i. KHARIF WEEps GHA (GOOSE GRASS) Acrachne racemosa It is kKharif weed, found commonly in groundnut, maize, cotton, khary pulses and vegetable crops. It is an erect annual and culms are tufted, simple or branched. Leaves are linear, soft without hairs and sheath is compressed ligule a few hairs. Spikes are eight to twelve flowered. Grains are very small. Propagation is through seed. It can be used as a fodder (Pic. 2. 1a) PHULLI OR NILAM (AGERATUM) Ageratum conyzoides This weed is found in arable and waste lands and along the banks of canals and irrigation channels. It is an annual weed, covered with strong hairs, 30-60 cm high, with opposite coarsely notched edge, ovate hairy petioled leaves, 2.5-7.5 cm long It flowers and fruits all the year round; mostly in December and February Inflorescence is white or purple, flowers in clusters. Fruit is black with 2 parachute of fine hair. Propagation is through seed (Pic. 2.1b).2 q= ni S aoON CHAULAI (PIGWEED) Amaranthus viridis / It is a weed mostly occurring in kharif crops like maize, Cotton, sugarcane, kharif pulses, summer vegetables and waste Places. Itis an ereg, annual, growing up to 30-60 cm in height. Leaves are simple alternate, ovate, round at the tip and green in colour. It has sessile flowers, arranged in axillary or terminal spike like racemes (Pic. 2.2a). The plants come into flowering during August-September. Each plant produces numerous seeds. The seeds are small, black. Propagation is through seed. The weed is commonly used as pot herb. There is another species i.e. Amaranthus spinosus which also infests various kharif crops. Sharp spines are present at the base of petioles. Under many situations both the species grow side by side in the field and there is a little difference in the two from the agricultural point of view. DADMARI/KURANDA (HENNA) Ammania baccifera An annual weed commonly found in ric flowers during rainy season and fruits are found at the advent of cold season. Leaves are Opposite, narrow at each end and broadest in the middle, tapering towards both ends. Stem is erect, stout 15-60 cm high, square. Flowers are minute, green Pedicelled, in dense axillary usually umbelliform cymes, turning red in fruit (Pic, 2 2b). Cay i : n ©). Capsule depressed globi calyx and red in fruit. It Propagates through ais miopose exceeding € fields throughout the state. ItPic. 2.2b= GHRILLA (CESULIA) Caesulia axillaris It is a dicot weed in rice. An annual commonly found in marshy situations and rice fields. The weed flowers and fruits from August to December. It is tall with sub-erect stem. Leaves are linear, long acute with thickened margins, base tapering into a short petiole with dilated base embarcing the clusters (Pic. 2.3a & 2.3b). Floretes are tubular and narrowly companulate deeply. Flowers are whitish. Achenes flat, one ribbed on each side. Propagation is through seed. SALARA (COCK’S COMB) Celosia argentea It is a common weed of kharif season, mostly infests groundnut, maize, cotton, kharif pulses and fodder crops. The weed starts germinating with the onset of monsoon rains. An erect glabrous, branched annual, growing up to a metre or more in height. Stem is angled. Leaves are simple, alternate, linear or lanceolate, nearly sessile. Inflorescence is terminal, pinkish spike with papery brackets and bracteoles. Flowers are pink when young, become white near maturity (Pic. 2.3c). Each inflorescence contains numerous shining black seeds. Before flowering, the plant can be used as fodder. Propagation is through seed.LENDHRA OR KUTTA GHAS (SANDBUR) Cenchrus catharticus It is common annual weed in cotton, groundnut and other field crops grown on light textured soils. Also a problem weed on soils which are occasionally cultivated. Under the Punjab conditions, it starts germinating with the onset of monsoon rains during July. Stem is erect or geniculately ascending, branched from the base, leafy. Leaves are linear. Spikes are usually more or less enclosed in the uppermost leaf sheath. Inflorescence is long, solitary and cylindrical, bristles thick with hard sharp spines (Pic. 2.4a). Before