The use of cover crops in crop rotations can greatly lower weeds and improve soils so crops can tolerate weeds more effectively. In the mixed farming system the forage pasture stages can greatly reduce weed pressure also improving soil condition. Periodic tillage should not be disregarded as giving weed control but without herbicide dependence. The ability of mulches to control weeds is very effective. Paper mulch could be completely effective and biodegradable. Plastic mulch can be recycled.
Rice -Wheat in North India is facing issues of canary grass resistance in wheat wrt isoproturon, clodinafop etc .Simply going for one season to Rice-Berseem cycle exhausts more than 90% seed of phalaris minor by repeated cuttings.
Rotation of crops and cover cropping are key practices. The greater reliance on legumes is critical as when the soil nitrogen and carbon increase the competition for scarce water and nutrient is greatly reduced. Traditional varieties of crops with more ability to produce vigorous root systems and competitive canopies are also very important. Modern breeding have largely ignored these characters. When synthetic inputs are withdrawn from agricultural systems increased biological inputs and knowledge is needed.
Herbicide rotation (using herbicide with different modes of actions across seasons), use of crops with strong allelopathic potential in rotation and/or as cover crop may help reduce the incidences of herbicide resistance development in weeds.