Weed Biology And Management

Weeds hold an enigmatic and sometimes-controversial place in agriculture, where they are generally reviled, grudgingly tolerated, and occasionally admired. In most cases, growers make considerable effort to reduce the negative economic impact of weeds because they compete with crops for resources and hinder field operations, thereby affecting crop productivity and quality, and ultimately the sustainability of agriculture. Weed control in production agriculture is commonly achieved through the integration of chemical, biological, and mechanical management methods. Chemicals (herbicides) usually inhibit the growth and establishment of weed plants by interfering with various physiological and biochemical pathways. Biological methods include crop competition, smother crops, rotation crops, and allelopathy, as well as specific insect predators and plant pathogens. Mechanical methods encompass an array of tools from short handled hoes to sophisticated video-guided robotic machines. Integrating these technologies, in order to relieve the negative impacts of weeds on crop production in a way that allows growers to optimize profits and preserve human health and the environment, is the science of weed management.

Weeds are the main biological constraint to crop production throughout the year. Uncontrolled weeds could cause 100% yield loss. In Australia, the overall cost of weeds to Australian grain growers was estimated at AU$ 3.3 billion annually. In terms of yield losses, weeds amounted to 2.7 million tonnes of grains at a national level. In the USA, weeds cost US$ 33 billion in lost crop production annually. In India, these costs were estimated to be much higher (US$ 11 billion). These studies from different economies suggest that weeds cause substantial yield and economic loss. Biology and Management of Problematic Weed Species details the biology of key weed species, providing vital information on seed germination and production, as well as factors affecting weed growth. These species include Chenopodium album, Chloris truncata and C. virgate, Conyza bonariensis and C. canadensis, Cyperus rotundus, and many more. This information is crucial for researchers and growers to develop integrated weed management (IWM) strategies. Written by leading experts across the globe, this book is an essential read to plant biologists and ecologists, crop scientists, and students and researchers interested in weed science. Provides detailed information on the biology of different key weed species Covers weed seed germination and emergence Presents the factors affecting weed growth and seed production

Fundamentals of Weed Science provides an introduction to the basic principles of weed science for undergraduate courses. It discusses several aspects of weed biology and control, and traces the history of herbicide development. The book begins with an introduction to weeds, covering their definition, characteristics, harmful aspects, and the cost of weed control. This is followed chapters on weed classification, the uses of weeds, weed biology, weed ecology, allelopathy, the significance of plant competition, weed management and control methods, and biological weed control. Later chapters deal with herbicidesthe most important weed control tools and the ones with the greatest potential for untoward effects. Students of weed science must understand herbicides and the factors governing their use as well as the potential for misuse. These chapters discuss chemical weed control, the properties and uses of herbicides, factors affecting herbicide performance, herbicide application, herbicide formulation, ecological impact of herbicides, pesticide registration and legislation, weed management systems, and the future of weed science.

The book provides comprehensive information on a wide range of topics from biology, physiology, genetics to the use of genomic tools in weed science. The book covers information at a more advanced level than the previously published books in weed science. It covers not only weed genetics and genomics research, but also weed management from an ecological perspective. Furthermore, the book also gives a broad coverage of novel mechanisms of weed resistance to herbicides. More importantly, it includes next generation sequencing techniques and bioinformatics of herbicide resistant genes in weeds.

This book addresses herbicides and their use as an important aspect of modern weed management and strives to place them in an ecological framework. Many weed scientists believe agriculture is a continuing struggle with weeds--without good weed control, good and profitable agriculture is impossible. Each agricultural discipline sees itself as central to agriculture's success and continued progress, and weed science is no exception. While not denying the importance of weed management to successful agriculture, this book places it in a larger ecological context. The roles of culture, economics, and politics in weed management are also discussed, enabling scientists and students to understand the larger effects on society. Information on New herbicides included, along with the old herbicides that are important for understanding the history New section on weed resistance to herbicides and genetic engineering New information on invasive plants Expanded chapters on Biological Control, Pesticide Legislation and Regulation, Weed Management Systems, and more Instructor resources can be found at http://textbooks.elsevier.com/web/Login.aspx, and it is password protected. Please contact your sales representative at [email protected] for access to the instructor resources. The insturctor site consists of chapter questions, essay questions, an exam and images from the book

In addition to the theory and principles of weed management, this book provides information about twenty-nine of the most serious weeds in the West, including weed identification, origin, history and distribution, invasion potentials, biology and ecology, and specific management options. Full-color photographs and distribution maps help illustrate the plants and the invasive threat they pose. An invaluable resource for land managers, resource specialists, and students of natural resource management, Biology and Management of Noxious Rangeland Weeds provides practical, science-based information needed for sustainable weed management and land restoration.

Weeds are successful plants, but on their own terms. Looking at weeds from an ecological viewpoint, emphasising the way in which one species interacts with others, the authors show that weeds are questionable mainly in that they are out-of-place.