How do rhizomes help perennial weeds spread through a field?

Rhizomes facilitate the spread of perennial weeds through a field by acting as horizontal, underground stems that enable vegetative, or asexual, propagation.1

Because these structures are capable of producing new shoot and root systems, a single parent plant can expand its reach significantly without relying on seeds. Furthermore, rhizomes serve as storage organs for starches and proteins, which allow the weed to perennate—or survive unfavorable seasons—underground. This ability to store energy and regenerate independently makes these weeds particularly resilient and difficult to manage in agricultural settings, as even small fragments of the rhizome left in the soil can often develop into new, independent plants.1