Activities of the Soil Seed Bank, Germination and Early Growth working group of the EWRS

The Soil Seed Bank, Germination and Early Growth Working Group (WG) is a collaborative initiative of EWRS members focused on weed biology from seed dispersal to early seedling growth, with particular emphasis on improving weed control during these critical stages. The WG promotes cooperation through joint experiments, training activities, and scientific dissemination, aiming to produce high-quality publications, preferably in Weed Research. A major ongoing collaborative experiment, initiated in 2023, investigates the base temperature and base water potential for germination of 32 Echinochloa crus-galli populations collected from maize fields across Europe and the Middle East, building on earlier WG research conducted between 2015 and 2017. In addition, the WG regularly organizes workshops and specialized courses to foster knowledge exchange and strengthen participants’ methodological skills, including training on germination and emergence modelling and weed seedling identification. The group remains open to new collaborations and ideas to advance weed science and management.