3.0 Weeds

AGR244: Pest Management
Chapter 3: Weed Management
1 Compiled by: Yahustazi Hj. Chik (Q6-Mukah) 11-Sep-17

Chapter Outline
3.1 Types of Weeds
3.2 Management of Weeds in Plantation
3.3 Methods of Weeds Management

3.3.1 Cultural practices: ploughing, hand weeding,
field sanitation, mulching, cover crops and
others
3.3.2 Chemical control: common herbicides used and
delivery techniques (preparing, spraying and
others)
3.3.3 Biological control

3.0 INTRODUCTION
 Definition of Weeds
 Plants that interfere with the growth Ecological viewpoint
of desirable plants and are unusually • Pioneers in succession
persistent.They damage cropping
systems, natural system and human
activities and as such are
undesirable. Anthropogenic
viewpoint Weeds
What Constitutes a Weed— • Interfere with
Definition? objectives or
requirements of
people
Invasive Colonizers Invaders
Invaders Aliens
Weeds
Colonizers Biogeographical viewpoint

• Introduced, exotic, alien, non-
native species
3.0 INTRODUCTION
3.0.1 Classification and characteristics of weed
Terrestrial ✓ plants that live on land such as in crops in rangeland, turf and forest
Habitat
✓ plants that live in and around water
Aquatic
✓ plants that are not rooted in the soil. use other plants as support, parasitic
Aerial and epiphytic
Life cycle Annual ✓ plants that live for one growing season
Biennials ✓ plant that require parts of two growing season to complete its life cycle
Perennial ✓ plants that live indefinitely also produce other reproductive structure
Taxonomy Dicot ✓ plants whose seedling produce two cotyledons (seed leaves)
Monocot ✓ plants with only one cotyledon parallel leaf venation flowers in three or
multiple three (Grasses, sedges, and broadleaves)
Physiology C3 plants ✓ carbon fixation occurs via Calvin = Benson Cycle - first stable product
phyophoglyceri acid which has 3 C atoms Ex. Amaranthus
C4 plants ✓ first stable product is a four - carbon acid. They are more efficient and better
competitors especially in areas of high temperatures Ex. Cyperus sp,

3.0 INTRODUCTION
3.0.1 Classification and characteristics of weed
1. Harm other plant
2. Survive in a variety of
environmental conditions
4. Grow and spread 3. Produce abundant, long lived

rapidly seeds - potential to grow in large
population

3.0 INTRODUCTION
1. Competition
2. Drainage problems
3. Impediment of Machinery equipment

Impact
of
weeds
4. Decreases seed quality
5. Poisonous plant
6. Alternate hosts of pests and diseases.

3.1 TYPES OF WEEDS
 Weeds growing on terrestrial habitat primarily identified
into three types;
Grass (monocotyledon)
Weeds Broadleaved (dicotyledon)
Sedge (Cyperaceae)

3.1 TYPES OF WEEDS
 Characteristics
 Consists only one leaf
generally narrow, upright, and
contain parallel veins.
 The stems are generally round
and can be solid or hollow in
cross section and poses ligule
Grass
 Grass seedlings have a fibrous
(monocotyledon) root system with the growing
ligule
point being sheathed and
located below the soil surface.
 Life cycle
 annuals or perennials.
 Examples
 Family of Gramineae,

3.1 TYPES OF WEEDS
 Characteristics
 Consist of two broad leaves
as they emerge from seed
with netlike veins.
 The root system is fairly
coarse and has a strong
central taproot.
Broadleaved
(dicotyledon)
 Life cycle
 annual, biennial, or perennial.
 Examples
 Araceae, Commelinaceae,
Zingiberaceae, Hypoxidaceae,
Liliaceae, Pontederiaceae, and
etc.

