Less weeds if plough by night

Adapted from an item in The Times by Nigel Hawkes.

'Seeds buried longest seem to need less light. Some seeds are so sensitive that even moonlight can trigger them'

A study from Oregon State University indicates that the number of weeds could be halved if fields were ploughed by night. 'Cultivation exposes seeds to light before burying them again,' said researcher Ana Scopel. 'Even a fraction of a second can be enough to start the germination process.' Seeds buried longest seem to need less light. Some seeds are so sensitive that even moonlight can trigger them.

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