ABSTRACT
Weeds are significant in agroecosystems for two reasons. First, they can convert solar radiation into biomass. In this function, the wild vegetation in a field contributes to the energy budget of an agroecosystem; this energy is indispensable for life above as well as below the soil surface. Second, weeds are competitors of those plants deliberately grown to produce commodities for human use-agricultural crops. Both crops and weeds exploit the limited resources at a site, and therefore the impact of weeds on crops is largely determined by the type and intensity of interference with crop plants. If the competition remains without effects on the anticipated yields (in the current and future seasons), weeds are unlikely to cause real damage to crops or losses for the farm. Under such conditions the wild vegetation may even perform beneficial functions for agroecosystems.
