“AGRICULTURE: the

science that
sustains life.”
Introduction
 Weeds are familiar plants of our environment which are seen consciously and
unconsciously infesting lawns, sidewalks, roadsides, fence rows, ditch banks,
ponds, water ways, gardens, croplands, rangelands and forests including
industrial areas and in irrigation and drainage systems.
 Weeds are part of the Agriculturists’ everyday life. In general, weeds
adversely affect the use, economic value, and aesthetic aspect of the land and
water they infest.
 Weeds affect almost everyone:
• Weeds may poison or seriously slow down weight gains of livestock;
• They cause allergies such as hay fever and poison ivy, itch grass;
• Weeds create problems in recreation areas such as golf courses, parks,
fishing and boating areas.
Basic Concepts
Pests – any organism including insects, disease or plant pathogen, weeds,
nematodes, rats, birds, animals etc. that is detrimental or annoying to man at a
given time or place.

Pests Attacking Crops Can Be Grouped into:

Insect ( like thrips, hoppers, leaf miners, bud worms etc.)
Plant disease agents or pathogens (bacteria, fungi and virus)
Vertebrates (birds, rodents, animals, man etc)
Weeds (grasses, sedges, broadleaf weeds)
Invertebrates (Snails and slugs - mollusks without shell)
Nematodes

Weed Science – refers to the study of weeds and their control, whether it be
manual, mechanical, cultural, biological, chemical or physical.
 Its main goal is the formulation of the most satisfactory, most efficient
yet least expensive method of controlling weeds. It is concerned with
plants that man does not want at a particular time and place.
 Ornamental Flowering Plant:
Gumamela and Bangkok calachuchi
Ornamental Flowering Plant:
Euphorbia
Ornamental Flowering Plant:
Yellow bell
Sesbania grandiflora:
Katuray
 Narra tree
In full bloom
Lantana camara:
Lantana
Luellia tuberosa:
Putokputokan
Cyperus rotundus:
Purple nutsedge
Portulaca oleracea:
Common purslane
Argemone mexicana:
Goat weed
Dactyloctenium aegyptium:
Crowfootgrass
Corchorus olitorius :
Jute
Amaranthus viridis:
Slender amaranth
Amaranthus spinosus:
Spiny amaranth
Rottboellia cochinchinensis:
Itch grass
Cyperus kyllingia:
White kyllingia
Phyllanthus amarus:
Phyllanthus
Tridax procumbens:
Tridax
 Cardiospermum halicacabum:
Cardiospermum (putokputokan)
Euphorbia hirta:
Garden spurge
Cyperus iria:
Rice flatsedge
 Ipomoea aquatica:
Swamp morning glory
Commelina benghalensis:
Dayflower
Lantana camara
Lantana
Eleusine indica:
Goosegrass
“Let others discover who you are and not you
to shout to the whole world your
achievements, accomplishments, and your
whole personality.
Remember… being humble is always best than
being proud.”
 DEFINITION OF WEED
Weeds are familiar objects, yet they are not always easy to define:
“ One man’s crop may be another man’s weed “
 Any plant or vegetation, including fungi, interfering with the objectives or
requirements of people.
 Encompasses all types of undesirable plants, trees, broadleaf plants, grasses,
sedges, aquatic plants and parasitic flowering plants.
 Volunteer plants from a previous crop arising from seed shattering or dropped
during harvest, may also be considered weeds in a succeeding crop. Ex. Sorghum
in a cotton field or mungo in a garlic field.
 A plant growing where it is not desired.
 A plant growing out of place. Ex. Corn in a garlic field
 A plant growing where nothing should grow
 A plant that is useless, unwanted and undesirable
 A plant that interferes with man or area of his interest
 A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
 Jethro Tull (1731) - was regarded as father of Weed Science. He was the first to
use the word “WEED” in its present spelling and meaning. The idea of planting
crops into rows to facilitate “horse hoeing” or use of animal drawn plow
implement came from him.
“ One man’s crop may be another man’s weed “
Okra crop in a field of cowpea
Rice infested with weed species.
Rice bunds planted with pole sitao.
Interplanting winged beans with
rainfed lowland rice.
A properly managed rice production farm.
Sugar cane fields infested with weeds.
Intercropping papaya with pechay.
Intercropping papaya with other vegetables like eggplant.
“Coming together is a beginning,
keeping together is progress,
working together is success.”
Reasons Why we Need to Control Weeds:
1. Competition and yield reduction
Weeds compete with crops for water, nutrients, light, and carbon dioxide . They also
cause allelopathy – release substances toxic to crop plants, all resulting in abnormal growth and
lower crop yields.
2. Less efficient use of the land
Efficiency is reduced because costs are increased through cultivation, hoeing, mowing and
spraying. Land values may be reduced.
3. Weeds serve as alternate hosts to other crop pests.
• Common purslane, and Tropic ageratum - are hosts of root knot nematodes
• Jungle rice – alternate host of rice leaf whorl maggots.
• Common purslane - hosts of bacterial wilt organism (Pseudomonas solanacearum)
4. Added protection costs from other pests.
•Weeds harbor insect pests, diseases, rats and other pests. Consequently, control of these pests
will be required resulting in higher costs of plant protection.
5. Poor quality products or reduced crop quality
• Weed seeds when mixed with crop seeds, when threshed and ground with grains.
Example: Nutsedge – spoil silage palatability
6. Increased cost of labor and equipment
•Because of weeds, more time is spent in land preparation and cultivation, cleaning, irrigation
and drainage channels, harvesting and cleaning grains.
 7. They clogged irrigation canals and ditches. They may give-off odors in public water supplies as
well as affecting the shipping use of our inland water ways and harbors.
8. Less human efficiency – they impose health hazards.
Weeds reduce human efficiency by causing allergies, skin irritations and poisoning.
9. Weeds harm animals health even humans
• Several weeds of grassland and forage crops contain high amounts of alkaloids, tannins,
oxalates, prussic acid, nitrates and other substances that are poisonous to animals when
ingested.
Example: The substance Tripertenes lantadene A and lantadene B from lantana are
responsible for the toxicity of the plant, which affects cattle, sheeps, goats.

