- Harvest is not only the time of harvesting, but also the moment when we notice any agrotechnical shortcomings or secondary weeds.
- Unfortunately, the sight of weeds growing above cereal fields is not an isolated phenomenon, and harvesting grain from a weed-infested plantation does not end the problem.
- Basically this one remains and requires quick intervention.
How to approach the issue of weedy plantations after harvest?
The very collection of plantations where the field is overgrown with weeds is quite a challenge. Of course, weeds not only make mowing difficult, but also contaminate the grain or seeds obtained. However, we want to look at how to reduce the weed seed bank after harvest. In fact, it is after harvest that the only possibility of comprehensive weed control appears, and on heavily weeded plantations this is actually a necessity.
The reproductive capacity of weeds is enormous
Weeds have very large production capabilities. According to various estimates, each hectare may contain up to 450 million pieces of seeds ready for germination. That's a huge amount. Imagine what a thicket of unwanted plants would have to cover the soil if they were all able to germinate at the same time. However, this is impossible because weed seeds are located at different depths of the soil profile and they compete with each other for water or nutrients from the soil.
The yield of weeds is not identical, different species are able to produce different amounts of seeds. The inglorious record holder in this respect is the field poppy, which in favorable conditions can yield as much as 800,000. seeds from one plant. However, this is the upper limit. Average quantities are smaller. For example, deaf oats on average produce 100 seeds, and couch couches produce 30-40 seeds per plant.
