Weed Seed Dissemination through Livestock Manure in the Middle Black Sea Region of Türkiye
Abstract
The passage of weed seeds through the digestive tract of livestock and their subsequent dispersal in manure as seed sources is an unchartered phenomenon that is now emerging as a threat to both agricultural productivity and the conservation of global biodiversity. In order to identify the presence of viable weed seeds in manure of cattle and sheep, 44 farms in the Middle Black Sea region of Türkiye were visited, and manure samples were collected. Samples collected from 28 cattle farms and 16 sheep farms were incubated in a greenhouse, and germination was assessed along with an identification of weed species. The main outcomes of this research were to show that several weed species survived digestion, thus, their seeds in manure were in a viable state. The dominant families that the study reported were Poaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Asteraceae, Polygonaceae, and Chenopodiaceae. The number and species richness of viable weed seeds in cattle manure were significantly higher than those in sheep manure. The findings of the research firstly suggest that the manure of ruminants can be a huge dispersal vector for the seeds of invasive species, thus causing both the efficacy of the agro-ecosystem's sustainable management and biosecurity in Türkiye and regions in the world with intensive livestock production. The current audit emphasizes on flock manure management practices to curb the spread of invasive weeds via animal wastes.