Beneficial Effects of Weeds

1. Provide employment for local and transient labor hired to control and remove them.
2. They provide the physician and veterinarian with patients afflicted with allergies, dermatitis and
poisoning resulting from exposure to pollen and irritating or poisonous chemicals that they
produce.
3. Many weeds can be enjoyed for their showy flowers and seedpods.
Examples: Lantana camara; Ruellia tuberosa (putokputokan or popping pod)
4. Weeds appear and grow quickly to cover unsightly scars of the landscape caused by man and
nature.
5. They serve as hosts for insects and disease organisms which move on to parasitize nearby crop and
ornamental plants.
Example: Tropic ageratum and Portulaca oleracea are alternate host root-knot nematodes
6. Adds organic matter to the soil. If they do decay, it is important in organic farming
 7. Weeds could serve as source of medicines.
Example: Phylantus amarus – for the control of diabetes
Impereta cylindrical – for kidney trouble
8. Serve as soil binders especially in rolling areas
Example: Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)
Cogon grass (Impereta cylindrica)
9. Serve as raw materials for local processing industries like ladies bags, fertilizer, paper and shoes
Example: water hyacinth, water lilies (Monochoria vaginalis)
10. Served as sources of botanical pesticides
Ageratum conyzoides – as effective rodenticed because it has been found very
potent in destroying the liver of rats.(Ocampo and Kumsaa, 1987).
Portulaca oleracea – good source of botanical herbicide and fungicide.
11. Weeds can be used as green manure
Examples: Chromolaena odorata, T. portulacastrum, Ipomoea triloba., etc.
12. It can be used to augment control of other pests.

