Ramin Khalili; jalal khorshidi; Sirwan Babaei
Abstract
Objective: The cultivation of fennel is expanding due to its favorable market demand and various applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Weeds are one of the most important factors causing damage in fennel fields. As a result, it is essential to identify the most effective method for ...
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Objective: The cultivation of fennel is expanding due to its favorable market demand and various applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Weeds are one of the most important factors causing damage in fennel fields. As a result, it is essential to identify the most effective method for weeds control in fennel cultivation.
Methods: In this research, the effects of 11 different weed control methods, including glyphosate, paraquat, afalon, diuron, vinegar, one-time cultivation, two-time cultivation, hand weeding, flame weeding, weed-infested, and weed-free conditions, on weeds growth, as well as the yield-attributed and phytochemical characteristics of fennel such as essential oil content and components, were studied. The experiment was carried out as a randomized complete block design in 2021 at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan.
Results: Herbicide treatment had a significant effect on the dry weight of aerial parts, thousand seed weight, fruit yield, essential oil content, and yield of fennel, as well as the dry weight of weeds. However, the plant height and the number of umbels per plant of fennel were not significantly affected by the herbicide treatment. The highest fennel fruit yield (3.95 tons/ha) was obtained in the weed-free treatment, followed by hand weeding and diuron treatments, which produced 3.63 and 3.3 tons/ha, respectively. The lowest weed dry weight (3.54 g/m²) was recorded in the weed-free treatment, though it was not significantly different from the hand weeding and flame weeding treatments. The essential oil content of fennel fruits did not differ significantly among the treatments (except the weed-free treatment). The highest essential oil yield (133.3 L/ha) was obtained from the fruits of the hand weeding treatment, while the lowest yield (63.9 L/ha) was found in the fruits of the glyphosate treatment. The dominant compounds in the essential oil were similar in all treatments and included anethole, fenchone, and d-limonene. The highest amount of anethole (73.53%), fenchone (12.21%), and d-limonene (11.56%) were observed in the glyphosate, weed-infested, and vinegar treatments, respectively.
Conclusion: If the aim is proper weed control and achieving higher fruit and essential oil yield with minimal environmental damage, hand weeding was the best treatment after the weed-free condition. If, in addition to fennel yield, reducing weed control costs is also considered, the diuron was the best treatment. In terms of essential oil quality, characterized by high amounts of anethole and fenchone, and a low level of estragole, the weed-infested treatment was the most favorable
Javad Hamzei; Human Abbasi; Zohreh Vaziri Amjad
Abstract
The effect of different weed control methods on weeds dry weight and yield of maize (Zea mays L. cv. SC500) were evaluated during 2012 growing season in the Research Farm of Bu-Ali Sina University. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments were ...
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The effect of different weed control methods on weeds dry weight and yield of maize (Zea mays L. cv. SC500) were evaluated during 2012 growing season in the Research Farm of Bu-Ali Sina University. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments were hand weeding, straw mulch, colorless plastic mulch, black plastic mulch, herbicide application and control (weedy check). The effects of treatments were significant on the characteristics of weeds dry weight, grain yield and yield components of maize such as number of grain rows ear-1, number of grain plant-1 and grain weight. In comparison with control treatment, straw mulch significantly increased yield components of maize. The highest grain yield (9363 kg.ha-1) and the lowest value (with 43.44% reduction) were observed at straw mulch and control treatments, respectively. Also, the highest (940.92 g.m-2) and the lowest weeds dry weight (with 88.51% reduction) were achieved at control and black plastic treatments, respectively. However, grain yield and weed dry weight values were the same as affected by the treatments of straw mulch, colorless plastic, and black plastic. In general, straw mulch was considered as the best treatment, due to environmental risks of polyethylene plastics application in agriculture, and it could increase maize yield and provide effective weed control.