Field experiments were conducted to quantify functional relationships between giant ragweed density and sweet corn yield and ear traits. A rectangular hyperbolic model was fit to yield loss measured in terms of marketable ear mass, appropriate for the processing industry, and boxes of 50 marketable ears, relevant to the fresh market industry. The initial slope of the hyperbolic yield loss function (I), which describes the linear portion of yield loss as weed density (weeds per square meter) approaches zero, was 119 for loss of ear mass and 97 for loss of boxes of ears. Furthermore, 10 of 12 ear traits including green ear mass, husked ear mass, ear length, filled ear length, ear width, number of kernels per row, number of rows, kernel depth, kernel mass, and kernel moisture content were significantly affected by giant ragweed interference.

Field research was conducted to determine the potential of hyperspectral and multispectral imagery for late-season discrimination and mapping of grass weed infestations in wheat. Differences in reflectance between weed-free wheat and wild oat, canarygrass, and ryegrass were statistically significant in most 25-nm-wide wavebands in the 400- and 900-nm spectrum, mainly due to their differential maturation. Visible (blue, B; green, G; red, R) and near infrared (NIR) wavebands and five vegetation indices: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Ratio Vegetation Index (RVI), R/B, NIR-R and (R − G)/(R + G), showed potential for discriminating grass weeds and wheat. The efficiency of these wavebands and indices were studied by using color and color-infrared aerial images taken over three naturally infested fields. In StaCruz, areas infested with wild oat and canarygrass patches were discriminated using the indices R, NIR, and NDVI with overall accuracies (OA) of 0.85 to 0.90. In Florida–West, areas infested with wild oat, canarygrass, and ryegrass were discriminated with OA from 0.85 to 0.89. In Florida–East, for the discrimination of the areas infested with wild oat patches, visible wavebands and several vegetation indices provided OA of 0.87 to 0.96. Estimated grass weed area ranged from 56 to 71%, 43 to 47%, and 69 to 80% of the field in the three locations, respectively, with per-class accuracies from 0.87 to 0.94. NDVI was the most efficient vegetation index, with a highly accurate performance in all locations. Our results suggest that mapping grass weed patches in wheat is feasible with high-resolution satellite imagery or aerial photography acquired 2 to 3 wk before crop senescence.

The fungal plant pathogen Microsphaeropsis amaranthi is virulent against a number of key weeds in the Amaranthaceae, including common waterhemp, and is under investigation as a bioherbicide. Common waterhemp has become a key weed in midwestern crop production systems and is a good target for a bioherbicide that could be integrated into weed management systems. We investigated the direct effects of a range of chemical herbicides and adjuvants upon conidia of M. amaranthi and found that many herbicides and most adjuvants were strongly inhibitory to germination. On the other hand, M. amaranthi was compatible with a selection of postemergence herbicides commonly used in midwestern weed management systems, including carfentrazone, chloransulam, and imazethapyr. Most glyphosate products suppressed or abolished germination of M. amaranthi conidia, but by testing adjuvants commonly used in glyphosate products and technical-grade glyphosate salts, it was revealed that this inhibition was due to formulation additives and not the active ingredient. When glyphosate and conidia of M. amaranthi were sprayed onto common waterhemp seedlings, the herbicide predisposed plants to infection by M. amaranthi. When M. amaranthi was applied 1 to 3 d after glyphosate, the glyphosate rate required to control common waterhemp was reduced by half. Similar results were observed on clones propagated from a common waterhemp plant resistant to glyphosate. When M. amaranthi was applied to seedlings 2 d before glyphosate, the efficacy of the herbicide was reduced. These findings demonstrate that positive interactions between herbicides and M. amaranthi exist but reveal practical difficulties that may limit the integration of the strategy in the field.

Information on weed spatial distribution could improve weed management decisions. Herbicide use could be reduced if applied only to field zones with an infestation level higher than a specific economic threshold. In this study, we surveyed 31 winter barley fields in different regions of Spain to describe the spatial distribution of sterile oat and to analyze the relationship between sterile oat infestation level and landscape and crop yield attributes. Elevation and slope angle, crop yield and slope aspect were the main factors in order of importance in explaining the distribution of sterile oat. In general, greater infestation levels were observed in flat lowland and concave landscapes, with a low crop yield, and on northern exposures (when slope ≥ 2%). We could define field zones with a higher risk (> 6 times probability) of having sterile oat problems. High-probability zones, defined by topographic attributes alone, occupied 24% of the total area and contained 46% of the high infestation levels, whereas zones defined by topographic and crop yield attributes constituted 14% of the total area and contained 31% of the infestation.