Reasons Why We Need To Classify And Identify Weeds

1. Give some idea with regard to their biological and ecological adaptations.
2. Necessary in the exact estimation of the magnitude of their harmful effects to crops.
3. Provide basic guide or clue for the right measures to be used for their control.
4. Differences in morphology and physiology are important in a control program.
5. Control depends much on the characteristics of these weeds and a broad understanding of these
characteristics is essential if the right control measures are to be selected and maximum effect is
achieved.
A. Based on Adaptation
1. Obligate weeds – those that are associated with man or found only in
cultivated areas (new species, biotypes)
2. Facultative weeds – found both in wils state and in cultivated habitats
( old-wild species)
B. According to Life Cycle

1. Annuals – weed species that complete their life cycle in one growing
season, within 1 year or less. Example: Echinochloa crusgalli
2. Biennials – require two growing seasons in which to complete their life
cycle.
They usually form rosettes (radial cluster of leaves, lying close to the
ground) the first year and during the second year, they send up flower
stalks.
3. Perennials – live for three or more years.
Example: Lantana camara and Cyperus rotundus
C. According to Gross Morphology
1. Grasses - long leaf blades with parallel veins
- from Family Graminae or Poaceae
- with distinct nodes and internodes
- alternate leaf arrangements
- presence of round stems
- Example: Echinochloa colona and Cynodon dactylon
2. Sedges - long leaf blades with parallel veins
- no nodes and internodes
- absence of ligule
- fusion of leaf sheath forming a tube around the stem
- they have angular or triangular stems.
- they have whorl leaf arrangements
- Example: Cyperus rotundus, Cyperus kyllingia
3. Broadleaves - those belonging to the other families of dicots and monocots
- leaf blades are broad and fully expanded.
- Example: Amaranthus spinosus, Portulaca oleracea

C. According to Cotyledonous Character

1. Dicots – weeds with two cotyledons
2. Monocots – weeds with only one cotyledon
D. According to Nature of Stems
1. Woody – with woody stems, perennial. Example: Lantana camara
2. Semi- woody – weeds with semi-woody stems
3. Herbacious species – weeds with soft stems Example: Celosia argentea

E. According to Habitat
1. Terrestrial – weeds that live on land for their survival. Example: Portulaca oleracea
2. Aquatic – weeds that live on water Example: Pistia stratiotes
3. Epiphytes – weeds that live on air for their survival.

F. Based on Soil pH
1. Basophiles – weeds that grow well in alkaline soils ranging from 7.4 to 8.5
Examples: Alkali grass (Puccinallia spp.)
Quack grass ( Elytrigia repens)
2. Acedophiles – weed species that inhabit only acidic soils. They prefer pH range of 4.5 to 6.5.
Examples: Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass)
3. Neutrophiles – weed species which grow best at a pH range of 6.5 to 7.4
Example: Amaranthus spinosus; Amaranthus viridis
SPREAD AND DISSEMINATION OF WEEDS
The distribution of weeds throughout the world has been associated directly with man’s
exploration and colonization of distant places.

1. Natural Dissemination
•Wind – the most common of the natural means of weed seed dispersal
Example: light seeds – those equipped with feathery pappus that serve as
a “sail” or parachute..
Lantana camara, Ageratum conyzoides
•Flowing water – is capable of transporting almost any type of weed species.
•Animals – they are unwitting carriers of weed seeds having dispersal units equipped with hooks,
barks and hairs which catch or cling in the animals fur or hair.
Example: Aschyranthes aspera (garem) ;
Chrysopogon aciculatus (amorseko)
•Forceful dehiscence – the natural splitting open of seed pods due to heat.
Example: Sesbania sesban and other weeds species with pods.
2. Artificial dissemination
•Man – distribute weed seeds by means of his transport system, wagons, trucks, airplanes or
farm machineries.
Weed Establishment
1. From seeds
a. Sown with crop seeds – this is most likely where a farmer uses his own seeds and it
is not properly cleaned.
b. Shed in previous cropping – some weeds can remain dormant in the soil for up to
60 years.
c. Carried onto the field by birds and animals or by wind.
d. In farm yard manures – chicken dung, cow manure etc.

