Question

Which of the following are characteristics of weed?
A. Little or no recognized value in medicine
B. Rapid growth
C. Competitive with crops
D. All of the above

Answer 1

Any plant that was not intended to grow can be considered a weed. But as commercial formation is considered, weeds are small plant species which prevent the maximum growth of crops, by competing for nutrients, light, and moisture.

Complete answer:
Weeds are usually plants that were never intended to be planted. In a technical sense, a tomato growing in a rice field can be considered a weed. But as far as farming is concerned weeds are plants that grow along with crops. These plants tend to prevent the growth of the intended crops by absorbing the nutrients, moisture, and even grow big and create shade over the plants preventing sunlight. This is a major concern for the farmer as his profits depend on the maximum growth of the crops. Some characteristics of weeds include rapid growth, no recognized commercial value, competitive growth, poisonous, etc. Some weed species may attract pests and insects. The rapid growth of weeds is attributed to their ability to penetrate the soil better, reproduce prolifically, and survive in adverse conditions. This ensures that weeds grow faster than the crops and take up valuable nutrients from the soil.

Therefore, the correct answer is option D.

Note: Weeds are generally difficult to eradicate and require high doses of herbicides and other weed removal processes. But some weeds cannot be completely removed and farmers employ other methods to increase their crop yield. Weeds have no commercial value and grow rapidly and compete for nutrients such as fertilizers.