Prescribed burning and the herbicide clopyralid are very effective tools for the management of yellow starthistle. However, repeated use of either can be impractical or can present other problems. The potential solution is the development of an effective integrated weed management strategy using a combination of the two approaches. In small plot studies (0.2 ha), we tested one of five possible treatments: (1) untreated control, (2) 2 consecutive yr of clopyralid (0.105 kg ha−1), (3) 2 consecutive yr of prescribed summer burning, (4) first-year clopyralid followed by second-year prescribed burning, and (5) first-year prescribed burning followed by second-year clopyralid. Treatments were made in 1999 and 2000 at three study sites in California (San Benito, Yuba, and Siskiyou counties). In 2001, the year following the final treatment, 2 consecutive yr of clopyralid or first-year burning followed by second-year clopyralid consistently reduced yellow starthistle cover in the following year by 92 to 100%. However, at the Yuba site, clopyralid alone increased medusahead and ripgut brome cover. Although 2 consecutive yr of burning was effective in Yuba, very high levels of starthistle infestation in San Benito were not completely burned in the second year because of the lack of available consumable fuel. Clopyralid treatment the first year followed by prescribed burning in the second year stimulated yellow starthistle germination and did not reduce the infestation. In a large-scale study conducted at two sites (13 and 81 ha) in southern Monterey County, we used a first-year burn followed by either 2 yr of clopyralid (0.158 kg ha−1) or a single year of clopyralid (0.210 kg ha−1) and a subsequent burn. Results were in close agreement with those found in the small-scale studies. In the year following the final treatment, control of yellow starthistle was greater than 99% when the burn was followed by 2 yr of clopyralid. In contrast, when a prescribed burn was used in the last year of the program, the level of control was not as good, probably because of the increased germination of the remaining soil seedbank. These results indicate that a first-year prescribed burn followed by a second-year clopyralid treatment can provide consistently good control of yellow starthistle, as well as reduced levels of noxious annual grasses, including medusahead and ripgut brome.

Competitiveness of weeds that survive a PRE herbicide application (escaped weeds) might be altered because of herbicide injury. As a result, potential crop yield loss may be reduced. Field experiments were conducted at Ashland Bottoms, KS, in 2001 and 2002 and at Rossville, KS, in 2002. The objectives were to quantify corn growth and yield response to Palmer amaranth or velvetleaf competition, with or without isoxaflutole (0.03 kg ha−1) or flumetsulam (0.04 kg ha−1) application, and to determine seed production of Palmer amaranth or velvetleaf as affected by PRE herbicide. Palmer amaranth and velvetleaf densities ranged from 0 to 6 and 0 to 32 plants m−1 of corn row, respectively. At Ashland Bottoms in 2002, corn height at tasseling decreased with increasing Palmer amaranth (1.58 cm weed−1 m−1) and velvetleaf (1.32 cm weed−1 m−1) density when no herbicide was applied. With flumetsulam application, each increase in velvetleaf density reduced corn height by 0.4 cm. Escaped Palmer amaranth and velvetleaf were shorter than untreated plants at corn tasseling. At Rossville in 2002, Palmer amaranth that escaped isoxaflutole or flumetsulam application caused 13% corn yield loss (YL) at a density of 3 plants m−1. In contrast, corn YL from untreated Palmer amaranth at the same density was 30%. At Ashland Bottoms in 2002, velvetleaf that escaped flumetsulam caused 3% corn YL at a density of 3 plants m−1 compared with 38% YL caused by untreated velvetleaf at the same density. Seed production of Palmer amaranth was independent of density or herbicide treatment, whereas production of velvetleaf seed increased with density, with or without flumetsulam. The study showed that corn YL from both Palmer amaranth and velvetleaf that escaped a PRE herbicide was less than from untreated weeds, but seed production by escaped weeds was similar to that of untreated weeds.

Canada thistle is resilient to many control tactics, especially in undisturbed sites. Such sites are suitable for slow acting biological control agents, such as the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tagetis (PST), because complete control is usually not required in the short term. A new method of introducing or intensifying PST infection of Canada thistle was investigated. Sap of naturally infected Canada thistle was extracted and applied in water plus Silwet L-77 organosilicone surfactant with a backpack sprayer to healthy Canada thistle plants in the field. Application variables of time of the season, spray volume, concentration, and frequency were studied. When practical field rates were applied, infected sap concentration and spray volume did not affect the level of disease observed. This suggests that PST applications could be practical at the field scale because a single application caused apical chlorosis. However, multiple applications proved beneficial because four consecutive weekly applications caused greater disease incidence (50%) than one or two applications (28% and 30%, respectively). Disease symptomology was greatest when PST was applied in mid-July rather than mid-June or mid-August. However, the levels of disease expression were not adequate to effectively suppress Canada thistle. Increased toxin production, either by finding ways to support higher PST populations or by selecting strains that produce more toxin per bacterial cell, would improve this system.

