Understanding Weeds and Weed

Control
Weeds come in all shapes and sizes, both on and eventually fruit and seeds, but as much as 50%
top and root structure. Some weeds are vines to of the sugars they produce gets exuded though the
cover and protect the soil, some are tall and woody, roots to attract the microscopic organisms of the
some have thin and abundant roots, like grasses, soil food web. Plants do not have a stomach, so
and some have a single tap root, like a turnip. Each they rely on the soil to digest and transfer nutrients.
weed has its sole purpose, which is to grow, flower, Plants also, do not have a stomach liner to keep
and produce babies. The structural makeup of the the digestive process in the root zone, so they
plant will tell you the purpose. Like grasses are exude these sugars to attract the biology in and
designed to hold soil in place with their many fine keep them there to feed the plant.
root hairs, and a tap rooted plant is designed to
Weeds also help protect surrounding plants.
break up compacted soil. The thing that separates
Sometimes weeds will help hold up our plants, or
weeds from our garden plants is they grow much
maybe they will shade them from sun, or maybe
faster. They grow faster by design; their main
they will take the insect attack for us. In a lettuce
purpose is to build soil. Some species of weeds,
field weeds are super important for another reason.
called pioneer species, not only grow fast, but they
They keep the soil out of the leaves. If the weeds
produce carbon quickly as well. This carbon, when
were not present, when we irrigate or a rain comes
they die, lasts a long time in the soil, helps build
the water droplets splash the soil in the leaves.
structure, and helps retain water. Weeds have
When we have weeds surrounding the lettuce, the
certain nutrients that they absorb from the soil,
soil is not bare and therefore the weeds help keep
bring to the top, and release when they die or
the dirt from splashing into the leaves. Believe me,
compost.
growing lettuce without weeds is a big problem.
So looking across an abandoned field you will see Delicate leaves are hard to rinse thoroughly and no
a variety of weeds growing, each of them is a matter what your lettuce will be crunchy from the
reaction of whatever deficiency the soil has. Over sand and dirt.
time the field will eventually become a jungle, or
Plants work together in their little community and
whatever the geographic location dictates. For
biodiversity is the key. Bare soil is rare in nature
example, the taller weed that has a small daisy type
and so is a monoculture, diversity is key. Plants
flower growing in our area is known for drawing
work together and help feed each other, if you learn
calcium out of the soil. So an abundance of this
how they grow and how to cultivate them you can
plant is an indicator that your soil is lacking calcium.
benefit from Nature's support crops in your garden.
I have encountered farmers that can look at a field
and tell you what your soil needs just by looking at In fact, weeds are only considered “bad” because
the weeds. of how humans interact with them. They grow
where they aren’t sown, where we don’t want them.
Other big reasons for weeds in the garden
They are often winningly competitive, peskily
Where in nature do you see bare soil, besides the persistent and willfully disobedient.
desert? Weeds protect the soil and help build it, but
But, they are not all bad. In nature, there are no
there is another main reason to keep them around.
“weeds”. All plants have their roles, and if we can
A plant's main purpose in life is to produce sugars;
start to see the good in our weeds, perhaps they’ll
they do this through the process photosynthesis.
be welcomed additions, or at least visitors, to our
Remember that word from grade school? Well the
gardens.
sugars they produce go to making leaves, flowers,
The common practice for most weed warriors is to Additionally, weeds are great attractors of beneficial
yank the offender right out by their roots and insects, like bees and butterflies. They summon
discard them as quickly as possible. Those with pollinators and predatory insects, which help other
garden green dispositions might throw them into plants succeed (and produce) and keeps pest
compost bins so as to make good use of the numbers down. More insects equate to more birds,
organic material. But, the point is they are not and on and on the environmental diversity spreads.
generally looked at as something for the kitchen. In some ways, weeds start the process. Healthy
forests begin with pioneering weeds.
Weeds Are Good for the Soil
So, sure, in our gardens, sometimes we must battle
Despite being a bane to other plants, competing for
with them. We can’t very well have a lot of weeds
water and sunny spaces, weeds often have a
taking over our tomatoes or garden peas, but we
positive impact on the soil. Weeds pop up because
can also recognize that these plants play an
conditions are unbalanced and in need of repair,
important part in natural systems and can play a
and many unwanted plants are actually pioneers,
vital role in our gardens. Indeed, weeds might
hardy survivors that’ll come into poor situations to
actually be a good thing to have growing.
slowly restore broken ecosystems. Soil is key.
Nature uses “weeds” to a good end. When soil is
bare, weeds cover it and prevent erosion from wind Classifications of Weeds in Agriculture
and rain. Weeds, like comfrey and wild amaranth,
have deep-tapping roots that mine minerals from Weeds are among the major groups of pests
far beneath the soil surface, making them available that farmers always consider as limiting factors
for other plants. Those deep-tapping roots are also in production. If not controlled, weeds can
great for breaking through hardpan soil, which reduce yield of rice from 44 to 96% by way of
opens up new avenues for less powerful roots. competition for the limited resources for growth
Weeds Indicate Conditions for Cultivation and development such as nutrients, sunlight,
and water. Indirectly, they can also cause an
Many a gardener spends a great deal of time increase in the cost of rice production. Weeds
fretting over soil conditions and pH balance, and can reduce the quality and value of crops
with good reason, different plants have different soil through the contamination of their seeds during
preferences. Weeds, being plants, are no different.
harvest. They also serve as alternate hosts and
Therefore, learning to recognize what weeds grow
nearby and then what conditions these plants
refuges of disease-causing pathogens, insect
prefer can be very helpful in determining what pests, rats, and other pests.
crops (or ornamentals) might do well cultivated in Knowledge in weed classification is very
the area.
important in selecting, designing, planning, and
Weeds indicate soil conditions. implementing cost-effective and environment-
friendly weed management strategies and
Dock, foxtails, and willows are signs of swampy
techniques.
soil (Try sunflowers, alfalfa, or rye). Chicory and
mustard suggest compacted soil (Think brassicas).
Dandelions, sorrel, and stinging nettles point out
high acidity (Plant blueberries, rhubarb, and
potatoes). Thistle, lamb’s quarter, and stinkweed
show up in sweet soil (Cultivate lettuces, beets,
onions, asparagus, etc.). Rather than trying to
change what’s there, growers can use weeds to
choose what’ll work best with what’s around.

