Integrated
weed management
Integrated weed
management (IWM) is the control of weeds through a long-term
management approach, using several weed management techniques
such as:
Advantages
By using several
techniques to control weeds you reduce the chance that weed
species will adapt to the control techniques, which is likely
if only one technique is used. For example, if a herbicide
is used over a long period of time, a weed species can build
up a resistance to the chemical. A long-term integrated
weed management plan, that considers all available management
control techniques or tools to control weeds, can be developed
for a particular area. Any integrated weed management plan
or strategy should focus on the most economical and effective
control of the weeds and include ecological considerations.
The long term approach to integrated weed management should
reduce the extent of weeds and reduce the weed seed stock
in the soil. It should consider how to achieve this goal
without degrading the desirable qualities of the land, such
as its native ecology or agricultural crops.
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