Weeds that respond more to nitrogen fertilizer than crops may be more competitive under high nitrogen (N) conditions. Therefore, understanding the effects of nitrogen on crop and weed growth and competition is critical. Field experiments were conducted at two locations in 1999 and 2000 to determine the influence of varying levels of N addition on corn and velvetleaf height, leaf area, biomass accumulation, and yield. Nitrogen addition increased corn and velvetleaf height by a maximum of 15 and 68%, respectively. N addition increased corn and velvetleaf maximum leaf area index (LAI) by up to 51 and 90%. Corn and velvetleaf maximum biomass increased by up to 68 and 89% with N addition. Competition from corn had the greatest effect on velvetleaf growth, reducing its biomass by up to 90% compared with monoculture velvetleaf. Corn response to N addition was less than that of velvetleaf, indicating that velvetleaf may be most competitive at high levels of nitrogen and least competitive when nitrogen levels are low. Corn yield declined with increasing velvetleaf interference at all levels of N addition. However, corn yield loss due to velvetleaf interference was similar across N treatments except in one site–year, where yield loss increased with increasing N addition. Corn yield loss due to velvetleaf interference may increase with increasing N supply when velvetleaf emergence and early season growth are similar to that of corn.

Varietal growth habit could play a key role in the competitiveness of crop plants with weeds. The relative competitiveness of two erect, two semierect, and two prostrate cowpea genotypes with a tall-growing (common sunflower) or a low-growing (common purslane) species was evaluated in 12 replacement-series experiments conducted in 2003 and 2004. Growth analysis of the six cowpea genotypes and two weed species were also conducted to investigate the relationship of competitiveness and growth. Cowpea genotype and competitor biomass were used to calculate relative yield total (RYT) and aggressivity indices (AI). RYT and AI means of six cowpea genotypes were compared using ANOVA, and an isotonic regression was used to confirm the relative competitive superiority of the cowpea growth types. All cowpea genotypes had similar RYTs when grown with sunflower or common purslane, indicating that cowpea used the same resources as sunflower or purslane. When grown with sunflower, erect and semierect genotypes had higher AI than prostrate genotypes. When grown with purslane, erect and prostrate genotypes had higher AI than semierect genotypes. The results were confirmed by isotonic regression tests on the respective AI order. Correlation and regression between AI and growth parameters showed that the relative growth rate (RGR), leaf area ratio (LAR), and height growth rate (HGR) explained 92% of the variation of AI when cowpeas were grown with sunflower and that leaf weight ratio (LWR) and biomass explained 82% of the variation of AI when cowpeas were grown with purslane. These experiments indicate that cowpea genotypes differ in their ability to compete with purslane or sunflower. Erect genotypes were the most competitive, suggesting that an erect growth habit may be more effective in suppressing weeds than a semierect or prostrate growth habit. These results are consistent with field experiments on the competitiveness of erect, semierect, and prostrate cowpea genotypes.

Most well-drained Mississippi Delta soils have been used for cotton production, but corn has recently become a desirable alternative crop, and subsequently, atrazine use has increased. Between 2000 and 2001, 21 surface soils (0 to 5 cm depth) with known management histories were collected from various sites in Leflore, Sunflower, and Washington counties of Mississippi. Atrazine degradation was assessed in 30-d laboratory studies using 14C-ring–labeled herbicide. Mineralization was extensive in all soils with a history of one to three atrazine applications with cumulative mineralization over 30 d ranging from 45 to 72%. In contrast, cumulative mineralization of atrazine from three soils with no atrazine history was only 5 to 10%. However, one soil with no history of atrazine application mineralized 54 and 29% of the atrazine in soils collected in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Methanol extracted 15 to 23% of the 14C-atrazine 7 d after treatment in soils having two applications within the past 6 yr, whereas 65 to 70% was extracted from no-history soils. First-order kinetic models indicated soil with 2 yr of atrazine exposure exhibited a half-life of less than 6 d. Most probable number (MPN) estimates of atrazine-ring mineralizing-microorganisms ranged from 450 to 7,200 propagules g−1 in atrazine-exposed soils, and none were detected in soils with no history of atrazine use. Although most soils exhibited rapid atrazine mineralization, analysis of DNA isolated from these soils by direct or nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) failed to amplify DNA sequences with primers for the atzA atrazine chlorohydrolase gene. These results indicate that microbial populations capable of accelerated atrazine degradation have developed in Mississippi Delta soils. This may reduce the weed control efficacy of atrazine but also reduce the potential for off-site movement. Studies are continuing to identify the genetic basis of atrazine degradation in these soils.

