Types of Weed Control Methods

Owning an agricultural land comes with pride, but this pride can fade away when you start facing weed control issues. According to a research conducted by the Weeds CRC in Australia, weeds cause an annual loss of $3.9 billion in farm yields.

Weed overgrowth has always been an issue for people involved with plant cultivation. Whether you have a green thumb or a novice gardener, controlling weed overgrowth is something you need to learn.

Having a weed infestation in the lawn or garden can be your worst nightmare. Afterall, these opportunistic plants are difficult to deal with and can multiply rapidly. Effective weed management is crucial to ensuring a healthy crop yield and sustenance.

Why Control Weed Growth?

Approximately 0.1% of the world's flora comprises weeds that grow in almost all types of soil conditions. Prickly acacia and other weed species not only damage grazing lands but also cause an imbalance in the ecosystem.

Dealing with weeds can be a nuisance because they can affect your overall crop yield. These unwanted guests can inhibit the growth of your plants by limiting various factors such as water, sunlight, and nutrient intake.

Weed overgrowth not only damages your corn fields or wheat crops but can also wreak havoc to your land. The invasive plant roots can spread rapidly underground, which can result in clogged drainage systems. Also, it can obstruct the proper function of cultivation machines used on your agricultural land.

Weed infestation can also result in an unprecedented plant disease epidemic that can affect the entire crop population. Depending upon the type and variation of the host population, various weed control methods can be implemented.

A pest inspection is important before executing any weed removal method. After all, you don’t want to inhibit the growth of your crops and plantation. The type of weeding tool you select can also play a key role in helping you keep your farmland weed-free.

Types of Weed Control Methods

Back in the day crop producers didn't have access to any herbicide, so they had no other option but to hand pluck weeds. Not only was this method highly laborious but it also wasn’t effective in keeping large vegetation in check.

Modern methods make it easier to get rid of weeds without harming the resident crop species on the farmland. Theses chemical cleansing of weed infestation takes place at a molecular level that only targets cells belonging to a particular plant species.

Let’s look at various weed control methods that you can use for effective agricultural land management.

1. Chemical Control Method

You can chemically treat your farmland with the application of herbicides on weeds. This method gives you full control of what plant species you want to kill without harming the non-target units.

If you want to nip weeds in the bud, you can apply a pre-emergent herbicide to the land. This weed eradication method is targeted to prevent the formation of invasive plants in the germination phase. The whole extermination process takes place below the soil, as it targets baby weed plants that have not popped out of the ground yet.

Similarly, you can also apply selective herbicides if a stubborn weed species is troubling you. With the application of herbicides, you would be able to keep your lawn weed-free with minimal effort.

2. Cultural Control Method

Cultural control methods refer to non-chemical techniques of keeping weeds at bay. This organic weed management method comprises several elements synchronized with each other.

To combat pests and increase yield, crop rotation plays a key part in any cultural weed control campaign. It mainly involves the plantation of seeds belonging to different species into the same soil. Due to plant diversity, the nutrient distribution across the soil improves and chances of weed overgrowth reduce.

3. Preventive Control Method

Before things get out of hand, you can take a preemptive step for effective weed management on your farmland. Preventive control methods involve the preparation of your land beds before an infestation occurs.

Having local agricultural fieldmen by your side can come in handy, as they are aware of the local weed species. Once you know about the local soil and weather conditions, you can create a barrier in the mulch. This barrier would prevent the baby weed roots from sprouting through the soil surface.

4. Mechanical Control Method

As the name suggests, mechanical control refers to any weed removal method that takes place with the help of farm tools such as a farm cultivator or disc harrow.

For many weed species, farmers hand-pluck the roots up to the upper 2 to 3 inches that prevent further growth. Subsurface tillage is performed for weed species that grow on a yearly basis like cheatgrass or Kochia.

However, if shallow tillage is performed on perennial weeds, then it can worsen the rate of infestation. These weeds possess meristematic buds that make it easier for them to regrow from existing dormant roots in the soil. Make sure to never use a shallow tiller on perennial weeds, as it would trigger an even thicker new batch of weeds.

Conclusion

There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to an effective weed control strategy.

Various elements can help you decide what type of control method to implement. From local soil conditions to seasonal variations in the flora density, you need to take factors into consideration. By assessing your current resources and agricultural experience you will be able to decide on a suitable weed eradication method.