Environment-Friendly Cultural and Mechanical Practices for Weed Management

잡초처리(雜草處理)를 위한 환경친화적(環境親和的) 재배기술(栽培技術)

As control of plant diseases, insects and weeds were heavily relied on pesticides, residues of pesticides in environment and food supply were recently focused by environmentalists and consumer groups. The reduction of pesticide use was implemented in Sweden, Denmark, Netherland, England, and United States. Therefore, it is very important to discuss environmentally sound systems of weed management including cultural, mechanical, and integrated weed control. Mechanical methods using tillage, cultivation, mulching, burning, mowing, solarization, and UHF are used as one of most effective environmentally sound weed management systems. Cultural practices favoring the crops are excellent weed management measures. Correct seedbed preparation for the soil and cultural system, and use competitive cultivars contribute to weed management. Increasing crop density by higher seeding rate or by narrowing row width and careful attention to optimum fertility to produce vigorous crop plants increase competitiveness of crops against weeds. Crop rotation breaks life cycles of weeds by alternating the crop it must associate with. Herbicides are efficient and profitable to control weeds, but must be part of a total weed management program with use of minimum rate. The best weed management will be an integrated approach including two or more methods to manage weed problems.