Challenges and Alternatives of Herbicide-Based Weed Management

Abstract

Weeds are the most severe and widespread biological constraint on agricultural production systems and cause damage to cropped and non-cropped lands. They reduce crop yield and degrade the quality of the produce, besides raising the cost of production. The intensification of agriculture in the Green Revolution era attracted chemical fertilizers and dwarf varieties coupled with mono-cropping and irrigation practices, which enhanced crop-associated weeds and the widespread use of herbicides for easy control. Pesticides may kill many organisms, both target and non-target species, in the environment, causing an imbalance in the ecosystem. Despite the significant increase in productivity, the environmental repercussions of industrial agriculture, characterized by the use of high-yielding crop varieties and the extensive application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, have prompted a quest for more sustainable agricultural practices worldwide. One potential alternative lies in innovative approaches that draw upon ecological insights gleaned from studying natural ecosystems. These approaches aim to create “ecologically intensive” agro-ecosystems. Developing ecologically intensive agro-ecosystems necessitates a deep understanding of the biological dynamics within ecosystems and the integration of traditional agricultural knowledge held by local farmers. Considering the potentiality of appropriate weed management technologies to substantially improve crop productivity, there is an opportunity for the development, popularization, and adoption of effective, economical, and eco-friendly weed management technologies.

Agricultural Practices for Biodiversity Enhancement: Evidence and Recommendations for the Viticultural Sector

“…The presence of different varieties or species of crops benefits the biodiversity performance of agricultural systems [25,34] and minimizes the proliferation of disease and insect pests that are stimulated by monoculture systems [22]. Furthermore, there is evidence that including leguminous plants in a cropping system can improve nitrogen fixation in the soil, positively influence overall yields, and maintain stability of income, as compared with monoculture systems [35,36].…”

“…The use of plant residues or other organic suitable material as a protective cover for the soil surface, known as mulching [22], can increase soil organic matter and the availability of nutrients. Depending on plant composition and edaphoclimatic conditions, it can also conserve soil moisture due to the diminution of evaporation, stabilize temperature in the first few centimeters of soil, contribute to soil erosion reduction, and improve soil fertility and weed suppression [22,35,57].…”

“…Preventive measures, namely the use of clean seeds, keeping the seedbed, bunds, and irrigation channel tools and farm machinery free from weeds, use of well-decomposed organic manures, and controlling weeds before they achieve the reproductive stage [35].…”

“…Soil solarization. This technique involves precluding seed germination by raising soil temperatures to 50-55 • C at a depth of 5 cm and attaining a temperature higher than 40 • C in surface layers [35]. However, this technique implies changes in microbial functional biodiversity through altering biogeochemical and edaphic processes.…”

“…• The diversification of crops and farming practices, such as tillage, sowing date, and fertilization, can increase biotic environmental heterogeneity and prevent the dominance of most competitive weeds [38]. • The use of mulches contributes to light exclusion, the creation of physical barriers to seed emergence, and allelopathy, acting as an effective mechanism for weed control [35]. • The use of mechanical tools, for instance, torsion weeders, finger weeders, brush weeders, weed blowers, and flex-time harrows [35,103].…”