WEED MANAGEMENT IN CORN

WEED BIOLOGY AND WEED IDENTIFICATION

Weeds as Defined
Weeds are defined in many ways, most common of which are:

a. Weeds are plant growing out of place. It follows that plants may be weeds in some
places but not in others,
b. Weeds are plants that are unwanted, undesirable or useless.
c. Weeds are plants that interfere with man or areas of his interest.
d. Weeds are plants whose potentials for damage outweigh their potentials for
usefulness.
e. Weeds are plants that are detrimental to agriculture rather than beneficial.
f. Weeds are plants whose virtues have not been discovered.

Origin of Weeds

In the definition of a weed, any plant species can be have as a weed depending upon
the situation. These are species that are not used as crops and therefore, behave as weeds all
the time. These may grow wild or in cultivated areas. Muzik (1970) distinguished between
the so-called Obligate weeds from Facultative weeds.
Obligate weeds are those that are associated with man or found only in cultivated
areas. Facultative weeds are found both in wild state and in cultivated areas. Muzik
considered two possible origins of weeds the wild species long adapted to sites of natural
disturbance and the new species or biotype that evolved with the development of Agriculture.

Adverse Effects of Weeds

Major losses suffered due to weeds can be in the form of any of the following:
a. Reduced yield of crops due to competition for nutrients, water and light.
b. Increased caused for insect and disease control.
Weeds are attacked by the same insect pests and disease organisms that attack
crop. Most grasses are alternate host of green and brown leafhoppers. In between
cropping seasons, these weeds act as host of these insects insuring the insects
presence in the subsequent cropping season.
c. Reduced quality of products.
d. Increased cost of lawn maintenance and beautification projects.
e. Clogging of irrigation and drainage canals.
f. Imposed hazards to health.
g. Weeds poison livestock.

Beneficial Effects of weeds

a. Weeds conserve moisture.

b. Weeds add organic matter to the soil thereby regulating soil fertility.
c. Weeds prevent soil erosion especially in sloping areas caused by water and wind.
d. Weeds provide shelter to wildlife.
 e. Weeds have medicinal value.
f. Weeds provide excellent forage during certain periods of the year.

Weed Classification and Identification

WEED Classification

Since weeds are very diverse, they cannot be classified satisfactorily into any
category. Knowledge about the different type of weeds is essential to formulate an effective
weed control program. Hence, weeds are classified according to the following categories.

1. Based on Life cycle

a.) Annuals – weeds that complete a life cycle in less than a year or with in one growing
season.

Ex. Amaranthus spinosus

Ageratum conyzoides

b.) Perennials – weeds that persist for more than two years, reproducing vegetative, or by
seeds.

Ex. Cinderella nod flora

Portola aerate

c.) Creeping perennials – reproduce by seeds, spores, solons, rhizomes or tubers.

Ex. Condon dactyl on

Cyprus rotundas
Presidium aquiline

2. Based on habitat
a. Terrestrial –weeds growing on land.
b. Aquatic - weeds growing in or near water.

3. Based on gross morphology

In weed control research, weeds are more conveniently classified according to their
gross morphology into grasses, sedges and broadleaves.

a. Grasses – are members of family graminae, which range from small, twisted, erect or
creeping annuals or
Perennials. Stems are with well –defined nodes and internodes. Leaves arise
alternately into two rows from the nodes.

Ex. Echinochloa crusgali, Digitaria sanguinalis

b. Sedges – these are members of the family cyperaceae. They bear a close resemblance
to the grasses and can be distinguished by a thin triangular stem. Perrenial sedges
have underground tubers and / or rhizomes.

Ex. Cyperus rotundus, C. iria

 Fimbristylis miliacea

c. Broadleaves – these are the ones belonging to other families of monocotyledonae and
dicotyledonae. They are identified by their fully expanded, broadleaf structure netted
veination.

Ex. Monocoria vaginalis, amaranthus spinosus, Sphenochlea zeylanica

Other Classification

For convenience in the study of weeds and as an aid in considering the methods of
their control, all types of weeds may be divided into the following general groups.