Weeds Encourage Biodiversity.

A. Based on morphology • Leaves, flowers, stems, and branches are broadly
arranged in various shapes, colors, and structures

1. Grasses B. Based on life cycle

1. Annuals
• Members of the family Graminae (Poaceae) Weeds that complete their life cycle from seed to
seed in less than one year or in one growing
• Leaves are long and narrow, which usually arise
season.
alternately in two rows from the nodes, and have
ligules and sometimes auricles 2. Perennials
• Leaf veins are in parallel while leaf sheaths are Weeds that complete their life cycle in more than a
split around the stem year. They can be simple or creeping. Simple
perennials spread through seeds and by vegetative
• Stems are called culms with well-defined nodes
propagations. They may regenerate vegetatively
and internodes
into a new plant if their shoots are injured or cut off
• Stems are round and hollow inside from the mother plant. Creeping perennials, on the
other hand, are those that reproduce by seeds and
vegetative organs such as stolons (creeping above-
ground stems), rhizomes (creeping below-ground
stems), tubers, aerial bulblets, and bulbs.
2. Sedges
C. Based on habitat

• Members of the family Cyperaceae 1. Aquatic

• Leaves are also long and narrow but do not have Weeds that emerge and grow in very wet or
ligules submerged soils

and auricles (wet to moist)

• Leaf veins are also parallel but the leaf sheaths 2. Semi-aquatic
are
Weeds that grow in dry lands with some tolerance
continuous around the stem to

• Stems are triangular in shape and have no nodes submergence conditions (dry to wet)
and
3. Terrestrial
Internodes
Weeds that grow in dry lands (moist to dry)

3. Broadleaves D. Based on photosynthetic activity

1. C3 weeds
• Members belong to many families
Weeds that employ a photosynthetic pathway
• Leaves are fully expanded with netted veins where a 3-carbon compound is the first stable
product. Weeds belonging to this group prefer seedbanks, and reduce weed infestations in
environments where temperature and sunlight the next cropping season.
intensity are moderate, and water supply is
plenty. C3 weeds, however, cannot tolerate Practice thorough land preparation
very
This helps control weeds by burying them
high temperatures since they are prone to the under the soil, separating shoots from roots,
wasteful biochemical process called encouraging germination
photorespiration. Thus, most of them are of dormant seeds, desiccating shoots, and
dominant in ricefields that are under exhausting carbohydrate reserves of perennial
submerged conditions. weeds. Flood the field within 1-2 days
2. C4 weeds whenever water is available and enough to
supply the area. Plow the field and keep it
Weeds that employ a more efficient submerged for 1 week to soften lumped soil
photosynthetic pathway in which a 4-carbon and decompose organic materials. Allow the
compound is the first stable product. Weeds water to drain naturally to enhance germination
under this group have physiological of weed seeds, and are killed later by
adaptations that allow them to thrive in very hot harrowing. Harrow the field 2-3 times at 1-week
and drier areas (dry land or rainfed conditions), interval and then level it evenly by any means.
and where concentrations of carbon dioxide Evenly leveled field facilitates good
are limited. management of water, nutrients, and pests
particularly weeds and golden apple snails.

