbank? This talk will shed light on weed species of priority for seedbank management, criteria to implement for managing the seedbank, and novel methods of seedbank management with a major emphasis on seed predators. Regardless of how producers try to manage weed seed shed, seeds will fall to the ground and thus we must develop ways to manage these seeds. Seed predators represent a major opportunity to help exhaust weed seeds from the seedbank.