Many weeds rely on mechanical disturbance in order to germinate. Wild oats is another major problem weed that tillage promotes its growth. The narrowing of the depth of the seed bank will also allow the zero-incorporated granular herbicides to be most effective. Crop rotation is often an overlooked aspect of weed control. For direct seeding to be truly effective and profitable, the cropping rotation needs to be expanded from only cereals.
Research indicates that a continuous cereal rotation is the least economic rotation.
Once one or two broadleaf crops are included in the rotation, the advantages to weed control and improved soil quality can be realized. Most crops can out compete weeds as long as they emerge before the weeds and form a canopy. Low disturbance direct seeding will improve crop emergence before the weeds. Rotating broadleaf and cereal crops also forces you to change herbicides and the herbicide grouping. This can help control grassy weeds in broadleaf crops and broadleaf weeds in cereals.