Harvest Loss

Years ago, summer annual weeds caused harvest loss primarily because combines could not cut through the green weeds without plugging, so weedy patches were simply left uncut.

Modern combines are able to cut through wheat with much heavier weed levels, but yield losses still occur, because much of the grain in these weedy areas ends up on the ground behind the combine. The losses occur in the threshing--instead of the cutting--process.

This lost grain reduces yield and increases volunteer pressure.