What are weeds? Name some methods of weeding.

Weeds are unwanted plants that grow along with crops in the fields. They compete with the main crop plants for nutrients, water, sunlight, and space, which reduces crop yield and affects the quality of agricultural produce. Some common examples of weeds are Xanthium, Parthenium, Amaranthus, and Chenopodium. Weeds also make harvesting difficult and sometimes host pests and diseases harmful to crops.

To maintain soil fertility and improve crop production, farmers use different methods of weeding in agriculture. The main methods are:

1. Manual Weeding: Manual weeding is the traditional method of weed removal. Farmers use tools such as khurpi (hand hoe) or simply pull weeds out by hand. It is cheap but very time-consuming and suitable for small farms.
2. Mechanical Weeding: Mechanical methods involve using implements like ploughs, harrows, and weeders to uproot weeds. This method is faster than manual weeding and is commonly used in larger fields.
3. Chemical Weeding (Herbicides): In this method, chemical weed killers or herbicides such as 2,4-D are sprayed on the field. These chemicals kill weeds but do not harm the main crop. Chemical weeding is very effective, especially for large-scale farming, but needs to be used carefully to avoid soil and water pollution.
4. Cultural and Preventive Methods: Farmers also use crop rotation, mulching, and timely sowing as cultural methods to reduce weed growth. Maintaining clean seeds and proper field hygiene also helps prevent weeds.