3.1 TYPES OF WEEDS
 Characteristics:
 Appear similar to a grass, but
closer view show triangular stems
and their leaves are arranged in
groups of threes.
 Absence of a ligule as compare to
grasses
 Herbicide products for the control
of many grasses may not control
Sedge sedges. Thus, one must properly
(Cyperaceae) identify the weed before selection
of an herbicide product.
 Life cycle
 Sedges are perennial weeds that
produce rhizomes and tubers.
 Examples:
 Family of Sedge, Cyperaceae,

3.2 MANAGEMENT OF WEEDS IN PLANTATION
 Plantation upkeep and
maintenance requires
management of weeds
activities
 Generally, weed
management in plantation
involved three main Well maintained oil palm plantation
activities:
i. Circle and path weeding
(chemical),
ii. Selective weeding (manual)
iii. Selective weeding (chemical)
iv. Creeper and vine removal. A field covered with weeds. The weed
management is important for the growth of oil
palms in the early stage of planting Source:
Yucho Sadamichi (2013)

i. Circle and path weeding
(chemical)
 Objectives:
 To maintain unimpeded access to
plantation crop for manuring, pruning,
harvesting, fruit collection, and general
supervision
 To reduce competition from weeds for
nutrients, moisture and sunlight.
 Procedures:
Well-maintained circles and paths. Source IPNI (2002)
 The field should be inspected first,
herbicides and equipment are then
selected to suit the weeds types found.
 Conducted once in every two months
(6 rounds / year)
 Great care must be taken to prevent
spray drift with young seedling, fruit
bunches, or lower fronds
 Volunteer seedling also should be
removed during circle weeding activities Volunteer seedlings have developed from uncollected
loose fruit in an area which was not properly
to allow proper harvesting in future. harvested, maintained, inspected and supervised
Source IPNI (2002)
ii. Selective weeding (manual)
 Objectives:
 To encourage optimum crop growth by
reducing competition from weeds for
nutrients, moisture and light
 To preserve and maintain soil fertility, by
maintaining legume cover plants which
reduce erosion, fix atmospheric N and supply
litter to replenish soil organic matter
 To establish a suitable environment for
beneficial insects (i.e predators of insect
pests) Effective spreading of Legume Cover Plant in Oil Palm
Plantation Source: PROTA (2007)
 To prevent the establishment of large trees
or bushes in the plantation.
 Procedures
 The crop block to be selectively weeded
should be inspected by the supervisor prior
of weeding scheduled.
 Woody plants should be cut below ground
level to prevent regrowth.
 Conducted once in six months (2 rounds /
year)
 Avoid overweeding to prevent build up
incidence of insect pest . Legume cover plant species: Mucuna breacteata

iii. Selective weeding (chemical)
 Objectives:
 To control weeds, creepers and woody
plants (which compete with the palms
for nutrients, sunlight and moisture)
that can be uprooted by hand.
 Procedures
 The field should be inspected first prior
to selection of herbicides and
equipment to suit the types of weeds
found.
 Spray drift to non-target plants should
be minimized as much as possible
especially for young seedlings.
 Safety and precaution of using
Herbicides must be adhered during
handling of the chemicals to prevent
contamination.
Spray operators should always be provided
with protective clothing.This worker should
also be provided with a rubber apron. Source
IPNI (2002)

iv. Creeper and vine removal
 Objectives
 To remove all vines and creepers, which
compete with the crops for sunlight,
moisture and nutrients.
 Procedures
 Vines and creepers must be removed
from the crop, and rolled back clear of
the crop circle including legume cover
plant that has encroached on the crop
 Herbicides are not recommended to be
used in this operation to prevent crop
damage.
 Conducted once every six month in
conjunction with circle and path
spraying. However a follow up round of
selective weeding is required to
eliminate creepers species like Mikania
and Merremia.
Growth is impaired, and harvesting
impossible, when palms are infested with
creepers. Source IPNI (2002)

Common weeds in plantation crops adapted from Mohamad (1990).

3.3 METHODS OF WEED MANAGEMENT
3.3.1 Cultural practices: ploughing, hand weeding, field
sanitation, mulching, cover crops and others
a) Ploughing / Mechanical control
• Mechanical or physical techniques
either destroy weeds or make the
environment less favorable for seed
germination and weed survival.
• These techniques include hand-
pulling, hoeing, mowing, plowing,
disking, cultivating, and digging.
• Others ; flooding, heat (controlled
burning)
Tine weeders and cultivators can be
used to control weed seedlings.

