G.S.

Pradeep
WEEDS
A weed is a plant growing where it is not desired or out of place,
that interferes with agriculturists objectives. Weeds include all
types of unwanted plants
Trees
Broad Leaf Plants
Grasses
Sedges
Aquatic Plants
Parasitic plants
Harmful effect of Weeds on Crop
production
Compete with crops for moisture, light, nutrients and space
Reduce quality of products
Choke irrigation canals and reduce water quality
Reduce labour efficiency
Act as a secondary host
Reduce land value
Hazardous to human and animals health

Characteristics of Weeds
Grow and thrive in different ecological conditions
Reproduce by
Seeds
Stem cuttings
Roots
Leaves
Rhizomes
Tubers
Comes
Runners
Stolen
Characteristics of Weeds
Weeds propagules are disseminated via
Human Activities
Wind
Water
Animals and Machinery
Classification of weeds
Weeds are classified based on
Life Span
Leaf and Stem Morphology
Habitats
Life Span
a. Annual Life cycle completed within one year
b. Biannual Life cycle completed within two years Flowering
stage only at the 2
nd
year
c. Perennial A plant living several years and flowering
occur each year at flowering
Morphological Characteristics
Grasses
monocot
hollow nodes and solid inter nodes
long slender leaves
Sedges
monocot
long slender leaves
triangular solid stem
Broad leaved
dicots
netted leaf venation
Weeds Control Methods in Tea
Eradication
Complete removal of weeds from given area
Prevention
Blocking the infestation of weed species in a particular area
Management
Reducing weed density below economic threshold level
Different Weed Management Techniques
Manual Methods - Hand puling: labour intensive
Mechanical Methods - Mamoting, scraping, etc
Agronomic Methods - Proper bush mgt, infilling, mulching
and shade mgt
Chemical Methods - Use different types of herbicides
Biological methods - This involves the utilization
of natural enemies
Integrated weed mgt - use of two or more above
Mentioned techniques


Chemical methods





Chemical methods
Pre-emergent
Applied on to the bare soil before
weeds emerge
Diuron, Oxyfluorfen

Post emergent
Applied on grown weeds

Contact
Causes scorching on the
aerial part of plant
Systemic
Absorbed by plants roots
moves and kill the plant
Standard nozzles for herbicide spraying
1. Green Polyjet nozzle
Spray swath up to 90 100 cm
Suitable for young and mature tea fields


2. Yellow Polyjet nozzle
Spray swath up to 50cm
Suitable for mature tea fields and spot spraying


3. Blue Polyjet nozzle
Spray swath up to 1.5m
Suitable for non tea areas
Eg:-
Ravines
Road banks
Timber clearings


With different crops weeds act in different manner

Some weeds not threatening economically harmful level

This plants naturally grown in an agriculture land gives several
beneficial effects

Such as
Prevent soil erosion
Increase soil fertility
Some are use as pastures and fodder
Some medicinal plants
Some human consumption
Some host for beneficial insects
Substitutes for pesticides
Some are fix N
Ageratum conyzoides
Sinhala - hulantala
Tamil - Poom pillu
English - White weed/ billygoat weed
Life cycle - Annual herb
Propagation - by seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Amaranthus virids
Sinhala - Kurathampala
Tamil - araikkirai
Life cycle - Annual herb
Propagation - by seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Anredera cordifolia
Sinhala - Val nivithi
Tamil - pasali kodi
Life cycle - Perennial
Propagation - by vegetative bulbils,
by even small cuttings
Control measures - Manually/ dip these
weeds in glyphosate

Bidens pilosa
Sinhala - Val te kola / letiya
Tamil - ottu pillu
Life cycle - Annual herb
Propagation - by seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Centella asiatica
Sinhala - Heen gotukola
Tamil - Vallari
Life cycle - Perenial
Propagation - vegetatively
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Commellina Diffusa
Sinhala - Girapala/ diya meneriya
Tamil - Amali
Life cycle - Prennial
Propagation - by vegetative/seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Crassocephalum crepidioides
Sinhala - Kadupahara
Tamil - keera thandupillu
Life cycle - Annual
Propagation - by seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Emilia sonchifolia
Sinhala - Kadupara
Life cycle - Prennial
Propagation - by seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Erigeron sumatrensis
Sinhala - Sudana
Tamil - Alawangu pillu, cochi poom pilu
Life cycle - Annual
Propagation - by seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Ipomoea indica
Sinhala - Valbatala
Life cycle - Annual
Propagation - by Stem/seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Mimosa pudica
Sinhala - Heen Nidikumba
Tamil - thotat sinungi
Life cycle - Annual
Propagation - by seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Oldenlalandia corymbosa
Sinhala - Wal-path padagam/Papiliya
Life cycle - Annual
Propagation - by seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Osbeckia octandra
Sinhala - Heen bovitiya/ Kuruwina
Tamil - Kathtoo mukhtohulai/ Mahthulai
Life cycle - Perennial
Propagation - by Seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Sida acuta
Sinhala - Gas-Bevila
Tamil - Palampasi
Life cycle - Annual or perennial
Propagation - by eeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Vernonia cinerea
Sinhala - Monara kudumbiya
Tamil - Neisudi kirai
Life cycle - Annual
Propagation - by Seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Cynodon dactylon
Sinhala - Durva
Tamil - arugampillu
Life cycle - Peranial
Propagation - by Vegetative/Seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides

Echinochloa colona
Sinhala - Goda maruk
Tamil - Adi pul
Life cycle - Annual
Propagation - by Seeds
Control measures - Use of herbicides