Basic of -What is the Pre and Post Emergent in Agriculture?
Tags: Agriculture, Cultivation, Weed Control, Emergent

As the name suggests, pre-emergence is a stage before the weeds sprout whereas post-emergence is a stage when weeds have grown enough to gain some height and could be seen. This article aims to provide basic as well as essential knowledge regarding pre and post-emergence in agriculture. Along with such description, this article will also cover the developments and strategies in the field of agriculture to prevent the production of weeds.

Weeds could not always be considered as bad plants but are plants that are of no use, affecting the yield potential of agricultural fields. Many of the time they spread throughout the field unnecessarily for no use so should be removed instantly before spreading. To save cultivation development from weeds, there are some techniques and terms to be known:

Annual and perennial Weeds:

Before moving towards the remedies you must know weeds. To save your fields from them, you must be able to understand their growth period, types, and effects.

You must know what annual and perennial weeds are. Annual weed sprouts in spring through fall, grow for a single year, and usually spreads throughout fields through seed pollinated by birds, humans, etc. They should be killed before the seed again starts growing. Perennial in contrary to Annual is creepier and most difficult to be removed completely, as it can flourish year after year. These weeds contain both seeds and creepy roots so they could only be killed by both pre and post-emergent herbicides.

Herbicides:

The use of herbicides is one of the best ways to kill weeds, through chemicals. The pre-emergence herbicide kills weeds before they sprout. They do not prevent germination. Pre-emergence herbicides not only kill sprout weeds but also kill the underground weeds. Pre-emergence herbicides are used after crops have been cultivated but weeds have not yet evolved out.

Post-emergence herbicides effectively kill all those weeds breading from the soil. Such weeds have attained some height and foliage this time and with that, they are also effective in spot treating individual pests. Many times both pre and post-emergence herbicides are used to get rid of weeds completely, one when the weeds sprout and the other when crops have to a level.

Pre and post herbicides should be used correctly with care and on the targeted area, as they are situation-specific and crop-specific.

Herbicides should be applied according to the nature of the plant. Early spring and spring-fall are the most effective times for herbicides to be used. Herbicides should be incorporated deeply into the soil, to get better results. Some herbicides could be harmful if you do not know the proper way of using them otherwise; herbicides are not bad as some are used in horticulture as well.

Weed management strategies:

Weed and soil ecology is key to achieve effective tools, strategies, and options to prevent weeds effects and to save cultivation development. These strategies are also very favorable for producing methods in the cropping system, effective for not just controlling weeds but also for a better understanding of biodiversity and the relationship between soil and soil organism.

In understanding soil ecology, the relationship between soil and soil organisms should be understood. An eye should be kept on soil’s microbial population and natural diversity. Apart from using herbicides another process such as soil degradation, covering crops as in process of mulching, and using repellents, are some other process to get rid of weeds and pests.

Pre and post-emergent weeds are one of the major problems in the field of agriculture. If dealt with properly with the help of proper scientific strategies could be handled easily but if not taken as a serious issue could badly affect the yield potential of fields, resulting in a loss.

The article has presented a detailed study of pre and post-emergent in agriculture together with all the aspects and techniques to face them such as proper soil monitoring and using herbicide or through mulching. And productivity within the field by studying soil and weed ecology to get rid of weeds and attain maximum yield within the area.