Weed Seed Dormancy and Germination

Weeds are consistent problems in agriculture because of seed dormancy. Without dormancy, weed seeds would not survive in the soil for any period of time. Also critical are the factors that influence dormancy. These factors which describe seed dormancy also serve to "determine" when the seed has the greatest potential to germinate successfully, and thus survive to replace the seed bank. Understanding the concepts of seed dormancy and factors that influence the continuation or termination of dormancy thus allowing germination are critical for the development of an effective weed-management program.