Agriculture
Home | Seasons & Varieties | Tillage | Nutrient Mgmnt | Irrigation Mgmnt | Weed Mgmnt | Crop Protection | Cost of Cultivation | Photobank
Weed Management :: Biological Method

BIOLOGICAL METHODS OF WEED CONTROL

  1. Bioagent like insects, pathogen etc., and other animals are used to control weeds.
  2. Insect and pathogens infest weeds and they either reduce growth or kill weeds.
  3. Biological control method can reduce weeds but it is not possible to eradicate weeds.

Examples of Biological Weed Control

Bioagent Weeds
Insect
Two beetles:   Octotoma scabripennis and Uroplata giraldi Lantana camara
Scale insect
Dactylopius tomentosus.
Prickly-pear weed - Opuntia
Flea beetle
Agasicles hygrophyla
Alligator weed –
Alternanthera philoxeroides
Fish
Common carp (Cyprimus carpio)
Chinese carp
Aquatic weeds
Mammals Manetee or sea-cow Water hyacinth
Snails     Marisa sp and other fresh water snails   Submerged weeds like coontail and algae
Fungi Rhizoctinia blight. Hyacinth
Mites
Tetranychus sp Prickly pear
Plants Cowpea as intercrop in sorghum Effectively reduces the growth of weeds in sorghum

 

Intercropping in sunflower to smoother weeds

 

© All Rights Reserved. TNAU-2016.