Influence of tillage, straw disposal system and seed return on the population dynamics of Alopecurus myosuroides Huds. in winter wheat

Summary Alopecurus myosuroides Huds. was studied over a 2‐year period in winter wheat established after tine cultivations or direct drilling. Straw was removed by baling or spread and burnt. Seed production was either allowed or prevented by cutting and removing all vegetation at the end of the first year. Cultivation differences had no consistent effect on plant or seed populations. Straw burning destroyed about 50% of seeds and encouraged the germination of surviving seeds. Weed populations in the crop were lower on burnt than on baled areas. Where seed shedding was allowed, populations of seeds in soil and plants increased by up to nine‐fold per year. Straw burning resulted in smaller population increases. Seed decline in the soil averaged about 80% per year, so that less than 6% of the weed seeds sown were still viable after 2 years’burial in the soil. Most of the seed decline occurred between July and October and was slightly greater on burnt than on baled areas. Only part of this seed loss was accounted for by germination and emergence of seedlings during summer and autumn. Plants emerging in the crop represented less than 26% of viable seeds present in the soil at time of drilling the crop. Few seedlings emerged in spring. The viability of shed seeds varied with year and with weed density. High infestations were associated with lower seed viability and also fewer heads per plant.