Since the onset of agriculture, the main objective of crop management has been the control of arable weeds, both by making the weed seed bank germinate at a time when the resulting plants would not hinder the crop and by eliminating weed plants at those times they would compete with the crop.  Controlling weeds has been a constant struggle for local farmers. These pesky plants have a penchant for growing where they are least welcome, thus robbing food crops like rice, maize, and yam amongst others of important resources such as nutrients, water, and sunlight, posing a significant challenge to their overall yield and profitability for farmers.

Without any doubt, weeds are bad for business and active steps should be taken to control their growth on farmlands. In today’s post, we have carefully provided four proven strategies to help you permanently get rid of weeds thus helping you regain control over your farmlands.

Ready?

Let’s dive in!

1.     Take time to carefully prepare the farmland before planting season begins.

While this may seem like a waste of time, it is actually the most important strategy for controlling weeds infestation on farmlands if done properly. Before planting your yam tubers (or any other food crop in general), take time to carefully remove existing weeds by applying land-clearing herbicides such as Paraquats (Slasher and Weedoff) or Glyphosate (Gobara, Uproot or Sarosate). You may also apply Slasha gold.

2.     Control weeds before they show up with pre-emergence herbicides

Now that your land has been prepared and unwanted plants have been destroyed, the land is ready for planting. However, it would be wrong to assume that the absence of any weeds in sight means that they have been permanently destroyed as weeds can be reintroduced on your farm through other means. It is for this reason that the application of pre-emergence herbicides (i.e., herbicides used to control weeds before the crops show up) is particularly important. Kindly bear in mind that several kinds of pre-emergence herbicides exist so be sure to confirm which is fit for your crop and farmland before purchase and application. Some of the several pre-emergent herbicides from Saro Agrosciences include Pendigold (for leguminous crops), Buster (for rice, soybeans, groundnut, watermelon, and cotton), Altrazine (for maize, sorghum, sugarcane, pineapples, yam, and cassava) and many others.

3.     Crop rotation, cover cropping, and mulching

Rotate the type of crops planted on your fields strategically to disrupt the continued survival of certain weeds peculiar to specific crop farms. This technique reduces weed populations over time and prevents the buildup of resistant weed species. Also, cover crops (like certain legumes or grasses) or organic mulch (such as dried leaves) provide a living ground cover that outcompetes weeds for the necessary resources that they need to thrive. They also improve soil health, suppress weed growth, and prevent soil erosion, thus creating an optimal environment for planted crops to thrive.

4.     Regular monitoring and timely intervention using post-emergence herbicides

Be vigilant and regularly inspect your farmland for the presence of weeds and upon detection, ensure to take quick action, whether through manual removal or targeted application of post-emergence herbicides such as Twig (for legumes), Striker (for Maize and other cereals), Actrox (for rice), etc., prevents weeds from spreading their seeds and taking over the farmland in the long run.

Conclusively,

Weed control is an essential aspect of successful farming, allowing local farmers to maximize crop productivity and profitability. Embracing these strategies discussed above will not only help you achieve weed-free farms but also contribute to sustainable farming practices and secure a more prosperous future for your farming endeavors.

Hope you were informed. Don’t miss next week’s post. Do you have a topic of interest you want us to write about? Please share in the comment section below.