Integrating weed seed loss mechanisms in regenerative agriculture for more sustainable weed management

The Green Revolution significantly increased crop yields but relied heavily on synthetic herbicides and intensive farming. Despite growing interest in more sustainable agriculture, weed management in regenerative agricultural systems remains challenging, as it implies a reduced reliance on both herbicide use and intensive tillage. This review explores the potential of weed seed loss (WSL) mechanisms, including weed seed predation, seed shedding prevention, seed capture and destruction, microbial and allelochemical-mediated seed decay, and germination-driven losses, as ecologically sustainable tools for regenerative agriculture. Natural and agronomic WSL practices contribute 20–99 % of annual seedbank reductions. However, their success depends on strategic integration within holistic, context-specific farming systems. A strategic combination of WSL mechanisms and appropriate herbicide-based programs is recommended to disrupt weed life cycles and delay herbicide resistance. By bridging ecological principles with practical innovations, WSL mechanisms offer a pathway toward resilient, sustainable farming systems that balance food production with a positive contribution to ecosystem services. • Weed seed loss mechanisms contribute to 20–99 % annual reductions in the soil seedbank. • ‘Weed surfing’ is an emerging tool that removes up to 80 % of weed seeds pre-harvest. • A holistic weed seed loss framework reduces herbicide reliance, supports regenerative agriculture, and enhances environmental sustainability.