Impacts on Weeds - Climate Resilient Agriculture for Ensuring Food Security - page 197

Effective utilization of such crop residue mulches
can act as self-supporting weed management
(rice) for the concurrent as well as rotational
crops.

situations. Integrated weed management lies at
the center of weed control. The combination of
farming strategies, biological control agents, and
necessary herbicide use has helped California
farmers address weed problems using a variety of
methods.

10.11.2 Soil Solarization Studies

10.11.5 Conservation Agriculture

and Weed Management

Soil solarization plays a big role in the manage-
ment of weeds, nematodes, and pathogens under
the conditions of increased temperature. It can be
incorporated in the schedule of integrated weed
management (IWM) and integrated pest manage-
ment (IPM). However, the thickness and color of
polyethylene, time and duration of solarization,
effect on benefi cial microorganisms and nutrient
mineralization, and supplementary treatments to
be superimposed or followed after solarization
across situations need to be more characterized/
refi ned under the changing climate.

Weed management under minimal and zero till-
age poses a big challenge to crop production and
appears to be another important aspect of research
across crops and situations. Resource conserving
techniques need to be blended with other options
towards better weed control under conservation
agriculture.

10.11.6 Remote Sensing and Site-

Specifi c Weed Management

10.11.3 Chemical Weed Control

Studies Using Old and New
Molecules of Herbicides

Combined use of remote sensing, Geographic
Information System (GIS), and Global
Positioning System (GPS) is a powerful tool in
detecting, mapping, and monitoring the spread of
weeds over inaccessible areas. Identifi cation of
weed species using remote sensing in range or
wild range lands can be achieved. Site-specifi c
weed management (SSWM) may be undertaken
using these tools. Computer-analyzed video
images of the digital data can provide the area
estimates of weeds.

Climate change, particularly increased tempera-
ture, may have profound impact on the control of
composite, parasitic, aquatic, and invasive weeds
using herbicides in crops and non-cropped situa-
tions. Studies on the ED 50 or GR 50 value and effi -
ciency of herbicides are of paramount importance
under this situation. Monitoring of residues in soil,
water, and plants may add another dimension of
research. The following studies may have priority:
• Herbicide bio-effi cacy, biochemical selectiv-
ity, and nontarget toxicity of the old and new
herbicides and their formulations
• Herbicide resistance management
• Herbicide-resistant crops (transgenics) and
their performance evaluation

10.11.7 Other Methods

Crop rotations should be followed to increase
biodiversity. Noxious weeds establish slower
(grassy weeds in cereals), because specifi c rela-
tionships between weeds and host plants are
interrupted (Dhawan and Peshin 2009 ).
Biological control agents can be effective
against weed populations that are resistant to her-
bicides. Planting strategies such as changing
planting times can counter weed growth.
In addition to the prudent application of

10.11.4 Integrated Weed

Management

Integrated weed management (IWM) is the recent
and more acclaimed aspects of long-lasting weed