Weeds and Weed Management in India - A Review
2015
a n rao | b s chauhan
India has a wide range of agroclimates and soil types. The highly diverse agriculture andfanning systems are beset with different types of weed problems. Weeds cause 10-80% crop yield lossesbesides impairing product quality and causing health and environmental hazards. Invasive alien weedsare a major constraint to agriculture, forestry and aquatic environment. Crop-specific problematic weeds(weedy rice in rice) are emerging as a threat to cultivation, affecting crop production, quality of productand income of farmers. Traditionally, weed control in India has been . largely dependent on manualweeding. However, increased labour scarcity and costs are encouraging farmers to adopt labour and costsavingoptions. These include herbicides whose market grew at an annual rate of 15%. Integrated weedmanagement (IWM) is being practiced by Indian farmers, with the level of adoption varying from onefarm to the other. The continuous application of isoproturon coupled with mono-cropping rotation of ricewheathas led to the evolution of resistance in Phalaris minor Retz. In the northern part of India. Effortsto manage herbicide resistance have led to the adoption of conservation agriculture in the rice-wheatcropping system, as a component of IWM.Research on weed management in India is mostly centred on herbicide efficacy. Herbicides, appliedalone or in combinations, have been regarded as essential tools in the effective management of weeds indifferent-ecosystems. IWM, which includes preventative, mechanical, cultural, chemical and biologicalmethods, is advocated in crop production systems as well as aquatic and forest ecosystems. Herbicideresistant(HR) transgenic crops have the potential to improve the weed management efficiency andfacilitate adoption of CA in India, provided the risks associated with such crops are examined in detail,prior to their adoption and commercialization. Newer weed management approaches must be developedconsidering the threat of HR weeds appearance in addition to the recurrence and persistence of weedsand the need to bring down weed management costs to enhance profit for farmers while protecting theenvironment. Understanding weed-ecology and-biology_and.using_infoimatioxLtechnoiogy, should be partof developing and disseminating effective, economical and ecologically advantageous IWM strategies inIndia. Detailed review of weeds and weed management' options of the past, present and future in India ismade in this chapter
Show more [+] Less [-]A N Rao, B S Chauhan, 'Weeds and Weed Management in India - A Review', pp.87-118, Indian Society of Weed Science, 2015
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