Resistance to herbicides in the most important weeds threatens the sustainability of California rice. Weed-competitive rice cultivars could be a low-cost and safe nonchemical addition to an integrated weed management program. Trade-offs between competitiveness and productivity and inconsistent trait expression under weedy and weed-free conditions could complicate the breeding of competitive rice cultivars. A 2-year competition experiment was conducted in the greenhouse involving eight rice cultivars and two weed competition regimes (presence or absence of late watergrass) to examine the effects of rice weed-suppressive ability and tolerance to weed competition (weed tolerance) on rice yield. Competition reduced average rice yield from 32 to 48%, and watergrass biomass from 44 to 77%. Path analysis suggested that enhancing rice weed-suppressive ability and weed tolerance while minimizing possible productivity trade-offs should promote early (12 d after seeding) growth and light-capture traits followed by moderate growth rates before heading and a vigorous grain filling period. Crop growth rate (CGR) after heading was a relevant determinant of yield (direct path: 0.82, P < 0.01) and correlated (r = 0.30, P < 0.01) with weed tolerance. Late biomass accumulation was negatively correlated with harvest index and CGR during ripening (r = −0.46, P < 0.01); thus, late-season competitiveness can lower productivity. Rice traits conferring competitiveness were correlated across weed competition regimes (r = 0.36–0.81, P < 0.01). However, significant cultivar-by-competition and cultivar-by-year interactions suggest that selection efficiency would be greater when traits are identified under competition and in different environments. This study relates to the phenotypic expression of traits for competitiveness. Breeding competitive cultivars will require additional knowledge on trait heritability, genetic correlations with competitiveness, and on the effects of the environment upon gene expression.

A 6-yr rotation study was conducted from 2000 to 2005 at Stoneville, MS to examine the effects of rotating glyphosate-resistant (GR) and non-GR (conventional) cultivars of cotton with corn under reduced tillage conditions on soil properties, weed control, crop yield, and net return. There were four rotation systems (continuous cotton, continuous corn, cotton–corn, and corn–cotton) for each non-GR and GR cultivar arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Field preparation consisted of disking, subsoiling, disking, and bedding in the fall of 1999. After the fall of 2000, the experimental area received no tillage operations except rebedding after harvest each year to maintain reduced tillage conditions. A glyphosate-based program in GR cultivars and a nonglyphosate-based program in non-GR cultivars were used for weed management. Soil organic carbon in the top 5-cm depth progressively increased from the first year to the sixth year, regardless of rotation. In 2005, organic carbon was higher in corn grown continuously and in rotation compared to continuous cotton, partly due to higher plant residues from corn compared to cotton. Control of most grass and broadleaf weeds was sufficient to support cotton and corn production, regardless of rotation and herbicide program. Control of yellow nutsedge was reduced in continuous non-GR cotton; this apparent weed species shift toward yellow nutsedge was mitigated by breaking the cotton monocrop with corn. Plant populations of both GR and non-GR cotton rotated with corn were similar to that of continuous cotton suggesting cotton stand establishment was not affected by corn residues from the previous year. Cotton yield increased every year following rotation with corn by 10–32% in the non-GR cultivar, and by 14–19% in the GR cultivar compared to continuous cotton. Similarly, corn yield increased by 5–13% in non-GR cultivar and by 1–11% in the GR cultivar when rotated with cotton. As a result, net returns were higher from rotation management as compared with monoculture in both crops. This study demonstrated that alternating between cotton and corn is agronomically feasible and a sustainable option for farmers in the lower Mississippi River alluvial flood plain region who are looking for simple cultural practices that provide economic and environmental benefits.

