WEED MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC

FARMING
 ASSIGNMENT OF ORGANIC
FARMING
• SUBMITTED TO: • SUBMITTED BY:
PROF. GURDEEP SINGH YOGITA THAPER
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE B.Sc.(HONS.)AGRICULTURE-2nd
MATA GUJRI year
COLLEGE ,FATEHGARH (4th sem.)
SAHIB ,PUNJAB. roll no.205119
subject : principles of agronomy mata gujri college ,fatehgarh
- 2 (RABI CROPS) sahib, Punjab.
 WHAT IS WEED?

• WEEDS ARE UNWANTED OR UNDESIRABLE PLANTS THAT COMPETE WITH

CROPS FOR WATER,SOIL NUTRIENTS , LIGHT AND SPACE AND THUS
REDUCE CROP YIELDS.
• WEEDS ACCOUNT FOR 33% LOSS IN AGRICULTURE ALONE (JETHRO TULL ,
1731) .
 WEEDS : TOP ISSUE FOR
ORGANIC FARMERS
• SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT REQUIRES
MULTIPLE APPROACHES
CONTINUAL EFFORT
KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIOLOGY OF WEEDS SPECIES
REPRODUCTION , LIFECYCLE , ESTABLISHMENT ANNUAL ,
PERENNIAL ,WANDERING PERENNIAL , BROADLEAF ,GRASS.
 weed
BASIC WEED
ECOLOGY

• WEEDS ARE NATURE ‘S WAY OF CROP HUMANS

KEEPING BARE GROUND COVERED
AND INCREASING BIODIVERSITY.
• DYNAMIC SYSTEM INVOLVING THE
INTERACTION OF WEEDS , CROPS ,
HUMANS AND ENVIRONMENT .
NATURAL
• FACTORS AFFECTING WEED ENVIRONMENT
ECOLOGY ARE IDENTICAL TO THOSE
AFFECTING CROP ECOLOGY :
 LIGHT , TEMPERATURE , WATER ,
ORGANIC MATTER , INSECTS AND
disease.
 Chart Title

35
IMPACT OF HIGH
WEED PRESSURE
30

25
• COMPETE WITH CROPS FOR
NUTRIENTS , WATER AND
20
LIGHT.
• REDUCED YIELDS. 15

• LOWER CROP QUALITY.

