Farmers’ perception of weed infestation and management in some Agrarian Communities of Southern nigeria

Abstract

Weed infestation is detrimental to crop yield and quality, limits farm size, increases the cost of production, reduces profit, and impairs  farmers’ livelihood. This study was conducted to assess the weed infestation status based on the farmers’ perspective, the control  measures adopted, and the potential weed problem in some agrarian communities in Derived Savanna agroecology. A Structured  questionnaire was administered to one hundred and ten (110) farmers. Data were analyzed using the Descriptive analysis method. Most  (75.5%) of the farmers were male and almost half (43.6%) had the mean farming experience of 22.46±9.99, while 46.4 percent had within  11-15 years of formal education. However, the mean age was 49.93±10.70 years. Most farmers (90%) had the lowest income level (N10000  – N50000). Farmers (25% – 50%) identified Cyperus rotundus, Imperata cylindrica, Tridax procumbens, Commelina bengalensis,  Emilia sonchifolia, Axonopus compressus, Tithonia diversifolia, Pennisetum purpureum, and Euphorbia heterophylla as problematic  weeds. Farmers understood and adopted manual weeding (100 %), and chemical (98.2 %) weed control methods. However, few farmers  (2.7%) knew or adopted the concept of integrated weed management and biological weed control (3.6 %) methods for weed  management. The farmers’ perception of weed infestation might be useful in early warning systems for preventing and managing noxious weeds and ensuring sustainable crop production. The training of farmers on the principles of integrated weed management  (IWM) for effective weed control, improved crop yield, and livelihood is essential.