2. Vegetative Propagules
a. Rhizome ( underground stems)
b. Stolons (mainly surface runners)
c. deep creeping roots
d. Tap roots
e. Bulb and bulbils – e.g. wild onions
f. Bulbous shoot bases – these are being carried by cultivation implements.
Why Weeds are Persistent?
1. Weeds produce a large number of seeds in one life cycle. They are prolific seed producers:
Example: Common purslane – 40,000
Celosia argentea – 57,000
Tropic ageratum – 36865
Small flower umbrella plant – 50,000
Pickerel weed – 44,000
Goose grass – 50,352
2. They have very rapid vegetative growth
3. They reproduce early and efficiently.
4. The seeds or propagules possess dormancy or they can be induce to become dormant under
unfavorable environmental conditions.
5. Vegetative reproduction – rhizomes, stolons or any other vegetative propagules of perennial
weeds are located as deep as 1 m in the soil. They are capable of withstanding adverse
environmental conditions.
6. Inherent hardiness - weeds seem to possess some built-in mechanism to survive against
vagaries of nature including extreme heat, cold, drought, biotic stress, soil abnormalities
among others.
7. Self-regeneration - weeds are self-sown plants. They don’t require any man-made friable
seed beds for their germination.
 CROP-WEED COMPETITION AND
CROP-WEED ASSOCIATION
Crop-Weed Competition Concept
Competition
• Two plants are in competition with each other when the growth of either one of them or both is
reduced or their form modified as compared with their growth or form in isolation (Bleasdale,
1960).
• Occurs when the demands of the crop and weeds exceeds that of available supply.
• Rivalry of plants for growth resources. Competition is keenest when individual plants are most
similar and make the same demands on their habitat.

Kinds of Competition:
1. Intra-specific competition – this refers to the competition of plants belonging to the same
species.
Example: Echinochloa colona versus Echinochloa colona
Eleusine indica versus Eleusine indica
2. Inter-specific competition – refers to the competiton of plants belonging to different species.
Example: Monochoria vaginalis versus Cyperus iria
Eggplant versus Amaranthus spinosus
3. Interplant competition – refers to the kind of competition that exists within the plant itself.
The various parts of plants compete with various growth resources.
Factors Affecting Crop-Weed Competition:

Weed Factors
•Competing ability (predominant weed)
•Density/ population/ number
•Time of emergence
Crop Factors
Crop-weed Yield
•Structure or competing ability Competition
Reduction
•Spacing

Soil / Climatic Factor

•Season/ rainfall
•Nutrient status
•Soil pH
Crop Yield Losses Due to Weeds

Potential yield loss due to weeds – this represents the reduction in crop yield if weeds are not
controlled. This is not a good or precise estimate of yield loss due to weeds because it
assumes that farmers do not weed their crops. The formula is:

Yield (weeded field) – Yield (unweeded field)

% Potential yield reduction = -------------------------------------------------------------- x 100
due to weeds Yield ( weeded field)

Actual yield loss due to weeds – this represents the reduction in crop yield considering
farmer’s practice. It is computed using the formula:

Yield (weeded field) – Yield (with farmer’s practice)

% Actual yield reduction = ------------------------------------------------------------------------ x 100
due to weeds Yield ( weeded field )
 During the cropping period, there is a particular duration, ( the critical period of
competition), wherein the crop is very sensitive to weed competition, the
presence of weeds above a certain density (critical threshold level, CTL), will
cause a significant reduction in yield.

 Critical Period of Weed Competition - refers to the time or period of growth of the
crop where weeding operation should occur because it’s the stage when the
highest yield reduction is expected.

 Critical Threshold Level (CTL) – that level of weed population beyond which
significant yield reduction may occur. In weed management, we allow weed
population up to CTL but not beyond. CTL vary with weed species. CTL is a
good indicator when to control weeds.
Estimates of potential and actual yield losses due to weeds in some crops of the
Philippines:

==============================================================
CROPS Potential Yield Loss (%) Actual Yield Loss (%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transplanted rice (irrigated) 36 21
Transplanted rice (rainfed) 45 25
Upland rice 94 8
Corn 52 16
Soybeans 58 43
Transplanted onion 75 11
Transplanted tomato 74 0

==================================================================
 “When you feel discouraged and feel
like quitting, listen to God’s quiet voice
and you’ll find His grace to press on.”
Crop-Weed Allelopathy
The term allelopathy from two Greek words meaning “mutual harm”. In the general use of
the term, however, allelopathy is restricted to the harmful effect of one plant or another through
the production of toxins that escape into the environment (Rice, 1974).

