Weed Management Practices in Nursery Propagation

Weeds are inimical to the nursery growers as they negatively interfere with the growth and aesthetic value of nursery crops. Propagated crops are more vulnerable to weed competition. Nursery growers are adopting hand weeding, mulching, and different herbicides to get rid of the weeds in propagation. However, the most effective and efficient methods for weed control in propagation are still obscure. In this study, we comprehensively review the most used propagation techniques and weed management practices along with their pros and cons. Hand weeding is the most common method of weed control, but it is labor intensive and costly. Nowadays, herbicides are widely used for weeds management. But there are a limited number of registered and labelled herbicides for greenhouse use. Most of the herbicides contain dinitroanilines (DNAs) which inhibit root growth. Along with the leaching problem, several detrimental effects of herbicides have been revealed in propagation. Considering drawbacks of the use of herbicides, mulching in propagation is gaining popularity. But mulch type and depth may affect rooting of cuttings and weed control efficacy. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct additional research aimed at discovering efficient mulching materials and preemergence herbicides for weed control during propagation, while preserving root initiation, plant development, and growth.