flowering the weed can be used as fodder. Propagation is through seed. HULHUL (CLEOME) Cleome viscosa It is common kharif weed found in cultivated as well as non-cultivated lands. It mostly favours light textured soils and infests crops like groundnut, maize, cotton, pulses, etc. It is an erect growing herb about 30-75 cm tall. Flowers are long pedicelled, yellow. Pod is 5-8 cm long with a fine streak, narrowed to the tip. Seeds are small brown or black granular (Pic. 2.4b). Propagation is through seed.NR KAON MAKKI (TROPICAL SPIDER WORT) Commelina benghalensis It is an annual grass weed found commonly in crops like maize, groundnut, cotton, kharif pulses, etc. It is a quick growing, branched, slender herb. Stem has prominent nodes and is creeping type with rooting below, Leaves are sessile or petiolated, parallel veined. (Pic. 2.5a) The blue flowers are present in bifid cymes and emerge one at a time through a conduplicate spathe. Capsule is five seeded. Seeds are wrinkled. Propagation is through seed. GULABI (RATTLE WEED) Crotolaria medicaginea Itis a common weed in groundnut and light textured soils. Under rainfed situations, it starts germinating with the onset of monsoon rains during July. It is an erect growing herb with small trifoliate leaves. Flowers are yellow which start appearing during September-October. (Pic. 2.5b) Propagation is through seed.MOTHI (SEDGE) Cyperus compressus It is a common annual weed of kharif crops grown in textured soils, It is called mothi, because of its smaller size as compared with Cyperus rotundus. Plants are greenish, erect with numerous fine, tufted roots. Leaves are almost as long as stem. Inflorescence is umbellate; brackets often longer than umbel and leaf like. Glumes are green on the sides and winged (Pic. 2.6a). Seeds are potent source of propagation. JHONE DA DILA/MOTHA (COMMON SEDGE) Cyperus difformis It is a common weed in paddy fields and paddy nursery. It is an erect annual sedge, 50-70 cm tall. Stem is triangular at the top. Leaves are linear usually somewhat shorter than stem. The inflorescence is a dense compound umbel, subtended by 2-4 leaf-like brackets 15-30 cm. in length. Umbel is simple compound reduced to one head. Spikelets are small most densely crowded. Seeds are brownish, small in size (Pic. 2.6b). Propagation is through seed.Pic. 2.6a Pic. 2.6bCHHATRIWALA DILA OR MOTHA (YELLOw Nur SEDGE) Cyperus iria It is an annual weed found in paddy fields. The plant j 50-60 cm tall with triangular stem. Roots are fibrous. Leaf sheath e the stem at the base. Leaves are linear, often as long as stem. Inflo: is a compound umbel varying greatly in size, subtended by 3-5 The lowest bracket is longer than the inflorescence. Spikes are ve spicate and are yellow or brown (Pic. 2.7a & 2.7b). Propagation seed. During paddy threshing its seeds often get mixed with pai and under many situations pose a serious problem in paddy-nurs in the ensuing season. S about Tvelops rescence brackets TY loosely is through iddy seeds ery as well DILA/MOTHA (PURPLE NUT SEDGE OR NUT GRASS) Oyperus rotundus ps, orchards and other kharif field crops. The for soils, provided there is an abundance of soil moisture. Plants are 15-60 cm tall. Stem erect, unbranched, smooth and triangular with swollen tuberous b: ase. Leaves long, often overtopping stem. It propagates through tubers and thizomes. It is a very prolific weed. Asingle parent plant produces large number of secondary plants, rhizomes and tubers ina single season. Most of the tuberization takes place from July to September. The plants bear inflorescence in which flower stalk starts fromPic. 