Allelopathy refers to any biochemical interaction effects between crops and weed species
usually deleterious effects of root exudates or biodegradation products of plant residues.
Allelopathy is distinguished from competition because it depends on a chemical compound being
added to the environment while competition involves the removal of an essential factor from the
environment.

Shift In Weed Population

The plant composition of the biosphere keeps on changing with time, much so with weed
species in cultivated areas. Example: Marsilea crenata was the predominant weed in lowland
rice in many areas of the Philippines. Now this aquatic weed has very limited distribution and is
replaced in predominance by Echinochloa spp. And Monochoria vaginalis in most growing areas.
Major Factors Influencing Population Changes
1. Control Methods
There is no one method that can control all the weed species in the field. As such, some weeds
may be unfavorably affected by one particular method while other may be favorably affected,
directly or indirectly. And when one method is practiced continuously for several planting
seasons, those favorably affected will tend to dominate in the future. The predominance of our
presently noxious weeds in different crops may very well attributed to continuous practice of a
particular control method.
2. Change in Water Management
In rice fields, a change from rainfed to irrigated condition will most likely favor the growth of
Scirpus maritimus and Pistia stratiotes and check the growth of perennial grasses. Changing the
source of irrigation may also affect weed population. Some aquatic weed species are introduced
into new areas through irrigation water. Similarly, a change from lowland to upland culture will
prevent the emergence of semi-aquatic weeds but allow upland weeds to take over.
3. Fertilizer Management
Application of fertilizer may suppress non-responsive weed species but may favor build-up of weed
species that respond efficiently to the added nutrients. Pistia stratiotes, a weed species that does
not respond well to nitrogen fertilization, can be partially controlled when growing with rice
through faster growth of the crop which is responsive to nitrogen. On the other hand, Echinochloa
spp. may predominate as it is very responsive to applied nitrogen
 4. Change in Crop Variety or Cropping Systems
Because of the different competitive power of crop varieties, a change in the variety planted will
affect the composition of the weed population. Traditional varieties of rice which are tall statured
can compete more favorably with weeds, unlike the present medium-statured and dwarf-statured
high yielding varieties.
A change in the cropping system may entail changes in the crop planted, in fertilizer management
and water management which will evoke different responses from different weed species. A
predominant population of Pistia stratiotes in an irrigated area continuously planted to rice may be
reduced if the field if rotated with an upland crop for one year, killing Pistia stratiotes seedlings and
seeds.

METHODS OF WEED CONTROL

The practices used to restrict the growth and spread of weeds may be grouped into three (3)
general categories:
1.Prevention - measures taken to prevent the introduction and or establishment of specified
weed species in areas that are not currently infested with those plant species. It is practiced
primarily through laws and their enforcement
2.Eradication – is the ideal of weed control but is rarely achieved. It infers that a given weed
species, its seeds and vegetative parts has been killed or completely removed from a given area
and that weed will not reappear unless reintroduced to the area.
3. Control – encompasses those practices whereby weed infestations are reduced but not
necessarily eliminated. Weed control is a matter of degree, ranging from poor to excellent.
General Principles in Weed Management or Weed Control
1. The main purpose of weed management is to reduce weed population to levels that will not
significantly reduce crop yield. Presence of weeds in a crop does not necessarily lead to significant
reduction in yield.
2. Weed control activities should be started early in the season and sustained until the crop shall have
developed sufficient roots and leaves to compete favorably with weeds or until the crop leaf
canopies close in. Many studies have shown that weeds that emerge after this period no longer
reduce yield significantly.
3. For effective control of weeds, control measures should kill weeds and vegetative propagules like
rhizomes, tubers, runners, off-shoots and others.
Methods of Weed Control:
1.. Preventive Measure
This include methods or approaches that prevent or stop the introduction of weed seeds or vegetative
propagules and minimize their establishment in a given field or area.
a) Sanitation or Good Farm Practices
b) Seed Certification
•Use of high quality, disease and weed seed –free planting materials. This method enhances early
germination and vigorous growth of the crop which will lead to early head-start over weeds.
Furthermore , this will minimize the unintentional planting of weed seeds together with the crop seeds.
Planting crop seeds with weed seeds is a very common way of introducing new weeds in the fields.
c) Legal Measures
•Promulgated Weed Laws or Ordinances - this involves the listing of noxious weeds in a given area.
•Quarantine - These are found in entry ports like in sea ports and air ports. They are provided with lists
of problems weeds that need to be controlled.
2.. Physical Methods - a method of weed control that directly destroy weeds.
a. Hand Weeding or Hand Pulling - in this method, weeds are controlled by uprooting.
Disadvantage: the economic cost is high or expensive
Example: 15 man-days to weed a hectare of irrigated lowland rice 40 man-days to weed a hectare
of upland rice.
b. Slashing – a method of weed control that involves the use of various local hand implements by
slashing. This is often used in plantation crops once a month and may decline with time.
c. Hoeing/ Hoe Weeding or Digging - this method of control involves the use of grub hoe or small
garden tools like trowel bolo, crow bar, spading fork that are used to till the soil.
d. Burning or Flaming - this method employs fire with the use of “flame cultivator” or weed burner.

