Abstract

Weeds are undesirable plants. Muenscher (35) has defined weeds as plants which grow where they are not wanted or where it is desired that something else should grow. In short, they are plants out of place. Woods compete with crops for light, moisture, plant food and space. They seed profusely and thrive even under adverse conditions, nulike crop plants. The seriousness of weed competition has been recognised ever since man began the cultivation of crops; but despite rapid advancement of science, weed control still remains a problem. The annual loss due to weeds alone in the United States of America is estimated to be over 300 million dollors, greater than the losses sustained by the farmer due to livestock diseases, insect pests and plant diseases.

Keywords: