LABORATORY EXERCISE 4

WEED CONTROL ACTION INDICATOR

Introduction

Weeds compete with space, nutrients, light and water of crops and pasture. It can be
controlled through hand cultivation with hoes, powered cultivation with cultivators, smothering with
mulch, lethal wilting with high heat, burning, and chemical control with herbicides (weed killers).
integrated weed management is based on a combination of cultural and chemical control methods,
including prevention, land preparation, crop rotation, tillage, fertilizer management, water
management, and proper use of herbicides. The weed control action indicator on the other hand, is a
decision-making tool to aid farmers in deciding if another herbicide application or hand weeding is
needed based on weed cover or relative weed height.

Objectives

At the end of the exercise the students are expected to:

1. Develop skills in determining relative weed height and weed cover

2. Exercise decision making for weed control through weed control action indicator

Materials

Pencil

Notebook

Camera

Procedure

Control of weed species not readily controlled by the pre-planting operations will be carried out by
the use of weed control action indicator (WCAI) at 15, 30 and 45 DAP. This is done as follows:

I. The whole plot will be examined and a representative will be chosen. Visually, the
average weed height will be determined by choosing the weed that exhibits the most
common height of all the weeds in the sample.
II. The average crop height will be determined visually in the same manner as the average
weed height.
III. The relative weed height (RWH) will be determined using the formula: RWH = Average
weed height/ Average crop height. X 100
• regardless of weed species
IV. The weed cover (WC) will be determined visually by estimating the aggregate area
covered by all the weeds in the sample (regardless of species and growth stages) as
percent of the total sample.
Control action is done only when assessment based on both RWH and WC at each
assessment time, indicate that indeed, there is a need for control action, otherwise, no
control action is done.
WCAI = RWH > 70% and WC >50%
Expected Output

The students are required to submit a written report after the completion of the exercise. The report
should include the RWH and WC assessment, and the weed control final decision based on WCAI.

Reference:

ADALLA, C., et. al. AGRI 42. Pest Management. Laboratory Manual. University of the Philippines, Los
Banos, Laguna.
EXERCISE 4. WORKSHEET

Table 1. Weed control action final decision through weed control action indicator

Crop Average Average WCAI* DECISION/RECOMMENDATION

weed crop RWH WC (appropriate management strategy)
height height (%) (%)
1.Okra 39cm 54cm 72 30 When measuring crop height and crop weed height,
the weed cover has no effect on the growth of the
main crop, independent of the weed species,
because the weed cover is only 30%, indicating that
the weeds do not entirely compete with the crops. I
decided to utilize a do-nothing technique because
they cannot harm the crop but can help protect it
from excessive heat and maintain moisture.
2.Corn 17cm 98cm 17 40 Based on my observation the weeds are not entirely
compete with the crop and it has 40% of WC. I
decided a do-nothing strategy since it haven’t
reached/above in 50%, the weeds help to protect the
soil from the sun and maintain the soil moisture
content specially during summer.
3.Eggplant 18cm 87cm 21 58 I can recommend to get rid of the weeds is by
digging it out by using a small spade so you can focus
on one area at a time. Then Carefully, be thorough
and check to make sure there are no roots or tubers
left in the soil.
4.Chilli 23cm 101cm 23 25 There are several options for dealing with nut grass,
also known as nutsedge, including mechanical
removal, using herbicides, and improving cultural
practices to prevent its growth. The best decision for
controlling nut grass will depend on the extent of the
infestation and the specific conditions of the lawn or
garden. Herbicides specifically designed to target nut
grass can also be used to control the weeds. It is
important to read and follow the label instructions
carefully to ensure safe and effective use of the
product.
5.Rensoni 38cm 123cm 31 25 My recommendation on managing weeds in my
chosen crops is that we need to use hand weeding
since the weed cover is only 25%.