Investment

Changes in farming systems, weed management practices and climate have contributed to the change in weed flora on Australian farms. Much of the Australian research on weed seed biology was undertaken prior to the intensification of cropping and before the introduction of no-till systems. It is likely that the biology of many weed species has changed in response to changes in crop management practices. In response to this, the current project aims to quantify the behaviour of seedbanks of emerging weed species in terms of variation in seed dormancy, seed persistence, pre-harvest dispersal, reproductive output and competitive effects on crops.