a) Hand Weeding b) Field Sanitation
• Weeding is the systematic control of • Preventative practices include
unwanted plants within the planting sanitation and containment
area either by mechanical, chemical, such as cleaning tillage and
or cultural means to achieve several harvesting equipment of weed
purposes: seeds and vegetative structures;
• To reduce the competition between
the vegetables and the weeds for
moisture, nutrients, space and light.
• To destroy the breeding ground of
pests and diseases.
• Weeding must be done according to
schedule so that the planting area can
be free of unwanted weeds.

c) Mulching & Cover crops
• Mulching (straw, wood chips,
gravel, plastic, etc.) can also be
considered a control means
since it uses a physical barrier
to block light and impede
weed growth.
• Planting cover
crop/intercropping also can
prevent weed growth example
of the species;
• Centrosema pubescens
• Calopogonium mucunoides
• Pueraria javanica
• Pueraria phaseoloides
delivery techniques (preparing, spraying and others)
Chemical Control
 Herbicides can be defined as crop
protecting chemicals used to kill weedy
plants or interrupt normal plant growth.
 It can be divided as Organic or inorganic
substances which, taken up by roots, stems
or leaves, damage plants by direct tissue
destruction or by disrupting physiological
processes.
 In Malaysia, herbicides are governed by
Pesticides Act 1974.
 Malaysian Pesticide Board under Department
of Agriculture is the agency implementing the
Pesticides Act 1974.
 All herbicides used in Malaysia must be
registered and labeled according to the
regulations set by Malaysian Pesticide Board.

 Herbicides provide a convenient,
economical, and effective way to help
manage weeds.
 Contributions of Herbicides to
Vegetative Management:
 They allow fields to be planted with less
tillage,
 allow earlier planting dates,
 Reduce human effort expanded in hand
weeding thus reduced weeding costs
 and provide additional time to perform
the other tasks that farm or personal life
require.
 Reduces soil erosion - reducing soil from
entering waterways and decreasing the
quality of the nation’s surface water.
 Without herbicide use, no-till agriculture
becomes impossible.
 However, herbicide use also carries
risks that include environmental,
ecological (aquatic and terrestrial),
and human health effects.
 Injury to non-target vegetation, crop
injury and residues in soils
 Increased in herbicides resistance as
a result of continued use of
herbicides with high dosages.
 Kills aquatic animals and plants (fish,
amphibian, algae and etc)

 Active ingredient - the chemical in the
herbicide formulation primarily
responsible for its phytotoxicity.
 Trade name - a trademark or other
designation by which a commercial
product is identified.
 Common name - each herbicidal
chemical has one common name assigned
to it. In many cases, the common name is
a simplified version of the chemical name.
 Chemical name - the systematic name
of a chemical compound according to the PESTICIDES NOMENCLATURE
rules of nomenclature of the International
Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
(IUPAC), Chemical Abstracts Service
(CAS) or other organization.
Organic herbicides
 the major elements contained in organic
herbicides are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen, chlorine, phosphorus, sulfur, and
fluorine
 the basic structural components of most
organic herbicides are carbon chains
(aliphatic groups) and rings (aromatic
groups)
 most of the herbicides used now are
organic herbicides

In-Organic herbicides
 most inorganic herbicides are salts
 highly water soluble and easily leach from the soil
 cause scorching of leaves by inducing plasmolysis
and desiccation in the plant cells
 Selective herbicides such as 2,4,5-T kill or stunt the
targeted weed without harming the crop plants
beyond the point of adequate recovery.
 non-selective herbicides (broad spectrum), such as
paraquat, kill all plants.They are used before a crop
is planted or to totally clear an area of vegetation.
 Glyphosate and paraquat are by far the most widely
used herbicides for weed control in plantation crops in
the humid tropics

Miscellaneous herbicides
 There are solitary compounds derived from rather unrelated chemical
structures.
 Examples: glyphosate, glufosinate ammonium, sethoxydim, fluazifop-butyl
etc.

Systemic herbicides Contact herbicides
 the plant absorbs through the  Reach the site of activity by the
leaves or stems and transports it physical process of spray
internally throughout the plant. distribution, e.g. paraquat, diquat
 It penetrate into the plant/cell to  Herbicide will kill the parts of the
reach the transport streams which plant it contacts.
bring it to the specific sites of its  For broadleaf weeds this means it
activity will kill the above ground leafy part
 The chemical travels with the sap of the plants.
so it usually doesn't have the quick  It will not directly kill the below
"knockdown" effect ground plants parts, such as roots,
bulbs, tubers, or rhizomes.

