Studies on the Weeds of Vegetable Crops: I. Initial Effects of Cropping on the Weed Seeds in the Soil

Abstract

At the start of a series of long-term experiments with vegetable crops, an average of 229 million viable weed seeds per acre was recorded in the top 6 in. of soil. After 1 year of cropping the population had fallen to 38% of that originally present and after 2 years, a further reduction to 19% had taken place. Individual weed species varied widely in their response.