This review discusses the challenges and alternatives of herbicide-based weed management in agriculture. Herbicides have been widely used since the Green Revolution to control weeds, but their overuse has led to significant environmental and agricultural problems, including herbicide resistance, soil and water pollution, and negative impacts on non-target organisms. The review highlights the negative consequences of chemical weed management, such as phytotoxicity, herbicide residues, herbicide resistance, and food hazards. It also discusses the environmental pollution caused by herbicides, including soil and water contamination. The review emphasizes the need for sustainable and integrated weed management strategies that incorporate ecological principles, such as ecological weed management, preventive measures, weed surveillance, economic thresholds, seedbank depletion, competitive crops, and allelopathy. The review also explores system-based approaches for non-chemical weed management, including cropping system approaches, good agronomic practices, cover crops, intercropping, and mulching. These approaches aim to reduce the reliance on herbicides and promote sustainable agricultural practices that are environmentally friendly and economically viable. The review concludes that the development and adoption of effective, economical, and eco-friendly weed management technologies are essential for sustainable agriculture.This review discusses the challenges and alternatives of herbicide-based weed management in agriculture. Herbicides have been widely used since the Green Revolution to control weeds, but their overuse has led to significant environmental and agricultural problems, including herbicide resistance, soil and water pollution, and negative impacts on non-target organisms. The review highlights the negative consequences of chemical weed management, such as phytotoxicity, herbicide residues, herbicide resistance, and food hazards. It also discusses the environmental pollution caused by herbicides, including soil and water contamination. The review emphasizes the need for sustainable and integrated weed management strategies that incorporate ecological principles, such as ecological weed management, preventive measures, weed surveillance, economic thresholds, seedbank depletion, competitive crops, and allelopathy. The review also explores system-based approaches for non-chemical weed management, including cropping system approaches, good agronomic practices, cover crops, intercropping, and mulching. These approaches aim to reduce the reliance on herbicides and promote sustainable agricultural practices that are environmentally friendly and economically viable. The review concludes that the development and adoption of effective, economical, and eco-friendly weed management technologies are essential for sustainable agriculture.