Limitation: Flaming kills most often only the above ground parts and is dangerous that it may serve
as source of bush fire.

3. Cultural Methods
a. Use of Competitive Crop – a variety adapted to the locality which is characterized by an early
rapid growth provides some measure of weed control through its competitive advantage.
b. Thorough Land Preparation – this method is essential for providing a weed-free condition
which is favorable for planting and crop growth. Initial plowing buried weeds and stubbles from
the previous crop.
c. Water Management of Flooding - this method is effectively used in transplanted lowland rice.
Many weed species will not germinate under submerged conditions. The goal in this method is to
submerge the soil but allow the taller rice transplants to protrude above the water surface.
Limitation: It can not control aquatic weed species and is applicable only in lowland rice fields.
 e. Crop Rotation – this refers to the growing of a crop following another kind of crop.
Weeds associate themselves with crops that have similar growth requirements and cultural
practices. Therefore, planting a different kind of crop that is more competitive would certainly
control the less competitive weed species. Example: rice – garlic – mungbean
f. Closer Row Spacing - this method increases the competitive ability of the crops. Decreasing the
distance of planting from the usual 25x25 cm to 15x 15cm for rice can reduce the weed
growth by more than 50% with a corresponding increase in yield.
g. Intercropping – this refers to the growing of two or more crops in the same piece of land at the
same time. This method is considered a wed control strategy because the crops will attain
canopy closure early and the weeds growing within the rows are controlled through shading
depriving them with solar radiation.
h. Cover Cropping – this involves the planting of cover crops preferably the creeping ones. It control
weed growth through smothering and shading.
4. Mechanical Method
This method involves the use of machines, farm tools and implements such as tractor, cultivator,
or rotary weeder.
a. Mowing or weed cutters - this involves the cutting of top shoot of weeds as if in wing of grass to
maintain lawns with the use of lawn mowers or grass cutters.
b. Rotary weeder - this involves the use of rotary weeder particularly in lowland rice that will destroy
and incorporate the weeds growing in between the rows of the crop. This is only applicable to rice
crops that are planted in straight rows but it cannot control weeds growing within the rows of the crop.
This method reduces the weeding operation in lowland rice from 15 man-days to 6 man-days.
c. Inter-Row Cultivation - this involve the method of tilling the rows of the crops as in off-barring and
hilling-up with the use of machine cultivators or moldboard plow. This method should be
complemented with other methods like hand weeding because it can not control weeds present within
the rows.
5. Biological Control Method
This involve the use of natural enemy or pest organisms to control a weed species and is
perhaps the most desirable method but the most difficult to attain. It requires a high degree of
precision, necessitating several tests before a pest is released to a certain area to control a specific
weed species. Biological control attempts primarily to reduce weed population to a density that will
not cause economic damage. Biological control is restricted to the use of enemy organisms such as
insects, pathogens, mites, fishes and excludes any direct interference by man on weeds.

6. Chemical Weed Control

This method of weed control involves the use of herbicides that provides at most times a
practical and convenient solution to some of our present weed problems that need urgent
solutions. The discovery of the selective herbicidal property of 2,4-D was considered a major
breakthrough in Agriculture. Safety precautions on the label should be strictly observed. Improper
use of herbicides may result in crop injury, poor or ineffective weed control and drift or residue
problems.

