The survival of Alopecurus myosuroides Huds. seeds in soil

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Abstract
Summary: The survival of Alopecurus myosuroides seeds was studied in soil under arable cropping and short term grass leys in which seed return was prevented. At two winter wheat sites, where weed seeds were sown, the mean annual seed decline was 73–83% over a 2‐ or 3‐year period. The rate of decline was similar with all the cultivation systems studied: ploughing, tine cultivation and direct drilling. Seeds buried initially by ploughing, and then not disturbed by cultivation, were slightly more persistent.At five arable sites with natural populations of A. myosuroides, seed numbers declined to an average of 3% of the original amount present after 3 years, and to 1% after 4 years. Initial populations of over 50 000 seeds m−2 were recorded. Plant populations were not always proportional to the total seed content of the soil, especially on ploughed land.Seed decline in two grass fields was similar to that under arable cropping. A. myosuroides plants were recorded in a wheat crop following a 2‐year grass ley. Weed plants did not persist in the vegetative state in grass used for conservation and grazing.At all sites, appreciable quantities of seeds were still present in the soil after 2–4 years. Although a relatively small proportion of seeds survived, the actual number of seeds surviving was substantial. For this reason, it was concluded that any eradication policy is unlikely to be effective in a cropping system dominated by winter cereals.