Course

Theory

Unit I

Weed biology, ecology and classification, crop-weed competition including allelopathy; principles and methods of weed control and classification, management; weed indices, weed shift in different eco-systems

Unit II

Herbicides – introduction and history of their development; classification based on chemical, physiological application and selectivity; mode and mechanism of action of herbicides.

Unit III

Herbicide structure – activity relationship; factors affecting the efficiency of herbicides; herbicide formulations, herbicide mixtures, sequential application of herbicides, rotation; weed control through use of nano-herbicides and bio-herbicides, myco-herbicides bio-agents, and allelochemicals; movement of herbicides in soil and plant, Degradation of herbicides in soil and plants; herbicide resistance, residue, persistence and management; development of herbicide resistance in weeds and crops and their management, herbicide combination and rotation.

Unit IV

Weed management in major crops and cropping systems; alien, invasive and parasitic weeds and their management; weed shifts in cropping systems; aquatic and perennial weed control; weed control in non-crop area.

Unit V

Integrated weed management; recent development in weed management- robotics, use of drones and aeroplanes, organic etc., cost: benefit analysis of weed management.

Practical

Identification of important weeds of different crops – Preparation of a weed herbarium Weed survey in crops and cropping systems, Crop-weed competition studies, Weed indices calculation and interpretation with data, Preparation of spray solutions of herbicides for high and low-volume sprayers, Use of various types of spray pumps and nozzles and calculation of swath width, Economics of weed control, Herbicide resistance analysis in plant and soil, Bioassay of herbicide resistance residues – Calculation of herbicide requirement.

To familiarize the students about the weeds, herbicides and methods of weed control.