A plant is considered harmful when it grows where it is not wanted. This is because it does more harm than good to the crops of interest to the producer. This is because it takes these crops and competes for water, light, and soil nutrients. To ensure crop productivity, weed control must be carried out or look for a weed control service near me to do the work. This practice allows:
Avoid Crop Losses
Weeds generate losses that reach 15% of world grain production every year. Without proper control, these losses can get 40% in the production of a crop.
Prevent survival of pests and diseases
Some weeds can harbor crop pests and diseases, allowing a significant amount to survive in the off-season growing areas. Furthermore, surviving pest insects may be resistant to crops, making it difficult to preserve this technology.
Optimize The Harvest
Weeds can harm both manual and mechanical harvesting. In manual harvesting, workers can suffer damage to their hands through contact with certain plants, such as the opium poppy, which has thorns. In mechanical harvesting, however, it can affect the operation of harvesters.
Prevent The Increase In Infestation
Weed control is most effective when the level of infestation is still low. The pre-plant desiccation and management in the early stages of culture prevent the increase of infestation by these plants.
Increase Productivity
When production losses are avoided, there is, consequently, a higher crop yield. In this way, it is possible to guarantee greater sustainability and greater preservation of the environment.
Weed Control Methods
There are several alternatives to control weeds or look for a weed control service near me to do the work. But we cannot think of controlling invaders with isolated measures. The use of herbicides, one of the options, should be done with caution to select resistant plants. From crop rotation to machine cleaning, control methods are varied and can be done in different ways. Check out some of these methods:
- Preventive Control
Taking some actions can reduce the appearance of weeds in the crop. These are measures that are within the producer’s reach, such as the rigorous cleaning of implements and machinery and the use of certified seeds. These practices prevent weed seeds from entering the crop field and prevent them from proliferating.
- Cultural Control
Cultural control consists of:
- Choice of species adapted to the planting region
- Choice of planting season
- Density and spacing between plants
- Crop rotation.
Among these associations of strategies, we have no-tillage as the basis for forming a mass of cover on the ground. Covering inhibits the emergence of some weed species (mainly grasses and annual cycle species) that need more light to germinate.
- Physical Control
Physical control can be carried out through soil solarization, with fire and flooding. To carry out solarization, a transparent polyethylene cover is used. Although, as a result, the soil temperature increases, killing the weed embryo – the seedling—the amount of light, soil moisture, time of coverage permanence influence the success of the practice.
The use of fire raises the plant’s temperature in a short period, causing its death. In flooding, water slides are used in open spaces on the ground, called boards or boards.
- Chemical Control
Chemical control of weeds is done using pesticides, more specifically herbicides. It is fundamental to know the dynamics of herbicides and their different mechanisms of action on the invading plant. In addition, it is necessary to know the correct dose of the product associated with the application technology. The proper application time according to the weed development stage and number of applications. A single application or sequential application is often used as a tactic.
The technology has optimized the application of chemical pesticides in the field. Chemical control today is done using a tractor and aerial sprayers.
- Mechanical Control
Mechanical weed control is done by manual pulling or using equipment such as the hoe and cultivators (fixed or rotating hoe). Even after the introduction of herbicides on the market, the use of this equipment is very common. Mainly on small properties, where other control methods are limited due to lack of equipment and terrain topography. On the other hand, mechanical weed control is greatly reduced on large properties due to the need for greater agility.