Responsible for a high proportion of the world's crop losses, weedstake away food that the world badly needs. They decrease thequality and quantity of vegetable fibers, wool, and hides, andinterfere with fishing, irrigation, hydroelectric power production,and the movement of shipping vessels. In order to recognize thetrue magnitude of the weed problem, and to be better equipped todesign effective weed control methods, it is vital to identify andlearn as much as possible about the many different species of thisdestructive agricultural predator.

The culmination of four decades of global research, World Weedspresents comprehensive and up-to-date information on over 100weeds--addressing recent changes in such areas as crop tillagemethods, herbicide use, and agricultural runoff. This monumentalwork, featuring a wealth of original data from the authors,provides extensive coverage of the known biology of each species.Each entry contains a full botanical description, plus importantdetails on habitat requirements and distribution, seed production,ecology, physiology, crop impact, and more. Generously suppliedwith dozens of unique illustrations and species distribution mapscovering over 100 countries, this definitive resource boasts anextensive multilingual index of common names, and a massivebibliography with over 3,000 references to facilitate furtherreading and research. World Weeds is a truly masterful referencethat will be celebrated by weed and crop scientists, botanists, andothers for years to come.