An Overview of Modeling Weed Seedbank Dormancy and Germination

Seed dormancy is the failure of viable seeds to germinate in a specified period of time under optimal conditions for germination of non-dormant seeds and is one of the main mechanisms responsible for invasion and persistence of weeds in agricultural fields. Environmental factors such as temperature, moisture and chemicals affect the seed dormancy release and induction and consequently germination and seedling emergence patterns in the field. Thus, knowledge about seed dormancy and its relation with environmental factors is essential to predict the timing of germination and implementation of a rational strategy of weed management. The soil seed bank is the primary source of new infestations of annual weeds in crop production systems. Some annual weeds produce seeds that remain viable in the soil for many years, while others produce seeds that may be viable for only a single season. Seed persistence also may be influenced by depth of burial. Thus, knowledge of the length of seed persistence in the soil seed bank and periodicity of seedling emergence as influenced by the environment are of great importance for effective weed management. In this review, we present dormancy and germination models to predict timing and extent of emergence from weed seed bank. We hope that this paper will serve to give a general insight into modeling weed seedbank dormancy and germination and their use in weed science.