Weed management refers to the systematic process of controlling, suppressing, or eliminating unwanted plants or weeds that compete with crops for resources such as water, nutrients, sunlight, and space.

Effective weed management involves several approaches:

• Cultural methods - crop rotation, proper spacing, mulching, and timely tillage to reduce weed establishment.

• Mechanical methods - hand weeding, hoeing, mowing, and ploughing to physically remove or destroy weeds.

• Chemical methods - application of herbicides (pre-emergent or post-emergent) to kill or inhibit weed growth.

• Biological methods - using natural enemies like insects, pathogens, or competitive plants to suppress weed populations.

• Integrated Weed Management (IWM) - combining two or more methods for sustainable, long-term control.

Weed management is critical in agriculture as weeds can reduce crop yields by 20–80%. It also plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, preventing the spread of invasive species, and reducing pest and disease pressure in farming systems.