10
• INCREASE IRRIGATION COSTS.
5

0
Series1 WEED NUMBER
CROP YIELD

CROP YIELD WEED NUMBER

 TOOLS FOR PREVENTION
AVOID THE ENTRY OF WEED SEEDS ONTO THE FARM THROUGH
• MANURES
• MULCHING
• INTERCULTIVATION EQUIPMENTS
• ANIMALS
• WATER , ETC.
• INSTEAD OF USING MANURE – USE COMPOST
 Click icon to add pict
MULTIPLE PREVENTION AND
ELIMINATION STRATEGIES
• CULTURAL
• MECHANICAL
• BIOLOGY
• CHEMICAL
 CULTURAL STRATEGIES
• BUY QUALITY CROP SEED WITH LOW/NO WEED SEEDS PRESENT.
• DO NOT ALLOW WEEDS TO FORM SEED.
• THOROUGHLY COMPOST (>130 ◦ F FOR ≥ 15 DAYS) ALL MANURE AND
PLANT RESIDUES TO ENSURE DESTRUCTION OF WEED SEED
• STALE SEEDBEB TECHNIQUE
PREPARE SOIL FOR PLANTING AND BRING WEED SEED TO SURFACE ;
ALLOW WEEDS TO GERMINATE , KILL WEEDS WITH LIGHT TILLAGE /
MINIMAL SOIL DISRUPTION . MAZY BE REPEATED . PLANT MAIN CROP.
 CULTURAL PRACTICES
IMPROVE CROP COMPETITIVENESS
• IMPROVE SOIL TILTH , AERATION AND FERTILITY TO OPTIMIZE CFROP GROWTH.
• INCREASE CROP DENSITY THROUGH NARROW ROW SPACINGF AND INCREASED
SEEDING RATE.
• USE TRANSPLANTS , RATHER THAN SEED , WHEN POSSIBLE .
• PLANT AT OPTIMAL SOIL TEMPERATURES TO PREVENT SLOW GERMINATION OF CROP.
• CHOOSE COMPETITIVE CROP CULTIVARS .
• MANAGE FERTILITY ACCORDING TO CROP NEEDS ; AVOID EXCESS APPLICATION.
 CULTURAL PRACTICES
REDUCE WEED NUMBERS
• MULCH ( WOOD CHIPS , PAPER , PLASTIC , ETC.).
• USE WEED –SUPPRESSIVE COVER CROPS
 QUICK GERMI,NATINGN , HIGHB BIOMASS.
 FIELD WITH HIGH WEED PRESSURE MAY WARRANT FULL YEAR OF COVER CROPPING AND
FALLOW TO REDUCE WEEDS.
• CROP ROTATION
 ALTERING NARROWLY SPACED CROPS WITH CLOSLY SPACED CROPS SHALLLOW
ROOTED /DEEP ROOTED CROPS COLD / WARM SEASON CROPS.
• INTERCROPPING
 MULCHING
• COVERING OF SURFACE OF SOIL TO AVOID NTHE ENTRY OF SUNLIGHT BYN USING
LOCAALY AVAILABLE MATERIALS LIKE STRAW , PLASTIC , PAPERS , WOOD
PIECES ,DRY LEAVES ETC.
• PREVENT SEEDS FROM GERMINATING BGY BLOCKINGB LIGHT ,CAN SMOTHER
OUT SOME WEEDS.
• CONSERVE WATETR , MINIMAL SOIL DISRUPTION.
 MULCHING
DRY LEAVES
PLASTIC MULCHING STRAW MULCHING MULCHING
 COVER CROPS
• SMOTHER WEEDS BY OUT –COMPETING FOR LIGHT ,WATER, NUTRIENTS.
• RELEASE ALLELOPATHIC CHEMKICALS THAT SUPPRESS WEED
GERMINATION.
• MAY REDUCE WEED EMERGENCE BY 75- 90%
• EXAMPLE – SUDEN GRASS ,BUCKWHEAT ,ANNUAL RYE GRASS ,SESBANIA,
AND MANY MORE.
COVER CROPS
 CROP ROTATIONS
• WEEDS TEND TO INFEST CROPS WITH SIMILAR LIFE CYCLES.
• CROP ROTATION LIMIT THE BUILDING OF WEED POPULATIONS AND
PEVENT MAJOR WEED SPECIES.
• ALTERING ,NARROWLY SPACED CROP WITH CLOSELY SPACED CROPS ,
SHALLOW ROOTED WITH DEEP ROOTED CROPS , COLD WITH WARM
SEASON CROPS.
• CHANGE CULTURAL PRACTICES : CULTIVATION , HERBICIDE APPLICATION ,
FERTILIZATION AND PLANTING / HARVEST DATES.
CROP ROTATIONS
CROP ROTATIONS
 INTERCROPPING
• HAVING DIIFERENT PLANT TYPES GROWING TOGETHER ENHANCES WEED
CONTROL BY INCREASING SHADE AND INCREASING CROP COMPETITION