2.7b Pic. 2.7aTANDLA (DIGERA) Digera arvensis It is a slender annual weed with spreading or erect branches, Prostrate below and is commonly found in kharif crops like groundnut, maize cotton, pulses and millets. Leaves are very variable, simple, altemate and membranous. Sessile pink flowers occur in groups of three’s arranged in axillary peduncled spikes. Seeds are pale. The leaves and tender shoots are eaten as pot herb (Pic.2.8a & 2.8b). The plant is also relished by cattle, Propagation is through seed. TAKKRI GHAS (CRAB GRASS, HAIRY FINGER GRASS) Digitaria sanguinalis It is commonly found in kharif crops like maize, bajra, sorghum, groundnut, soybean, orchards and vegetable crops. Grows during summer season (April to November), also found in waste places, lawns, etc. Its leaf blade is green to purplish, both sides with silky shiny hairs, reddish white central stripe and whitish nerve at the margin. Sheath green to violet, with long hairs especially the basal ones. Youngest leaf is rolled and auricles are absent. Culm is smooth and glabrous, nodes sprasely hairy and branched at the base. Inflorescence of this weed is very typical and looks like a finger usually 4-10 spike-like racemes, spikelets with short pedicels. Its growth habit is tuffed type. Height upto or more than 60 cm, shoots often geniculate and rooting from the lower nodes or prostrate and widely spreading. (Pic. 2.8c & 2.8d) Propagation is through seed.Pic. 2.8a Pic. 2.8b Pic. 2.8¢SWANK OR EDAR (BAR) Echinochloa crus-galli YARD GRASS) It is an annual grass weed found in paddy fields and wet places, j; resembles paddy plants and is undistinguishable during early vegetative growth. Plants are erect, 80-100 cm tall. A single plant produces 15 to 20 tillers and 2000 to 3000 seeds per season. Leaf blade is linear and ligule is absent. Inflorescence is erect having compact spikelets. Grains are plano- convex. It also poses a problem in rice nursery and often gets transplanted along with paddy nursery. However, usual mode of reproduction is through seeds which are often shed in the field before harvest of paddy crop. These seeds remain dormant in the field during winter and start germinating during June-July when plenty of water is available. (Pic. 2.9a) The grass is a good fodder for animals. SWANKI OR CHHOTA SWANK (BARNYARD GRASS) Echinochloa colonumJAL BHANGRA (FALSE DAISY) Eclipta alba It is acommon annual broadleaf weed in paddy fields. A diffuse or erect, usually much branched weed. Leaves are opposite and sessile. Inflorescence head is subglobose and outer flowers have a narrow white ligule (Pic. 2.10a & 2.10b). Propagation is through seed. JAL KUMBHI (WATER HYACINTH) Eichhornia crassipes A very beautiful floating aquatic plant with sympodial rhizome creeping in mud and finely floating and is found in places having stagnant water all the year round. The termination of each joint of the sympodium bears a rosette of broadly spoon-shaped leaves with petioles swollen into green bladders and numerous adventitious roots. A sheathed scape 15-25 cm high bearing violet-blue flowers emerge from the centre of the rosette (Pic. 2.10c). It propagates through the creeping rhizome, It bea Fruits ft September to November. rs flowers and fruits fromGHUEEN (SPIKE RUSH) Eleocharis atropurpurea Annual weed commonly found in paddy grown on fine textured soils. Starts growing during July and continues up to September/October. Plants are small with bunchy growth. An annual growing in tufts, roots fibrous, culms 3-12 cm high, erect or slightly curved. Sheaths 1.5 cm long, purplish or deep brown at base; apex oblique. Spikelets ovoid, oblong, obtuse or sub acute at apex, many flowered (Pic. 2.11a). Propagation is through seed. MADHANA (CROW’S FOOT GRASS) Dactyloctenium aegyptium It is annual kharif weed mostly found in maize, cotton, groundnut, sugarcane, kharif pulses and summer vegetables. An erect or prostrate spreading and rooting, often branched at the thickened nodes. Leaves narrowly linear. Spikes are mostly four, densely crowded spreading at right angles to the rachis. Grains are small and very rough. Propagation is through seed (Pic. 2.11b). It serves as a good fodder for animals. -Pic. 2.11bLAMMB (LOVE GRASS) Eragrostis japonica It is a common annual grass weed found in paddy fields mostly found in light textured soils or the fields which have been recently brought under paddy cultivation. It starts germinating on the availability of sufficient moisture in the soil. The plants grow taller than paddy plants. Inflorescence is long, sickle-shaped; panicles are loose, violet in colour. Seeds are small and numerous (Pic. 2.12a). Propagation is through seed. Before maturity, the grass can be used as fodder. CHIRIAN DA DANA (LOVE GRASS) Eragrostis tenella It is a common weed of short stature crops in light textured soils. particularly of groundnut, kharif pulses and vegetable crops. It is an erect annual, usually very slender and simple, rarely stout and branched. Leaves are short, narrow and flaccid. Panicle is variable in size and form, erect. inclined or nodding i.e. hanging downward from curved rachis. Rachis is hairy. Seeds are very small (Pic. 2. 