Weed Management in Organic Production Systems

Weeds are responsible for 33% of the total pest-induced crop yield loss, followed by pathogens (26%), insect pests (20%), storage pests (7%), rodents (6%), and other pests (8%). Herbicides provide convenient, efficient, and cost-effective control of weeds, resulting in significant increase in crop productivity and profitability. However, they are not to be used and are prohibited in organic production systems (OPS). Therefore, managing weeds effectively is one of the most important challenges to farmers of organic production systems. To date, the OPS highly relies on mechanical/manual weed control using tillage/hoeing and hand weeding, which are costlier, labour-intensive, and time-consuming. Robotics may pave the way for advanced and eco-friendly weed management. It continues to develop and holds enough potential to support organic farmers in maintaining weed-free fields and achieving higher yields. Crop husbandry practices like zero tillage with residue, raised-bed planting with residue, crop residue management (permanent/semi-permanent residue cover/dead mulch, residue incorporation into soil or residue burning), live cover crops mulch/smother crops, soil solarization, stale seed bed, altering sowing time and geometry, competitive crops/varieties, crop diversification/intercropping/crop rotation, allelopathic crops, weeds bio-control agents, deleterious Rhizobacteria (DRB) and natural and organic herbicides could be promising options for weed management under the organic production systems Soil solarization although a cost-incurring method has potential for managing weeds and other pests. Flamer and infrared weeder have several pros and cons and they are still in their infancy. Common essential oils as natural organic herbicides for managing weeds under OPS need to be adequately investigated/authenticated across locations for dose-sensitive response and crop phytotoxicity. Finally, integrated organic weed management (IOWM) that can limit weeds at threshold level and inflict less/no crop yield loss may resort for better weed control and higher crop yield and income.