Weed management in organic farming presents a significant challenge due to the prohibition of synthetic herbicides. Effective weed control in organic systems relies on an integrated approach that combines cultural, mechanical, biological, and ecological strategies to suppress weed growth while maintaining soil health and biodiversity. This review explores various organic weed management techniques, including preventive measures such as crop rotation, cover cropping, mulching, and intercropping, which create unfavorable conditions for weed establishment. Mechanical tools, such as flame weeding and tillage equipment, provide direct weed control, while biological methods, including allelopathy and the use of biocontrol agents, offer natural suppression mechanisms. Allelopathic interactions between crops and weeds can be leveraged through the strategic use of cover crops, smother crops, and green manures. Beneficial organisms, such as insects, fungi, and bacteria, have demonstrated success in controlling specific weed species, with ongoing research focusing on the development of mycoherbicides. The use of approved organic herbicides, like corn gluten meal, and the application of Integrated Weed Management (IWM) principles further enhance the effectiveness of organic weed control. By adopting a holistic, site-specific approach that optimizes multiple strategies, organic farmers can effectively manage weeds while promoting sustainable crop production and enhancing agroecosystem resilience. Future research should focus on refining weed management techniques, improving the efficacy of biological control agents, and developing innovative, eco-friendly solutions to support the growth of organic agriculture.
Weed management, Organic farming, Cultural practices, Crop rotation, Cover crops, Intercropping, Mulching
Anderson, R. L. (2005). Are some crops synergistic to following crops? Agronomy Journal, 97(1), 7-10.
Ascard, J. (1998). Flame weeding: Effects of plant size and differential species sensitivity. Weed Research, 38(2), 69-76.
Bàrberi, P. (2002). Weed management in organic agriculture: Are we addressing the right issues? Weed Research, 42(3), 177-193.
Bastiaans, L., Paolini, R., & Baumann, D. T. (2008). Focus on ecological weed management: what is hindering adoption? Weed Research, 48(6), 481-491.
Bingaman, B. R., & Christians, N. E. (1995). Influence of corn gluten meal on broadleaf weeds and grasses. Weed Technology, 9(2), 385–392.
Bond, W., & Grundy, A. C. (2001). Non-chemical weed management in organic farming systems. Weed Research, 41(5), 383-405.
Boyd, N. S., Brennan, E. B., & Smith, R. F. (2017). Stale seedbed techniques for organic vegetable production. Weed Science, 65(4), 504-516.
Campiglia, E., Mancinelli, R., Radicetti, E., & Caporali, F. (2000). Effect of solarization on weed control and yield of cauliflower and fennel in central Italy. Agronomy Journal, 92(1), 235-241.
Chauhan, B. S., Gill, G., & Preston, C. (2012). Influence of environmental factors on seed germination and seedling emergence of threehorn bedstraw (Galium tricornutum). Weed Science, 60(2), 229-235.
Chikoye, D., Ellis-Jones, J., Kelemu, F., & Lum, A. (2004). Integrated Weed Management: A Key to Sustainable Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.
Farooq, M., Bajwa, A. A., Cheema, S. A., & Cheema, Z. A. (2013). Application of allelopathy in crop production. International Journal of Agriculture & Biology, 15(6), 1367-1378.
Finney, D. M., & Creamer, N. G. (2008). Weed management on organic farms. HortTechnology, 18(3), 364-368.
Gaba, S., Gabriel, E., Chadœuf, J., Bonneu, F., & Bretagnolle, V. (2018). Weed–crop competition: A review of approaches and recent findings. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 38(2), 10.
Gallandt, E. R. (2006). How can we target the weed seedbank? Weed Science, 54(3), 588-596.
Harding, D. P., & Raizada, M. N. (2015). Controlling weeds with fungi, bacteria, and viruses: A review. Frontiers in Plant Science, 6, 659.
Jabran, K. (2017). Allelopathy: Current trends and future applications. Springer.
Julien, M. H., McFadyen, R. E., & Cullen, J. M. (2022). Biological control of weeds: a world catalogue of agents and their target weeds. CAB International.
Liebman, M., & Davis, A. S. (2000). Integration of soil, crop and weed management in low-external-input farming systems. Weed Research, 40(1), 27-47.
McDade, M. C., & Christians, N. E. (2000). Corn gluten meal as a natural pre-emergence herbicide: Field evaluation. HortScience, 35(4), 769–771.
Mirsky, S. B., Ryan, M. R., Teasdale, J. R., & Curran, W. S. (2012). Conservation tillage issues: Cover crops and weed management. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 153, 44-49.
Mohler, C. L., & DiTommaso, A. (2012). Manage weeds on your farm: A guide to ecological strategies. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE).
Rao, A. N., & Nagamani, A. (2010). Integrated weed management in rice systems. Weed Biology and Management, 10(3), 144–153.
Scavo, A., & Restuccia, A. (2020). A global view of the allelopathic effects of agro-industrial residues on weeds: A sustainable alternative for weed management in agroecosystems. Agronomy, 10(10), 1430.
Swanton, C. J., & Weise, S. F. (1991). Integrated weed management: The rationale and approach. Weed Technology, 5(3), 657-663.
Ulloa, S. M., Datta, A., Knezevic, S. Z., & Bruening, C. (2010). Tolerance of selected weed species to broadcast flaming at different growth stages. Weed Technology, 24(2), 230-235.
Zeng, R. S. (2014). Allelopathy: An overview. Allelopathy Journal, 33(1), 1-10.