12b). Propagation is through seed.DODHAK (RED SPURGE) Euphorbia hirta It is an annual weed found during summer season and continues t, grow till October. However, it is found all the year round in flowering and fruiting conditions. It is a common weed of maize, cotton, groundnut, pulses, sugarcane, vegetables and other field crops, as well as lawns and play-grounds. It is commonly called dodhak, because of milky fluid present in all parts. Stem is covered with crisp hairs. Leaves are green or reddish on the upperside; and they are simple, opposite, shortly stalked, oblong, lanceolate with serrate margins. Flowers are usually small, often minute, present in clusters in the axil of leaves, produce a large number of seeds. Seeds are reddish brown (Pic. 2.13a). Propagation is through seed. GHUEEN (HOORA GRASS) Fimbristylis tenera A weed of paddy fields and wet places. It is erect tufted annual sedge 40-60 cm tall. Stem is slender. Basal leaves are as long as half stem, 25 to 4.0 cm wide. Umbels are lax and glumes are ovate, Nuts are ovoid. dirty white or yellowish brown. Seeds are very small, brown (Pic. 2.130) Propagation is through seed.Pic. 2.13a Pic. 2.13bKANKI (WRINKLE GRASS) Ischaemum rugosum A problematic weed of paddy fields under the Punjab conditions. [t js an aggressive, erect or irregularly spread out, tufted annual grass, 60 to 129 cm tall, with branched leafy shoots. Leaf blade is linear, lanceolate, ligule is short. The inflorescene at maturity separates into two recemes. Spikelets are paired with one sessile and the other on a stalk up to 6 mm long (Pic. 2.14a & 2.14b). The grains are flattened and straw coloured. Propagation is through seed. Most of the seeds are shed before maturity of paddy crop. Seeds are often get mixed with paddy grains and it is difficult to isolate them from paddy produce. BEL, MAKRU (MORNING GLORY) Ipomoea pestigridis Aspreading or twining, found either climbing on shrubs, trees or cotton. bajra, sugarcane, leaves deeply palmate, 5 to 7 lobed. Flowers white or pinkish in long penducled heads. Bracts conspicuous, outer ones larget. corolla funnel shaped. Capsule hidden in the calyx grow rapidly during kharif. Flowers during August to October (Pic. 2.14c & 2. 14d). Propagation is through seed.Pic. 2.14b Pic. 2.14aCHINI GHA Leptochloa chinensis Anannual geniculately ascending, slender grass. Culms long, glabrous, many from base. Leaves flat, finely acuminate. Panicles long contracted diffuse and branched. Spikes ascending or spreading. Spikelets are very small (Pic. 2.15a & 2.15b). Common in rice fields and moist situations, found during kharif. Flowers and bears seed during July to September. Propagation is through seed. GUMMA (LEUCAS) Leucas aspera It is a common annual weed in kKharif crops and vegetables. Its stem is erect, diffusely branched and branches are rather leafy, leaves are linear. narrowly oblong tapering to a short petiole. Inflorescence whirls are large. terminal and very dense flowered having strong bristles (Pic. 2.15¢) Propagation is through seed. Plant is used both as a pot herb and fodder63a PANI GHAS (MONO CHORIA) Monocharia vaginalis A broadleaf weed of rice fields. This weed flowers during Tainy seaso, Aplant with short root stock and usually narrow leaves, linear or lanceolate more rarely ovate or ovate cordate, scape being embraced by sheaths for a considerable distance giving a leafy look to the stem. Blade S-nerved only 5-10 cm long by 2.5-5.0 cm broad. Flowers blue with short Pedicles, capsule