WEED MANAGEMENT Practice good water management

OPTIONS This helps suppress or inhibit weed growths in

the field especially when applied at the right
Use clean rice seeds time and level. For irrigated lowland fields,
introduce water 3-4 days after transplanting at
This technique is very effective in preventing 2-3 cm level; 7-10 days after direct seeding at
contaminations 3-5 cm level. Increase the water level and
and further entries of weed seeds in the field. maintain at 5-7 cm as the rice plants grow later
Using clean in the season
rice seeds that are pure, full, and uniform in
size ensures a Do manual and mechanical weeding
minimum of 85% germination rate as well as
better growth of healthy seedlings Manual weeding is basically handweeding and
may involve the use of small hand tools like
Practice field sanitation sickles and bolos. This technique is very
effective and efficient in removing weeds that
Keeping the seedling nurseries, irrigation grow within rows and hills of rice. It is also
canals, and effective in preventing the spread of resistant
field bunds clean and weed-free helps prevent weed biotypes by pulling the whole weed plant
entries of or by removing the inflorescence that carries
volunteer weed seeds and asexual propagules the weed seeds.
into the Mechanical weeding involves bigger tools. This
fields. Using clean equipment also helps technique
prevent further is best accomplished in straight row- planted
contamination in the field. Keeping fields weed- rice plants
free after harvest and during fallow using a rotary weeder.
period before the next cropping season will
help reduce weed seed populations in the soil
Growth of weeds is suppressed by cutting, glufosinate, and paraquat.
trampling, and burying weeds and plant parts
into the soil. • Pre-emergence. Herbicides are applied to
the soil after the
Use biological control crop has been established, but before the
emergence of the
This approach involves the deliberate use of rice plants or weeds. Examples are butachlor,
beneficial organisms (plant-feeding insects, pretilachlor and
disease-causing microorganisms, and growth- pendimethalin
suppressing plants) to inhibit weed growth or • Post-emergence. Herbicides are applied
reduce its population to a level where yield of after both rice
rice is not affected. This method is highly plants and weeds have germinated and
recommended for organically grown rice where emerged from the
use of synthetic pesticides is strictly prohibited. soil. Examples are bispyribac-sodium,
An effective biological control agent is the butachlor + propanil,
Azolla, a freshwater plant that can fix Nitrogen fenoxaprop + safener, fenoxaprop +
through its symbiotic relationship with blue- ethoxysulfuron, metsulfuron
green algae. It has been proven to suppress + chlorimuron, azimsulfurom, oxadiazon,
weed growths up to 80% both in transplanted penoxsulam,
and direct-seeded rice. Other biological control penoxsulam + cyhalofop, bentazon, and 2,4-D.
agents are the fungus Alternaria alternata f.sp.
sphenocleaecausing foliar blight to Sphenoclea Safety precautions during herbicide spraying
zeylanica; Puccinia philippinensis causing leaf
rust disease on leaves of Cyperus rotundus; • Always wear protective equipment. Use
and black beetle namely Altica sp. feeding on appropriate cover for
foliages of Ludwigia species. head, eyes, nose, mouth and hands. Wear
long-sleeved shirts,
Use herbicides long pants, and covered footwear.
• When mixing the poison, always stand
Herbicides are synthetic chemicals that are upwind and wear
used to suppress growth of or eradicate weeds. protective clothing – especially face protection.
They are among the mostcommonly used • Wash contaminated clothes separately.
weed control techniques by many farmers in • Clean blocked nozzles with a non-abrasive
the Philippines because of their efficacy and implement. NEVER use your mouth to clean
ease in application; wide range of coverage; nozzles.
and immediate visibility of the results after • Clean containers properly.
application.Constant advisories are always
presented to the public because incorrect
usage of herbicides will endanger the health of
humans
and animals, and the environment. Continuous
use of the same kind, incorrect dosages, and
wrong timing of herbicide application may also
result in the evolution of herbicide-resistant
weeds

Timing of herbicide application

• Pre-plant application. Herbicides are applied

to the soil
before rice is transplanted or sown. Examples
are glyphosate,