Large crabgrass, redroot pigweed, and hairy galinsoga are three important weed species in bell pepper and other crops in the northeastern United States. Field experiments were conducted in 1998 and 1999 to determine the influence of density and relative emergence time of the three weed species on bell pepper fruit yield. Densities of 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 plants m−1 row were established for each weed species from naturally occurring weed populations. The effects of relative emergence time were studied by investigating the different yield responses to weeds emerging at two different times: 3 d or 2 wk after transplanting of pepper. Both weed density and relative emergence time affected pepper yield loss. The relative competitive ability of weed species varied between years. Large crabgrass was the most competitive species in 1998 and the measure of yield loss at low weed densities, I, was estimated to be 34% on the basis of the nonlinear hyperbolic equation. Redroot pigweed was most competitive in 1999 with an estimate of 88% for I. Hairy galinsoga was the least competitive weed in both years. Maximum yield loss under 32 plants m−1 row ranged from 19% with late-emerging hairy galinsoga in 1998 to 99% with early-emerging redroot pigweed in 1999. A new equation was proposed to characterize the relation between yield loss and weed pressure by expanding the nonlinear hyperbolic equation to include a parameter to account for the change of maximum yield loss with emergence time. The expanded equation generally provided a more accurate prediction of yield loss. In addition, several models are introduced to describe both the effects of density and relative emergence time of multiple weed species on crop yield. Generally these models provided an adequate fit of the data and a good description of the competitive ability of the mixed population.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the effect of soil dust on glyphosate efficacy. Eastern black nightshade and hairy nightshade were affected similarly by glyphosate, regardless of whether plants were or were not treated with dust, but glyphosate phytotoxicity decreased when dust accumulated on plants. Silty clay dust at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 kg ha−1 on nightshade plants decreased the efficacy of glyphosate at 80 g ae ha−1 by 1, 5, 12, 21, and 32 percentage points, respectively. The adverse effect of dust on glyphosate efficacy occurred regardless of whether dust settled before or immediately after herbicide spraying and varied with dust type, which was silty clay ≥ silty clay loam > loamy sand. Glyphosate efficacy was slightly influenced by dust pH, with a trend toward increased efficacy as pH increased. Glyphosate applied at 280 L ha−1 spray volume controlled dust-treated plants better than when applied at 94 or 190 L ha−1. Three adjuvants (ammonium sulfate, nonionic surfactant, and organosilicone surfactant) only partially overcame the adverse effect of dust on glyphosate efficacy in eastern black and hairy nightshade control. Methylated seed oil or petroleum oil adjuvants did not improve glyphosate control of dust-treated or untreated plants.

In the northern region of the northern Great Plains of North America, the relative abundance of dandelion in field crops has increased over the past two decades, and farmers need information to help them to better manage this species and slow its spread. A study was conducted to determine the emergence timing of dandelion from both rootstock and seed, and to investigate the efficacy of preseeding (spring) versus postharvest (autumn) herbicide treatments on dandelion in spring wheat fields. Emergence of dandelion plants from rootstock was very early (mean time to 50% emergence [E50] of 430 growing degree days [GDD] Tbase 0 C), while seedling emergence was much later (mean E50 of 980 GDD). Dandelion does not have a persistent seed bank, and seedling emergence occurred only after dandelion plants arising from rootstock flowered and shed seed. Herbicide treatments that included glyphosate plus florasulam, glyphosate plus tribenuron, or higher rates of glyphosate alone (≥675 g ae ha−1), provided high levels of dandelion control. Autumn herbicide applications were more effective than spring applications for reducing dandelion infestation levels (both aboveground biomass and density). Autumn herbicide applications came after peak emergence timing for dandelion plants emerging both from rootstock and from seed. Because dandelion is a simple perennial, population spread must be limited by controlling seedlings. Autumn herbicide applications provide control of dandelion seedlings and therefore, should limit dandelion population spread.

Managing weeds in lawns using cultural practices such as mowing, irrigation, and fertilization may be important in integrated management. A field experiment evaluated the impact of cultural factors on weed populations in St. Augustinegrass turf. Irrigation treatments were daily to replace evapotranspiration (“Daily”), weekly to saturate the root zone only when wilted (“Conditional Weekly”), and as needed to saturate the root zone after severe wilt (“Severely Wilted”). Averaged over 3 yr, the Daily, Conditional Weekly, and Severely Wilted irrigation treatments resulted in 30, 6, and 2% dollarweed cover, respectively. Except for dollarweed and mat lippia, the largest cover of other weeds was under Severely Wilted irrigation. Fertilization rates were 0, 14, or 28 g N m−2 yr−1; in 2002, the highest fertilization rate had the smallest cover of weeds other than dollarweed. Mowing heights were 64, 89, or 114 mm; in 2003, the shortest mowing height had the smallest cover and dry weight of weeds other than dollarweed. After 3 yr of cultural management, most plots were excessively weedy, and turfgrass quality for all cultural management-treatment combinations, in the absence of herbicides, was unacceptable.