oblong. It flowers and fruits during September-October (Pic, 2.16a), Propagation is through creeping root stock. GAJJAR GHAS (CARROT GRASS) Parthenium hysterophorus It is an obnoxious weed and is now commonly occurring in every nook and corner. In Punjab, wide spread infestation occurs along roads, railway tracks, unbuilt residential colonies, drainage and water channels, established gardens, sugarcane ratoon crop and waste places. This weed is a serious health hazard. It is an erect growing, deep rooted, much branched herb about one metre in height at fully flowered stage. Its highly incised leaves resemble very much to that of carrot. It bears numerous terminal flowers, white in colour (Pic. 2.16b). Each flower bears numerous seeds which are easily dispersed by wind or water. Under the Punjab conditions, fresh flushes of the weed start appearing from February-March and continue to appear up to September-October. Its further growth ceases with the onset of winter season. Many plants die during winter but a large population can surviN? under or in the vicinity of trees. Due to gradual winter hardening. many weed plants, mostly in vegetative stage, survive severe winter even inan open habitat. The seeds are shed after maturity and these start germinatins during February-March.% 2 i S a Pic. 2.16bNARHI GHAS (HILO GRASS) Paspalum distichum A moisture loving persistent perennial, extensively creeping by leafy stems rooting at the joints, runners flattened, hairy at the joints, often reddish-purple. Leaves are thin, pale yellowish-green, abruptly tapering toa sharp point, rough on the edges. Flowering stems are erect from the creeping base, with two or sometimes three widely spreading racemes. Spikelets are flat, silky, hairy on the edges (Pic. 2.17a & 2.17b). Propagation is through seeds and runners and spreads rapidly. Grows at the banks of rice fields and penetrates into the field. Rapidly grows during kharif season. DUMBI GHAS (PEROTIS, AIT) Perotis indica or Perotis latifolia Itis an annual grass, stem sub-erect glabrous; leaves ovate or lanceolate, spikelets tinged with purple; grain almost cylindrical (Pic. 2.17c). The grass is common in dry and sandy soils particularly in groundnut crop. It is considered to be a good fodder grass. Its propagation is through seeds.Pic. 2.17a Pic. 2.17¢HAZARDANI/JAINT (TROPICAL SHRUBBY PLANT) Phyllanthus niruri It is distributed throughout the whole state. It flowers and fruits during rainy season. Its plants look like jantar/dhaincha plant. A broadleaf annual weed, stem of this weed plant is glabrous about 30 cm high, often branching from the base, angular. Leaves are many, subsessile and often over-lapping, elliptic-oblong. Flowers axillary, numerous, minute. Capsule depressed globose (Pic. 2.18a). Seed trigonous. Propagation is through seed. BHAMBOLA/BANMAKOYA (BERRY/GROUND CHERRY) Physalis minima A common annual broadleaf weed found in maize, cotton, bajra- groundnut during kharif season. A prostrate or erect plant, stem striate, leaves are ovate, entire 0° distantly crenate. Flowers are yellow, solitary, on slender deflaxed pedicels. Calyx in flower in long not angular (Pic. 2.18b). Berries enclosed within the inflated calyx. Propagation is through seed.2 Pic. 2.18aITSIT, CHUPATTI (HORSE PURSELANE) Trianthema monogyna or T. portulacastrum It is problem weed in maize, cotton, sugarcane, vegetables, pulses, summer fodder, potato (autumn crop) and early sown berseem. It grows luxuriantly in soils rich in organic matter. Annual prostate, succulent having forked stem. It has unequal opposite leaves broadly, ovate or oblong. Flowers are solitary, small, sessile, axillary, white or pinkish from the forks of the branches. Capsule contains six to eight seeds. Seeds are black (Pic. 2.19a), Propagation is through seed. There are numerous flushes of the weed during a single growing season ofa crop. There is no seed dormancy during summer season, however, seeds remain dormant during winter. BHAKHRA (PUNCTURE VINE) Tribulus terrestris Itis a problem annual weed in kharif crops like cotton, groundnut, maize, pulses