In organic farming, the weeds are controlled without the use of chemical herbicides. Different strategies
are adopted to prevent weeds from competing with the crops for nutrient and water. This can be done by
limiting the germination of weed seeds of the following methods:
Weed Control
• Using cover crops: They not only add organic matter into the soil, but also shade out “weeds”. This
means that weeds do not enough sunlight to enable them to reach maturity and set seed.
• Pre-irrigating the field to germinate weed seeds, and then ploughing them before they mature to
reduce weed seeds in the soil.
• Using drip irrigation, whenever possible, to distribute water only around the plant line. This technique
not only conserves water, but also limits water availability to weeds in the field.
• Crop rotation.
• Biological control of weeds: By using biologically derived chemicals by using insects that prevent
growth of weeds.