Growth habit is an important determinant of competitive ability in legume crops. Erect ‘Iron-Clay’ (IC), semi-erect ‘IT89KD-288’ (288), and prostrate ‘UCR 779’ (779) cowpea genotypes were planted with four densities of common sunflower or common purslane to determine which cowpea growth habit is more competitive to these weeds having markedly different statures. Both sunflower and purslane reduced cowpea relative growth rate (RGR) but at different phases of the growing season. Low-growing purslane had an effect in the earlier part of the season, and sunflower decreased cowpea RGR in the middle of growing season. RGR of genotype IC was the least affected and genotype 779 the most reduced by sunflower. Cowpea apparently compensated for early season purslane competition by increasing RGR after purslane flowering, with RGR for the IC genotype increasing the most and 779 increasing the least. All cowpea genotypes caused a similar reduction in sunflower biomass accumulation; but purslane biomass was most reduced by genotype IC and least affected by genotype 288. Erect genotype IC is more competitive due to its taller stature, greater height growth rate, and higher position of maximal leaf area density, despite a lower photosynthetic rate and light use efficiency than the other cowpea genotypes. Our results suggest that erect cowpea growth habit may be generally more competitive with weeds compared to semi-erect or prostrate growth habit.

Nematodes are the most damaging pathogens of cotton and one of the most important pathogens of peanut. Weeds can support nematode reproduction and reduce the effectiveness of crop rotation as a management tool. This study documents the relative host status of tropical spiderwort for (1) the reniform nematode and the southern and peanut root-knot nematodes and (2) the fungal pathogen southern stem rot. A reproductive factor (RF) was calculated for each nematode (final number divided by initial number). Galling was estimated (0–10 scale) for the root-knot species. The southern root-knot nematode reproduced well on tropical spiderwort, with a gall rating of 3.1 and an RF of 15.5. The peanut root-knot nematode also reproduced well on tropical spiderwort, with a gall rating of 2.1 and an RF of 7.2. Trials with the reniform nematode were analyzed independently. In the first trial with the reniform nematode, the RF was 2.4 on tropical spiderwort and 1.4 on cotton. In the second trial, the RF was 3.6 on tropical spiderwort and 13.5 on cotton. The severity of symptoms caused by southern stem rot was estimated on a scale of 0 to 10. In the first trial, peanut had a disease severity rating of 4.0 and tropical spiderwort had a rating of 1.4, and the fungus could be seen growing on 40% of the tropical spiderwort plants. In the second trial, peanut had a disease severity rating of 10.0 and tropical spiderwort had a rating of 5.0, but the fungus could be seen growing on all of the tropical spiderwort plants. It appears that tropical spiderwort is a sufficiently good host for some of the primary nematode and fungal pathogens of major crops in the southeastern United States that its presence at typical plant population densities will greatly reduce the pathogen-suppressive effects of crop rotation.

This article briefly reviews how long weed seeds can live in the soil and what happens to them during burial. Freshly matured seeds of many weeds are water-permeable, but those of others are water-impermeable. Water-permeable seeds may have morphological, physiological, or morphophysiological dormancy, with physiological dormancy (PD) being the one most commonly found in buried weed seeds. Further, nondeep PD is very common in buried weed seeds, and many of them exhibit annual dormancy cycles in response to seasonal temperature changes. The time of year when seeds are nondormant varies with the species, i.e., autumn, spring, or spring to summer. A light requirement for germination plays an important role in preventing nondormant seeds from germinating in the soil. To germinate, soil disturbance that exposes seeds to light must occur at a time of year when seeds are nondormant. Buried seeds of some species come out of dormancy and remain nondormant regardless of seasonal changes in environmental conditions; however, a light requirement for germination prevents them from germinating in the soil. Water-impermeable seeds have either physical dormancy (PY) or a combination of PY and PD, with PY being the most common, e.g., in members of the Fabaceae and Malvaceae. Seeds with PY have a water gap in the seed coat that opens in response to an environmental signal, thereby allowing water to enter. When disturbance brings seeds to the soil surface, temperatures that are higher than those in the soil can cause the water gap to open. Consequently, the water gap indirectly serves as a depth sensor. A challenge for the future is to use information about buried weed seeds to better manage weeds in crops, and modeling is an important step in that direction.