Weeds are unwanted plants that can reduce crop yields by competing for water, nutrients, light, space, and carbon dioxide, which need to be controlled to meet future food production requirements. The integration of drones, artificial intelligence, and various sensors, which include hyperspectral, multi-spectral, and RGB (red-green-blue), ensure the possibility of a better outcome in managing weed problems. Most of the major or minor challenges caused by weed infestation can be faced by implementing remote sensing systems in various agricultural tasks. It is a multi-disciplinary science that includes spectroscopy, optics, computer, photography, satellite launching, electronics, communication, and several other fields. Future challenges, including food security, sustainability, supply and demand, climate change, and herbicide resistance, can also be overcome by those technologies based on machine learning approaches. This review provides an overview of the potential and practical use of unmanned aerial vehicle and remote sensing techniques in weed management practices and discusses how they overcome future challenges.

The allelopathic effect of various concentrations (0, 6.25, 12.5, 50 and 100 g L⁻¹) of Parthenium hysterophorus methanol extract on Cyperus iria was investigated under laboratory and glasshouse conditions. No seed germination was recorded in the laboratory when P. hysterophorus extract was applied at 50 g L⁻¹. In the glasshouse, C. iria was mostly injured by P. hysterophorus extract at 100 g L⁻¹. The phytochemical constituents of the methanol extract of P. hysterophorus were analyzed by LC-ESI-QTOF-MS=MS. The results indicated the presence of phenolic compounds, terpenoids, alkaloids, amino acids, fatty acids, piperazines, benzofuran, indole, amines, azoles, sulfonic acid and other unknown compounds in P. hysterophorus methanol extract. A comparative study was also conducted between P. hysterophorus extract (20, 40 and 80 g L⁻¹) with a synthetic herbicide (glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium at 2 L ha⁻¹) as a positive control and no treatment (negative control) on Ageratumconyzoides, Oryzasativa and C. iria. The growth and biomass of test weeds were remarkably inhibited by P. hysterophorus extract. Nevertheless, no significant difference was obtained when P. hysterophorus extract (80 g L⁻¹) and synthetic herbicides (glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium) were applied on A.conyzoides.

Plant-based bioherbicides could be an effective alternative to current chemical herbicides for sustainable agriculture. Therefore, this research evaluated the weed control efficacy and crop-weed selectivity of the new plant-derived bioherbicide WeedLock compared to commercial herbicides in glasshouse and field conditions. In the glasshouse, the herbicides applied were WeedLock (672.75, 1345.50, 2691.00 L ha⁻¹), glyphosate isopropyl-amine, and glufosinate-ammonium (1, 2, 4 L ha⁻¹), over the untreated (control) on six weeds and four crops. In the field trial, typical weeds were allowed to grow at a uniform density across plots (2.5 × 2.5 m), and WeedLock (1345.50, 2691.00 L ha⁻¹), glyphosate isopropyl-amine, and glufosinate-ammonium (2, 4 L ha⁻¹) were applied along with untreated plot (control). A randomized complete block design was set with four replications for glasshouse and field experiments. WeedLock at 1345.50 L ha⁻¹ showed efficacy similar to glyphosate isopropyl-amine and glufosinate-ammonium at 2 L ha⁻¹ for Ageratum conyzoides L. in the glasshouse. Applied herbicides killed all tested crops except Zea mays L. at 1345.50 L ha⁻¹ (WeedLock). WeedLock showed more than 50% efficacy at 35 days after spray, while 65% was produced by glyphosate isopropyl-amine and glufosinate-ammonium compared to the untreated plot (control). WeedLock has excellent potential to control weeds in both glasshouse and field conditions and showed a non-selective character.

Natural product-based herbicides could be the effective alternatives to synthetic chemical herbicides for eco-friendly weed management. This research, therefore, was conducted to identify the phytotoxic properties of Parthenium hysterophorus L., Cleome rutidosperma DC. and Borreria alata (Aubl.) DC. with a view to introducing them as a tool for natural herbicide development. The methanol extracts of these plants were examined on the germination and growth of Zea mays L., Oryza sativa L., Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench and Amaranthus gangeticus L., Oryza sativa f. Spontanea Roshev. (Weedy rice), Echinochloa colona (L.) Link., Euphorbia hirta L., and Ageratum conyzoides L. under laboratory and glasshouse conditions. A complete randomized design (CRD) with five replications and randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications were laid out for laboratory and glasshouse experiments, respectively. In the laboratory experiment, three plant extracts of 0, 6.25, 12.5, 50, and 100 g L⁻¹ were tested on survival rate, hypocotyl, and radicle length of eight test plant species. No seed germination of A. conzyoides, E. hirta, and A. gangeticus were recorded when P. hysterophorus extract was applied at 50 g L⁻¹. C. rutidosperma had the same effect on those plants at 100 g L⁻¹. In the glasshouse, similar extracts and concentrations used in the laboratory experiments were sprayed on at the 2–3 leaf stage for grasses and 4–6 for the broadleaf species. Tested plants were less sensitive to C. rutidosperma and B. alata compared to P. hysterophorus extract. Among the weeds and crops, A. conyzoides, E. hirta, A. esculentus and A. gangeticus were mostly inhibited by P. hysterophorus extract at 100 g L⁻¹. Based on these results, P. hysterophorus was the most phytotoxic among the tested plant extracts and could be used for developing a new natural herbicide for green agriculture.

The current study was designed to investigate the effect of Parthenium hysterophorus L. methanol extract on Ageratum conyzoides L., Oryza sativa f. spontanea (weedy rice) and Cyperus iria L. in glasshouse condition. Here, Parthenium hysterophorus methanol extract at 20, 40, and 60 g L⁻¹ concentrations was applied on the test species to examine their physiological and biochemical responses at 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after spraying (HAS). The phytotoxicity of P. hysterophorus was strong on A. conyzoides compared to weedy rice and Cyperus iria at different concentrations and exposure times. There was a reduction in photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration, chlorophyll content and carotenoid content when plants were treated with P. hysterophorus extract concentrations. Exposure to P. hysterophorus (60 g L⁻¹) at 24 HAS increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline content by 152% and 130%, respectively, in A. conyzoides compared with control. The activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD)) were also increased in the presence of P. hysterophorus extract. Present findings confirm that the methanol extract of P. hysterophorus can disrupt the physiological and biochemical mechanism of target weeds and could be used as an alternative to chemical herbicides.