PESTICIDES LABEL
Class Hazard Band Colour Symbol Warning and

Statement Caution
1a Very Toxic Very highly poisonous

BLACK / Amat Bisa
1b Toxic Highly poisonous /

RED Bisa
II Harmful Poisonous / Beracun

YELLOW
III Caution Harmful / Merbahaya
BLUE
IV WHITE
Keep away from food stuff and children

Jauhkan dari makanan dan kanak-kanak
Safety Procedures
 Safety Procedure:
• Use of protective clothing
• Proper application techniques
• Good application equipment
• Correct storage and transportation
of herbicides

d) Chemical Control
 Personal Protective Face shield
Equipment (PPE) Masks
Gloves (nitrile rubber, PVC,

neoprene and butyl
rubber)
Tyvex apron
Rubber boots

Methods of application
i. Broadcast: applied over the entire field
ii. Band: applied to a narrow strip over the crop row
iii. Direct: applied between the rows of crop plants with little or no herbicide
applied to the crop foliage
iv. Spot treatment: applied to small, weed-infested areas within a field

3.3.2 Biological control
 Greater interest in biological control due to
health effects to operators, herbicide resistance,
toxicity to non - target crops and changes in
weed flora.
 Biological weed control involves the use of
other living organisms, such as insects,
diseases, or livestock, for the management of
certain weeds. Biocontrol Cordia curassavica using Schematiza cordiae
 In theory, biological control is well suited for an (Galerucidae moth)
integrated weed management program.
 However, the limitations of biological control
are that it is a long-term undertaking, its effects
are neither immediate nor always adequate,
only certain weeds are potential candidates, and
the rate of failure for past biological control
efforts has been fairly high.
 There have been a few success stories of weed
species being managed with insect or disease
Control of Eichhornia crassipes (aquatic weeds- water hyacinth.) using
biocontrol agents. Neochetina bruchi (Curculionid Weevils).
 Research continues in this area of weed
management.
APPENDIX : COMMON WEEDS IN PLANTATION
 Scientific name :
 Ageratum conyzoides
 Common names:
 Goat Weed, Whiteweed
Ketumbit
 Origin:
 Tropical America

 Asystasia gangetica
 Common names:
 Chinese violet, creeping
foxglove, Ara songsang
 Origin :
 Tropical Africa, Arabia and
tropical Asia

 Hedyotis verticillata
 Common names :
 Shrubby false, button weed
 Rumput chengkering, lidah
tiong
 Origin:

 Scientific name:
 Borreria latifolia
 Common names :
 Broadleaf button weed
 Origin :
 West Indies and tropical
America

 Croton hirtus
 Common names :
 Hairy croton
 Origin :
 South East Asia

 Emilia sonchifolia
 Common names :
 Lilac Tassel flower
 Sawi tekukur
 Origin : Asia

 Borreria laevis
 Common names :
 Purple leaved button weed
 Rumput kancing ungu
 Origin :

 Cleome rutidosperma
 Common names:
 Fringed spider flower
 Maman Ungu
 Origin :
 Tropical africa

 Clidemia hirta
 Common names :
 Soapbush, Koster’s curse
 Senduduk bulu
 Origin :
 Mexico, northern Argentina,
 Carribean islands

 Melastoma malabathricum
 Common names :
 Indian Rhododendron
 Senduduk, Engkodok
 Origin :
 South East Asia

 Melochia corchorifolia
 Common names:
 Chocolateweed, wire bush
 Origin:

 Mimosa invisa
 Common names :
 Giant sensitive plant
 Pokok semalu
 Origin:
 Brazil

 Polygala paniculata
 Common names:
 Root beer plant
 Akar wangi
 Origin :

 Wedelia biflora
 Common names :
 Sea-ox-eye
 Pokok serunai
 Origin:
 Tropical asia

 Peperomia pellucida
 Common names :
 Pepper elder, silverbush
 Tumpang angin
 Origin:
 Tropical America and asia