WITH WEEDS THROUGH CLOSER CROP SPACING.
EXAMPLES:
• SOYABEAN + WHEAT
• SUGARCANE + FINGER MILLET
• SUNFLOWER + GROUNDNUT
 INTERCROPPING
SUGARCANE + FINGER SUNFLOWER + GROUNDNUT
MILLET
 MEHANICAL METHODS
• CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TOOLS CAN
CONTROL EMERGED WEEDS AND DISRUPT WEED REPRODUCTION
CYCLES.
• COST EFFECTIVE .
• TIME CONSUMING.
 PHYSICAL AND MEHANICAL
PRACTICES
• MOWING
PREVENT SEEDING
BETTER CONTROL OF BROADLEAVES
• HAND WEEDING
• CULTIVATION
 CULTIVATION
• SHOULD BE SHALLOW TO LESSEN DISTRUBANCE TO WEED SEED BANK.
• BETTER FOR PERENNIAL AND BIENNIAL CONTROL THAN ANNUAL WEED
CONTROL.
CULTIVATION – WHEEL
HOE
 FLAMING
• INTENSE HEAT SEARS THE LEAF , CAUSING THE CELL SAP TON EXPAND
AND DISRUPT CELL WALLS
• MAY BE USED IN WET SOIL CONDITION.
FLAME WEEDER
 BIOLOGY CONTROL PRACTICES
• INSECTS : MAY CONSUME LARGE NUMBERS OF WEED SEEDS OR FEEDING INJURY
TO PLANT OR VECTOR VIRUS.
THISTLE AND ADULT THISTLE – HEAD WEEVIL .
• SELECTIVE GRAZING
SHEEP : CLEAN FIELDS AFTER HARVEST .
WEEDER GEESE : USEFUL AGAINST GRASS WEEDS AND IN PERENNIAAL
SYSTEMS.
• BIOFUMIGATION
USE OF BRASSICA SPECIES (CANOLA , INDIAN MUSTARD) AS COVER CROP OR IN
ROTATION.
MAY BE INCORPORATED OR LEFT AS RESIDUE.
 CHEMICAL CONTROL
ORGANIC OPTIONS :
• CORN GLUTEN MEAL ( PRE – EMERGENT HERBICIDE).
SUPPRESSES MANY COMMON GRASSES AND HERBACEOUS WEEDS.
LOOK FOR NON- GMO SOURCES.
• COMMONLY BASED ON VINEGAR OR LEMON JUICE OR CLOVE OIL
INGREDIENTS (POST – EMERGENT HERBICIDE).
PERENNIALS MAY REQUIRE MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS.
CORRODES METAL SPRAYER PARTS .
• POST - EMERGENT CHEMICALS ARE PHYTOTOXIC ( BURN PLANT TISSUE ) ;
USE CAUTION WHEN APPLYING IN CROPS .
 STEPS TO SUSTAINABLE WEED
MANAGEMENT – MARK SCHONBECK
1. KNOW THE WEEDS ON YOUR FARM .
2. PLAN CROPPING SYSTEMS TO MINIMIZE OPEN NICHES FOR WEEDS.
3. KEEP THE WEEDS GUESSING .
4. DESIGN THE CROPPING SYSTEM AND SELECT TOOLS FOR EFFECTIVE WEED CONTROL.
5. GROW VIGROUS COMPETITIVE CROPS.
6. PUT THE WEEDS OUT OF WORK – GROW COVER CROPS.
7. MANAGE THE WEED SEEDBANK .
8. KNOCK THE WEEDS OUT AT CRITICAL TIMES.
9. UTILIZES BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES TO ENHANCES WEED CONTROL.
10. BRING EXISTING WEEDS UNDER CONTROL BEFORE PLANTING WEED – SENSITIVE CROPS LONG
PERENNIAL CROPS.
11. KEEP OBSERVING THE WEEDS AND ADAPT PRACTICES ACCORDINGLY.
12. EXPERIMENT AND STAY EDUCATED . KEEP UP NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND PRACTICES.
 CONCLUSION : USING MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO MANAGE WEEDS WILL YIELD GREATER IMPACT THAN RELYING ON A
FEW PRACTICES.
DEVELOP WEED MANAGEMENT STRATEGY THAT IS DESIGNED FOR NEEDS OF YOUR FARM.

• BIG HAMMERS • LITTLE HAMMERS

COMPETITIVE CROPS BIOHERBICIDES
ROTATION SOIL MICROORGANISMS
COVER CROPS ORGANIC HERBICIDES
MULCHES
FLAMERS
CULTIVATION TOOLS LIVESTOCK
/ GRAZERS.
THANK YOU