1. Common Weeds – annuals, biennials and simple perennials which are more or
less common to every farm, but are not exceptionally injurious. These weeds are
readily controlled by good farming practices.

2. Noxious Weeds - those with particularly undesirable characteristics. The

presence of an extensive perennial root system which enables a plant to resist all
except the most determined efforts to control is responsive for the noxious
character of most weeds.

Noxious weeds have been given particular attention because of their highly
competitive character and for being persistent. These weeds reduce crop yield even at low
densities and are difficult to control.

The Ten World’s Worst Weeds (Holm, 1969)

Scientific Name English Common Name

1. Cyperus rotundus Purple nutsedge

2. Cynodon dactylon Bermuda grass
3. Echinochloa crusgali Barnyard grass
4. Echinochloa colona Jingle rice
5. Eleusine indica Goose grass
6. Sorghum halepense Johnson grass
7. Panicum maximum Guinea grass
8. Eichhornia crassipes Water hyacinth
9. Imperata cylindrica Cogon grass
10. Lantana camara Lantana

Persistence of Weeds
The persistence of weeds refers to their ability to withstand extremes of climatic,
edaphic and biotic stresses.

a. Dormancy – dormancy or delayed germination is important to plants where it is

exposed to unfavorable conditions.
b. Prolific seed production
 c. Vegetative reproduction – rhizomes, rootstocks and other vegetative propagules of
perennial weeds are located as deep as 1 meter in the soil
d. Longevity of seeds.
e. Adaptation to dissemination
f. Adaptation to soil disturbances.

Weed Competition

It is a demand at same time by more than one organism for the same resources of the
environment in excess of the immediate supply.
Competition from weeds is dependent on such factors as the environment, the crop
grown and its density, the stage of growth of the crop, the weeds and their density, the stage
of growth of the weeds, and the measures taken by the farmer to control the weeds. Likewise
the environment associated with the crop determines the weed community and abundance of
weeds growing in association with the crop. The amount of competition increases with the
number of individuals per unit area and with their size.
Competition is greatest between plants that are similar in their growth habits such as
root growth and foliage characteristics because they make nearly the same demand upon the
environment. These species which can better utilize environmental growth factors will
dominate when population levels are similar.

Critical Period of Competition

The period where in the crop is very sensitive to weed competition, where in the
presence of weeds above a certain density, critical threshold level will cause a significant
reduction in yield. The greatest competition of weeds occurs during the first 25 to 33% of the
life cycle of the crop. A general guideline to follow to approximate the period of critical
competition is to determine the period when the crop forms a canopy. The formation of
canopy makes the crop more competitive against the weeds.

Important Weed Management Concept

There are three weed management concepts that must be dealt with before going into various
weed control methods.

1. Prevention – this means preventing the entrance of new seeds or plant propagules into
an area or preventing the seeds to set at existing plants.
The prevention of weed infestation is more important than the control of established
weed species. Prevention comprises all measures taken to hinder the introduction and spread
of weeds into an area not yet invaded. This can be accomplished through:

 Never allow weeds in an area to flower and ripen into seeds.

 Mature weeds that bear seeds should never be plowed under.
 Make sure that weeds are not carried into an area via contaminated seeds, mulch
materials, irrigation water, livestock and farm machinery.
 Prevent the spread of perennial weeds, which reproduce vegetatively.
 Prevent the seeds or propagules or certain plants from entering the area.

2. Eradication - is eliminating all plants and plant parts of a single species from an area.
This is very difficult to attain in large scale.
 3. Control – is eliminating weeds so that they incur minimum harm. The degree of
management is dependent on the benefit/cost and the available resources.

