5. Weeding

Weeds grow  along with crops and compete with them for nutrients, water, space as well as for the sunlight.
Thus, weeds affect the growth and development of the crop.

The process of weeding is an absolute necessary to increase the productivity of the crops. The best time for the removal of weeds is before they produce flowers and seeds.

 

There are different types of weeds; some affect the growth of the plant; some interfere during harvesting, whereas few are poisonous.

 

Farmers use many controlling methods to remove weeds.

There are two major ways to control weeds, such as

Physical methods :
Tilling/ploughing performed before sowing of crops. It helps in uprooting and killing of weeds, which may then dry up and get mixed with the soil.
Removal of weeds by uprooting or cutting them close to the ground from time to time is advantageous for the growth of crops. This is done with the help of a khurpi - a weed remover. Seed drills also used to uproot weeds.

 

   

Weeds controlled by using certain chemicals, and the process is called weedicides. Chemicals are diluted and sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds using a sprayer. They kill only the weeds protecting the main crop.

 

 

 

The weedicides applied in the cropland stays as a residue in the plant's leaves, fruits or seeds and cause many unfavourable health hazards if consumed. It also affects the farmers while spraying. So farmers need to take extreme care while spraying the weedicides. Many weedicides were banned due to their ill effects on human health.