A weed is a plant in an undesired place. Weeds can often compete with crop plants for nutrients and resources and/or harbour and spread pests or diseases which infect or degrade the quality of crops. Although many weeds have undesirable consequences they can also provide a key ecological role.
Weed Biology
Common weed problems in oilseed rape
Cleavers in oilseed rape
Cleavers have long caused problems to oilseed rape growers, due to the competitive nature of the weed and the way it can grow across the canopy late in the season.
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Mayweed in oilseed rape
Mayweeds are common and high profile annual or hardy-annual composite weeds.
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Common weed problems in cereals
Ryegrass
Ryegrass distribution is more widespread and significant where grass leys form part of the rotation.
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Mayweed
There are several widely distributed species including Scented Mayweed, Scentless Mayweed and Pineappleweed.
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Volunteer Beans
Volunteer beans compete with establishing winter cereals in the autumn. Volunteer beans can also cause problems for contact graminicides as large bean volunteers can shade grassweeds and limit contact.
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Common weed problems in grassland
Nettles
Grass yield / grazing is lost mainly by competition from nettles for nutrients, light and moisture, but also from stock refusing to graze close to nettles.
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Thistles
Thistles compete with grass for space, light, nutrients and water, and they are unpalatable to stock.
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Ragwort
Ragwort poses a serious threat to livestock health, left unchecked it can quickly spread and reduce available grazing.
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Buttercup
Creeping buttercup is often a severe problem in horse paddocks, where close grazing tends to open the sward.
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