Integrated Weed Management
Integrated weed management is simply the integration of multiple weed management methods as pertaining to your specific property. The four basic types that are combined are mechanical, cultural, chemical and biological. Prevention is often mentioned, but only pertains to biological. Consider each of these types an individual tool, and the ratios — or usage of the individual tool — is dictated by the property, the plants and the end goal that is envisioned. This isn’t a replacement for herbicides, they are one of the tools.
Chemical Techniques for Weed Management
Chemical integrated weed management utilizes herbicides or organic treatments. The correct ratio of the chemicals used in the treatment is called the multiple effective herbicide modes of action, or MOA. There are two benefits to the MOA method. First, certain weeds can be targeted specifically. Second, the combination of sprays can target and control more resistant weeds. The proper mix doesn’t include a one-time spray, rather a series of sprays over a time period.
Cultural Methods of Weed Control
Cultural ways of weed management pertain to how the crops are laid out and utilized. The spacing of the rows, proper crop rotation, cover cropping, the timing of planting are the most common cultural methods of integrated weed management. These are controlled easily by the property owner and are very effective in setting up conditions for certain plants to grow while others can’t. Combined with the other methods of integrated weed management, it becomes extremely precise and effective.
Mechanical and Biological Routines of Weed Removal
Mechanical and biological methods are very effective in modern integrated weed management. Mechanical methods include many traditional methods like tillage, burning, cultivation and hand-weeding. It also includes many technologies that are in their infancy, like robotic weeders and cover-crop rollers. They also include technologies used during seeding, such as seed destructors. Biological ways are less common but have proven effective. They include utilizing livestock, fungi, bacteria and insects to target weeds. Livestock is less precise, biological methods are more accurate.