 Hedyotis corymbosa
 Common names:
 Diamond flower
 Rumput mutiara
 Origin :

 Cyperus aromaticus
 Common names:
 Greater kyllingia
 Rumput mutiara
 Origin:
 Sub-Saharan Africa

 Hyptis brevipes
 Common names :
 Lesser roundweed
 Sawi hutan
 Origin :
 Mexico

 Lygodium flexuosum
 Common names :
 Maidenhair creeper
 Akar sidin, ribu-ribu gajah
 Origin:

 Nephrolepis bisserata
 Common names :
 Broad sword fern
 Origin :

 Stenochlaena palustris
 Common names :
 Climbing fern
 Lembiding, paku miding
 Origin:
 India, South East Asia,
Australia and polynesia

 Panicum repens L
 Common names :
 Torpedo grass
 Rumput telur ikan
 Origin :
 Southern Europe,
Mediterranean, and Asia

 Ottochloa nodosa
 Common names :
 Slender panic grass
 Rumput Pahang, rumput
pait
 Origin:
 South East asia

 Eupatorium odoratum
 Common names :
 Jack-in-the-bush
 Pokok jepun, Pokok jerman
 Origin:
 North America

FURTHER READING & REFERENCES
A. (2014, February 17). Common Weeds in Oil Palm Plantation. Retrieved January 25, 2017, from
https://www.scribd.com/doc/207491932/Common-Weeds-in-Oil-Palm-Plantation
Ataga, C.D. & van der Vossen, H.A.M., 2007. Elaeis guineensis Jacq. In: van der Vossen, H.A.M. &
Mkamilo, G.S. (Editors). PROTA 14: Vegetable oils/Oléagineux. [CD-Rom]. PROTA,
Wageningen, Netherlands.
Barnes, D. E. (1972). Common Malaysian weeds and their control.Ansul (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad.
Mohamad, R. (1990). Country report: Malaysia Weeds and weed management in Malaysian
agriculture. In `Proceedings of the symposium on weed management', eds B. A. Auld et al., pp.
41 -52, Biotrop Special Publication, No. 38, Bogor, Indonesia
Monaco, T. J., Weller, S. C., & Ashton, F. M. (2002). Weed science: principles and practices. John Wiley &
Sons.
Morad, A. F. (2011). Malaysian Weeds. Retrieved January 26, 2017 from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/adaduitokla/sets/72157627621668317/
Ooi, P. A. (1992, February). Biological control of weeds in Malaysian plantations. In Proceedings of
the 1st international weed control congress.Weed Science Society of Victoria, Melbourne,
Australia (Vol. 1, pp. 248-255).
Rankine, I. R., & Fairhurst,T. H. (1999). Field handbook: oil palm series.
Wan Abdullah,W. (1997). General classification of pesticides - herbicides. Retrieved January 25,
2017, from http://www.prn.usm.my/old_website/mainsite/bulletin/sun/1997/sun8.html
Zimdahl, R. L. (2013). Fundamentals of weed science. Academic press.

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AGR244: Pest Management

Chapter 3: Weed Management

1 Compiled by: Yahustazi Hj. Chik (Q6-Mukah) 11-Sep-17

3.1 Types of Weeds

3.2 Management of Weeds in Plantation

3.3 Methods of Weeds Management

2 Compiled by: Yahustazi Hj. Chik (Q6-Mukah) 11-Sep-17

Colonizers Biogeographical viewpoint

4 Compiled by: Yahustazi Hj. Chik (Q6-Mukah) 11-Sep-17

1. Harm other plant

4. Grow and spread 3. Produce abundant, long lived

5 Compiled by: Yahustazi Hj. Chik (Q6-Mukah) 11-Sep-17

3. Impediment of Machinery equipment

6. Alternate hosts of pests and diseases.

Weeds Broadleaved (dicotyledon)

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Class Hazard Band Colour Symbol Warning and

1a Very Toxic Very highly poisonous

1b Toxic Highly poisonous /

II Harmful Poisonous / Beracun

Keep away from food stuff and children

29 Compiled by: Yahustazi Hj. Chik (Q6-Mukah) 11-Sep-17

Gloves (nitrile rubber, PVC,

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