Advantages of Chemical Weed Control

1. There is substantial reduction in labor required used in weed control.
The 15 to 40 man-days per hectare required to weed transplanted rice using hand
weeding can be reduced to 3 man-days.
2. Early season weed control is possible. Weed control should be done 2 weeks after planting.
3. It allows the control of weeds within the crop rows.
Disadvantages and Limitations:
1. It requires a high degree of precision needed for weed control. Therefore it is necessary
that the sprayer should be calibrated to determine the correct/ exact dilution and rate of
application.
2. Spray drift and herbicide residue problems.

Classification of Herbicides:
1.According to Time of application
a) Pre-plant Herbicides – herbicides that are applied after land preparation but before the crop is
planted.
Examples: trifluralin, EPTAM
b) Pre-emergence Herbicide – refers to herbicides that that are applied after the crop is planted
but before the crop or weed emerge.
Examples: Atrazine and pendimethaline – applied in corn
Butachlor – pre-emergence herbicide for transplanted rice.
c) Post –emergence Herbicides – these are herbicides that are applied after the crop or the
weeds have emerged. The target are the emerged plants. The herbicide is deposited in the leaves,
stems and other aerial parts.
Examples: a) 2,4- D, b) Propanil, c) glyphosate
 2. Based on Movement of the Herbicide
a) Contact Herbicides – this refers to herbicides whose phytotoxic effects are manifested at the
sites (target plants) where it is deposited.
Examples: Paraquat, Propanil
b) Translocated Herbicides – this refer to herbicides whose phytotoxic effects are manifested at or
away from the site of application.
Examples: Atrazine, 2,4- D
3. Based on Selectivity
a. Non-selective herbicides – herbicides that kill all plants or green living things.
Examples: Paraquat (non-selective contact herbicide); glyphosate (non-selective translocated
herbicide.
b.Selective herbicides – herbicides that kill some plants leaving other practically unharmed.
Examples: 2,4-D; Propanil; Atrazine
The selectivity of a given herbicide can be modified, changed or altered by:
increasing the rate of application, changing the time and manner of application.

Possible Things that Happen in Mixing Pesticides

1. Synergism - the effect of the mixture is greater than the sum of effects when applied singly.
2. Antagonism – the effect of the mixture is less than the effects of herbicide A and herbicide B.
3. Additive – the effect of the herbicide mixture is the sum of effects of the chemicals when applied
singly.
WEED MANAGEMENT
Integrated Weed Control (IWC) or Weed Management (WM) – refers to the use of control
strategies in a compatible manner to reduce the damages caused by weeds and minimize the
negative impact of control measures to the environment (Enuis, 1977; Shaw, 1979)
There is a great need for proper weed management because many farmers are dependent
only on only one weed control measure. This practice is not desirable or recommended because it
does not provide adequate weed control.
Integrated weed control is location specific, which means that the weed control approach
in one location may not be applicable to other location. This brought about by the difference in
physical factors (soil, rainfall and temperature) and biotic factor. Therefore, in order to come up
with an effective integrated weed control program, you need to know the different control
measures, their limitations and advantages.

Essential Components of Integrated Weed Control or Weed Management:

1.Control strategies that would suppress weeds during the critical period of weed
competition.
2. Control strategies that will interrupt recycling of weed seeds and vegetative propagules.
Examples: - control of weeds before they flower
- thorough land preparation to reduce the weed seed reserves in the soil through weed flushes.
3. Control strategies that will avoid introduction of new weed seeds.
Example: Use of clean crop seeds (certified seeds)
Levels of Integration in Weed Management

1. Integration of several control measures to suppress a single weed species.

2. Integration of many control strategies against a complex of weeds infesting a

single crop.