METHODS OF CONTROL

A. Physical Control Methods

1. Hand weeding – the oldest, simplest and most direct way of controlling weeds.
2. Mechanical Methods- this method involves the use of implements like
cultivators and rotary weeders
3. Mulching
4. Water management

B. Cultural and Ecological Control Methods

1. Land preparation – thorough land preparation is one way of controlling weeds.

2. Crop rotation
3. Crop competition
Making a crop more competitive against weeds is another control method. It
makes use of the oldest law of nature- the survival of the fittest. This is
accomplished by manipulating the crop production practices like:
 time and method of planting
 choice of variety to be grown
 plant population density and
 timing in the application of fertilizer

4. Use of certified seeds

C. Biological Control - is the process of suppressing undesirable plants by the action of

one or more organisms accomplished naturally or by manipulation of the weed,
organism or environment.
- Biological control of weeds makes use of natural pests or enemy organisms to
control weed a species.
D. Chemical Control – the use of herbicides for weed control offers several advantages
over the other methods. This includes:

 reduction in yield losses

 crop weed competition and production cost by reducing the time spent in
controlling weeds. However, despite these benefits, a farmer should not solely
depend on herbicides to control weeds, as this practice will likely favor the
build-up of a certain weed species that are tolerant to herbicide. The
integration with other control methods assures more effective control.

Herbicide Classification

Since herbicides differ in the ways they kill plants, the type of plants they kill and the
amounts needed to kill plants, they are classified on the following criteria:
 1. According to the time of application

According to time of application, herbicide as pre-plant, pre-emergence or post

emergence.

a. Pre-plant herbicide – is herbicide applied after land preparation but before the
crop is planted.

Ex. Glyphosate (round up)

b. Pre-emergence herbicide – is herbicide applied after the crop is planted before

the crop or weeds emerge.

Ex. Atrazine (Gesaprin ), Pendimethalin (Herbadox)

c. Post-emergence herbicide - is herbicide applied after the crop or weeds have

emerged.

Ex. 2, 4-D, Paraquat (Gramoxone)

2. According to selectivity

Selectivity is relative since it depends on the rate of herbicide to be used, the

stage of crop growth, and the morphological as well as physiological differences.
Thus, a herbicide can be selective or non-selective. A selective herbicide is one
that kills some plant species with little or no injury to others while non-selective
herbicides kill all plants.

3. According to mobility

Contact herbicides are those applied to the foliage and kill only the plant parts or plant
tissues are very close to the site of application. They are generally most against broadleaf
weeds and the seedlings of perennials, but they will not kill established perennials.
Systemic herbicides are capable of movement within the plant to exert herbicidal effect
from the site of application. These herbicide can be sprayed either on the foliage or applied to
the soil and absorbed by the roots.

Herbicide Calculations

Herbicide recommendation rates are often expressed as kilograms of active ingredient

per hectare (kg a.i./ha). These rates have been carefully studied and tested to give maximum
results. You must apply herbicides at the correct dosage. The active ingredient is that part of
chemical formulation which is directly responsible for the herbicidal effects.

The relative/ amount/ strength/concentration of the acid equivalent or active

ingredient in a formulation are always stated in the container. For commercial solid
formulations like wet table powders (W.P.) and granules (G), the concentration is expressed
as the percentage of the weight of the commercial solid herbicide (weight/weight).
 For commercial liquid formulations like mollifiable concentrate (E.C.), the
concentration is expressed as percentage of the weight of the active ingredient by volume of
the commercial liquid herbicide.

When you have decided what herbicide is to be used in the field, the next task is to
find out how much herbicide is required for the field. The amount will be affected by the
recommendation rate of the active ingredient in the herbicide and the area to be treated.

Amount of the commercial product = Recommended Rate (kg a. i./ha) x 100

Concentration (% a.i.)

Sample Problem:

1. To control some annual weeds in corn, pre-emergence application of atrazine at 2.0 kg a.

i./ha is recommended. Calculate the amount of herbicide needed if the available material
is formulated as 80% W.P.

R.R. (kg a.i./ha)

Amount (kg) of Atrazine = ----------------------- x 100
C

2.0 kg a.i./ha x 100

= ----------------------------- x 100
80

= 2..5 kgs of Atrazine needed/ha