and vegetable crops. It favours dry waste places and prefers light sandy soils. It spreads very quickly due to its hardy nature and produces large number of fruits. It is a well branched prostrate herb, covered with silky hairs. Leaves are compound. Flowers are yellow, solitary and axillary (Pic- 2.19b). Fruit has 3-5 sharp spines. These spines help in the quick dispersal of the seed. Propagation is through seed,Pic. 2.19bON, KANA, SARKANDA (TROPICAL TUFFED GRASs Saccharum munja A very variable, tall perennial, densely tufted grass. Leaves very long narrow linear, accuminate, corianccous. Flowering panicles are conical or lanceolate to oblong; branches whorled, spreading or slightly ascending with the callus hairs closely appressed to the branches; peduncle Softly silky just beow the panicle. Spikelets are paired, one pendicellate, the other sessile. A very pernicious grass common in unused grounds, fallow fields near canals, ponds and marshy places and along areas on both sides of railway lines. The columns are extensively used in making chicks. The foliage is used against frost for protection of vegetables growing in fields. Flowers and fruits during September-December (Pic. 2.20a). Prapagation is through seed and underground rhizome. ) MORLO (SEDGE) Scirpus roylei A slender, medium sized annual culms 10-60 cm high, slender, terete or slightly compressed, often transversely separate when dry. No leaves but sheaths with an obliquely truncate mouth. Glumes usually 5 ranked. elliptic lanceolate. The colour of young glumes of the spikelets is gree. on maturity turned golden-yellow. The whole colour sequence is gradu simulating the neck of the peacock and hence the local name ‘morlo’ i" Jodhpur (Rajasthan) meaning peacock like. Flowering and fruiting during September to November (Pic, 2.20b). Propagation is through seed.MOTHA, DEELA (NUT GRASS) Scirpus tuberosus or S. maritimus Anerect, variable tall sedge with creeping rhizomes and woody tubers, Stem is stout, trigonous. Leaves are often as long as the stem, coriaceous. Umbels simple or compound, rays unequal. Spikelets 3-8 or solitary on each ray, dull or dark brown, ovate, oblong, elliptic. Nuts plano-convex, smooth polished brown. Common in marshy area, the sedge is amphibious as it is adapted to both on land and in water or on marshy soil. Flowers and fruits during March to December (Pic. 2.21a & 2.21b). Propagation is through underground nut/tuber and seed. BANDARI GHASS (FOX TAIL GRASS, BOTTLE GRASS) Setaria glauca A tufted annual grass grows during kharif season. Culms are simple or branched, erect or ascending. Leaves are linear - lanceolate, tapering to fine point. Racemes spiciform, erect, dense, cylindric, variable in length, yellowish at maturity. Spikelets bristles oblong or elliptic. Common in cultivated fields of rice and waste places (Pic. 2.21c). Propagation is through seed.SANI Sphenoclea zeylanica Astout, amphibious broadleaf annual herb found in rice fields. This herb is 80-90 cm tall. Stem is fistular. Spikes erect, cylindrical. Flowers greenish yellow (Pic. 2.22a & 2.22b). Petals are white. Seeds are minute and brown in colour. Flowers from August to October. Propagation is through seed. DIB, ERA (CATTAILS) Typha angustata A perennial, tall, marshy shrub 1.5-3.0 m high. Leaves usually exceeding the flowering stems, semi-cylindric above sheath. Spikes cylindric; the males and females separated by a long interval. Female spikes pale brown. Male flowers mixed with clavate tipped pistillodes (Pic. 2.22¢ & 2.22d). Pollen simple. This weed is commonly found in marshes and swamps along the rivers and canals forming dense patches at some places. It flowers from October to May. Propagation is through underground rhizomes/ suckers.oe Pic. 2.224 Pic. 2.220 Pic, 2.22c j Field Problems of Important CropsHALDA (VICOA, CASS) Vicoa indica It is an erect, well-branched, broadleaf pubescent herb 30 to 60 cm high with bright yellow flower heads; found mostly in the sugarcane fields and waste places (Pic. 2.23). It comes in flowering during October-November. Propagation is through seed.