3. Integration of control strategies against a complex of pests ( insects, diseases,

rats and weeds) in a crop - Integrated pest management (IPM)
“Short comings are not the reasons to give up,
but a challenge to improve ourselves.
Deficiencies are not an excuse to back out but
an inspiration to move forward.”
COMPUTATIONS IN WEED SCIENCE:

A) Crop Yield Losses Due to Weeds

Potential yield loss due to weeds – this represents the reduction in crop yield if weeds are
not controlled. This is not a good or precise estimate of yield loss due to weeds because
it assumes that farmers do not weed their crops. The formula is:
  
Yield (weeded field) – Yield (unweeded field)
% Potential yield reduction = -------------------------------------------------------------- x 100
due to weeds Yield ( weeded field)

 Actual yield loss due to weeds – this represents the reduction in crop yield considering
farmer’s practice. It is computed using the formula:
 
Yield (weeded field) – Yield (with farmer’s practice)
% Actual yield reduction = --------------------------------------------------------------------- x 100
due to weeds Yield ( weeded field )
B) Parameters of Weed Dominance

Relative Density (RD) = Density of a weed species_______ x 100

Total density for all weed species
 
 
Relative Fresh Weight = Fresh weight of a weed species_____ x 100
(RFW) Total fresh weight of all weed species

Relative Frequency = Frequency value of a weed species_____ x 100

(RFQ) Total frequency value of all weed species

Summed Dominance Ratio = RD + RFW + RFQ

(SDR) 3
C) Sprayer Calibration
1. Know the delivery of the sprayer. Measure any known area (example 2 x 10 m)
and determine the time required to spray at constant speed.
Example 12 seconds
2. Let it run for 12 seconds using water and collect its discharge in a graduated
cylinder. That is the amount or volume need to spray the area.
Example 0.8 liters
3. Determine the amount needed to spray a hectare:
Amount needed = 0.8 liters = ____x________
20 m2 10,000 m2/ ha

= 400 liters/ ha

4. Determine the number of tankloads required:

Assume that 1 tankload is = 16 liters
  Conversion table: 1 tbs = 10 cc ==10 ml = 10 g
Number of tankloads = 400 liter/ ha______
16 liters / tankload

= 25 tankloads
 5. Know the amount of product needed per hectare. Assume that the
recommended rate (RR) of herbicide is 2 kg ai at 50% formulation
 
Kg product = 2 kg ai/ ha
0.5
= 4 kg product
 
6. Determine the amount of product per tankload
 
 
Amount of product = 4000 g product/ ha
per tankload 25 tankloads

= 160 g product or 16 tbs/ tankload

D) Herbicide Calculations (Also applicable to Insecticides)

Amount of Herbicide = RR (kg ai/ ha) x A (hectare) x 100

 
Material C
Where: RR – recommended rate of application (in kg ai/ ha)
A – area to be treated ( in hectare)
C – concentration of ai in the herbicide formulation (in %)

For wettable powder (WP) and Granular Herbicides

   

Amount (kg) = RR (kg ai/ ha) x A (ha) x 100

C
Example: To apply 2 kg ai/ ha of PCP WP 85% to 2, 500 m2 field,
how many kg of PCP WP 85% do you need?
 
Required Amount = RR (kg ai/ ha) x A (hectare) x 100
C
= 2 (kg ai /ha) x 0.25 hectare x 100
85
= 0.588 kg
For Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) Herbicides
 
Amount (liters) = RR (kg ai/ ha) x A (hectare) x 100
C
Example: How many liters of MPCA EC 4 lb/ Imp. gal are required to spray
a 500 m2 plot at the rate of 0.8 kg ai/ hectare?
 
Required Amount = RR (kg ai/ ha) x A (hectare) x 100
of MCPA (liters) C
= 0.8 kg ai /ha x 0.05 has x 100
40
= 0.10 liters

Conversion Factor: 4 lb/ Imp gal. = 400 g/ liter = 40%

1 tbs = 10 cc = 10 ml – 10 grams
to convert lb/US gal to % multiply by 12
to convert lb/Lmp gal to % multiply by 10
to convert g/L to % divide by 10
“Delete all your worries; Save the moment
you win in a struggle; Call divert whatever
your concerns to God; Load your trust in
Him and wait for His Tone that says . . .
I am with you in the Board Exam.”
 Good Luck
and God Bless to
all!
“ One man’s crop may be another man’s weed “