The manipulation of weed behaviour for control purposes

Abstract

Most systems of weed control are based upon the concept that only that proportion of the population which appears as seedlings or as vegetative sprouts in any one year needs to be controlled. This is inefficient, for those that appear in any one year are often only a small fraction of the total propagules present. Furthermore it may require only one year of unsatisfactory control for the infestation to revert to its original level. Greater efficiency could result from utilizing growth regulating chemicals that will affect the behaviour of the whole population. It is postulated that chemicals for breaking the dormancy of seeds in the soil and chemicals for regulating vegetative regeneration are likely to be the most useful. They could well constitute the next major development in weed control. Other aspects of weed behaviour, which could be manipulated for control purposes, are also considered.