Weed plants, or, as they are popularly called, weeds, are plants that people do not cultivate for their own purposes. Over time, they have adapted to germinate in places of cultivated soil and harm all the plants that surround them. Most wild weeds cannot be found outside crops, because the conditions that people create for cultivated plants have become vital for weeds as well. Further we consider the classification of weeds, biological features and methods of combating such plants.
Weed plant harm
At the moment, more than two thousand names of herbs are known - representatives of this species, and more than a hundred of them can harm people and animals. Even the most ordinary-looking weed can be completely harmless. But all because of the fact that weeds take away moisture from cultivated plants, take away all the fertilizers that it contains from the soil, create a big shadow and become the epicenter of a wide variety of diseases.
Poisonous, environmentally harmful weeds that animals do not even try to eat sprout in the fields and pastures. In addition to such plants, there are also weeds. An example is oats in wheat.
Habitat classification of weeds
In terms of habitat, two types of weeds are distinguished: sowing and garbage. The latter have an unstable composition, it varies depending on the soil and climatic zones. Such weeds are typical for areas of yards, parks, highways and dirt roads.
Next, we consider the classification of weeds. They are divided into:
- Field, the representatives of which are mint, saplings, and others.
- Garden vegetables, such as, for example, garden sow.
- Garden - garden euphorbia or quinoa.
- Swamp, for example, bogworm.
- Meadow, such as geranium or horsetail.
There are also long-term weeds that have learned to germinate in the fields, in places where certain cultivated plants accumulate, which means that they have become their integral "partners." They are also called specialized, or special.
Next, we list some weeds for several plants.
- Flax - saffron flax, flax flax, highlander flax.
- Spring wheat - Persian chaff, wild hemp.
- Winter rye - bonfire of rye and field, broom.
- Oats - sandy oats.
- Sowing buckwheat - Tatar buckwheat, wild radish.
- Millet - bristle gray and green.
- Lentils are a flat-seeded vetch.
So, we can conclude that the name itself, attached to these plants, indicates their extremely narrow specialization.
Life Cycle Classification
If we consider weeds by the duration of their life cycle, then they are all divided into those that live long or short. Youngsters, if they are considered according to the characteristics of development, growth and ability to reproduce, are further subdivided into other biotypes, or, in another way, biological types.
Classification of infants
The classification of young weeds is as follows:
1) Annuals - those that need one vegetative period for development:
- spring - in turn, are divided into early that appear in the spring, summer and autumn;
- wintering - are forced to winter in just such a phase in which they remained when winter came.
2) Those who need two vegetative periods for development:
- winter crops;
- two-year-olds are those that in the first year of their life need a mandatory long period.
Perennial classification
When considering perennials, it is worth pointing out that they need three or more vegetative periods. And among them are the following biotypes:
- rhizome
- root shoots,
- bulbous
- tuberous
- creeping
- Root.
Also among the weeds there are parasites that are classified according to the method of maintaining life and health through food. There are parasitic (the development of these does not depend on the surrounding herbs and plants, because they have an independent type of nutrition), semi-parasitic (capable of photosynthesis, nevertheless often feed at the expense of other plants), and parasitic weeds themselves (feed exclusively through another plant).
The main biological features
They are as follows:
- Increased fertility. For example, take winter rye. In one crop, it is able to form 100-120 grains, and long flax - 60-100 seeds. And for contrast, let’s put an example of a rye bonfire plant that produces up to 1420 seeds. The difference is palpable, right?
- Fruits and seeds can travel long distances thanks to special devices such as curls, clothespins or flies.
- Able to maintain their viability in the soil for a long time. It really surprises - starting from five years old and ending with 80, while ordinary plants quickly lose their viability and die off.
- Different environmental regimes do not affect their development.
- The parasitic lifestyle of some weeds gives them the opportunity not to die off too early.
- Capable of vegetative propagation.
- There is a wide variety of their life forms.
- Seeds retain their germination even after passing through the intestines of animals, during grinding and so on.
- Perfectly sprout in the light.
- Many species have different-quality seeds (for example, large, flat, etc.).
- Seeds do not germinate simultaneously.
So, we examined the classification and biological characteristics of weeds. We will now learn about the basic methods of dealing with them.
Weed Control Methods
In order to reduce the likelihood of weeds, you should adhere to some rules for the care of your garden and lawn.
First off, don't cut the grass too short. Watering in the dry period is also required, because in case of dryness weeds will certainly appear. To prevent the growth of creeping weeds, you should clean the lawn with a rake. Be sure to fertilize it! If a weed is detected, pluck it right away, because otherwise it can quickly take root.
A compost pit is the place for remote weeds. It is necessary to allocate a special site for her so that harmful plants can be added there during the season.
The process of digging up the whole garden after harvesting, i.e. in the fall. Thus, a large number of weed roots will appear on the surface, which will be perfectly frozen during the winter. And in early spring, you should re-dig the garden and remove all the roots of these plants to the maximum.
The methods of control depend on the type of weed plants, their biological characteristics and, in fact, the place where they grow.
We further consider the classification of weed control measures.
Classification of the main methods of weed control
The classification of weeds is based on two characteristics: the type of grass and the means for its destruction.
According to the first sign, an agrotechnical method of struggle is isolated. Classification of weed control methods:
- Warning. It includes cleaning seed from getting weed seeds in them, timely harvesting, etc.
- Fighter. It is aimed at the destruction of seed and vegetative primordia in the soil.
- Quarantine. It is associated with quarantine weeds that do not grow in the area, but can be imported from outside.
The classification of weed control methods according to the second criterion: mechanical, physical, chemical, phytocenotic, biological, environmental, integrated and organizational means.