MP Board · Class 9 · Science · Improvement in Food ResourcesWhat are weeds? Name two common agricultural weeds and explain two methods used for controlling weed growth in fields.

Weeds are unwanted, undesirable plants that grow alongside cultivated crops in agricultural fields. They compete with main crops for space, sunlight, water, and soil nutrients, thereby drastically reducing crop yield. Examples include Xanthium (Gokhroo) and Parthenium (Gajar ghas). \nTwo effective weed control methods are:

1. Mechanical method: Physical removal or uprooting of weeds manually using a trowel (khurpi) or mechanically plowing the field prior to sowing crops.
2. Chemical method: Spraying specific chemical weedicides or herbicides like 2,4-D on fields to kill weeds without harming the main crop plants.