Post-dispersal seed predation by invertebrates may contribute to weed suppression as part of integrated weed management strategies. Invertebrate seed predators can reduce weed seed abundance through direct seed removal, thereby diminishing soil seed banks and ultimately lowering subsequent weed emergence. Although post-dispersal seed predation has been extensively documented in agricultural landscapes—particularly in annual cropping systems—its relevance to perennial cropping systems, such as tea, has not been comprehensively investigated. This review synthesizes findings from annual cropping systems to identify key invertebrate seed predators and the weed species they consume, and highlights knowledge gaps relevant to perennial cropping systems. Focusing on tea agroecosystems, the review summarizes current evidence on potential seed predators occurring in tea fields and discusses how post-dispersal seed predation may function as an alternative approach to biological weed control. By integrating insights from annual cropping systems with emerging evidence from tea fields, this review provides a conceptual foundation and a research framework for evaluating the role of invertebrate-mediated seed predation in perennial agroecosystems.
Pranaasri et al. (2026) studied this question.