Vol. 11, Special Issue 7 (2022)

Author(s):
Kavita Bhadu and Bhupendra Kaswan

Abstract:
Weeds are an important biotic constraint to food production which causes significant reduction in crop yield. Their competition with crops for nutrients, light, water etc., reduces agricultural output in terms of quality as well as quantity, and also increases the cost of cultivation involved in the control of weeds. It is also a major constraint on increasing agricultural productivity and farmers' income, particularly in developing countries like India. Therefore, taking this into consideration the importance of weed management is much higher in crop production. Weeds are conventionally controlled by herbicides which led to herbicide persistence and resistance and a shift of weed flora. Application of high dose of inorganic herbicide also causes degradation of soil health, pollution of ground water table and extinct of natural enemies. So, organic weed management is much demanded to get higher crop production. In an organic production system, weeds are one of the most troublesome, time consuming and costly production problems. In an organic production system weeds are managed by non chemical methods.