Effect of Organic Mulch with Pre-emergence Herbicide Combinations on Weeds Control and Saffron Yield

Hosseini- Evari, Z.; Izadi, E.; Kafi, M.; Makarian, H.

doi:10.22067/jpp.2021.32701.0

Effect of Organic Mulch with Pre-emergence Herbicide Combinations on Weeds Control and Saffron Yield

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Z. Hosseini- Evari ¹

E. Izadi ¹

M. Kafi ¹

H. Makarian ²

¹ Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran

10.22067/jpp.2021.32701.0

Abstract

Introduction
Saffron is a vulnerable crop to weed competition because of its short canopy and narrow leaves. So weeds are the major problem in saffron production. Weeds are mainly controlled by hand or mechanically in saffron fields, these traditional methods are effective and environmental friendly but they are expensive and time consuming.These traditional methods are effective and environmental friendly, however they are expensive and time consuming. The number of suitable herbicide for weed control in saffron fields are limited. The importance of herbicide as alternatives method for weed control was recognized long ago. Herbicide treated mulch (HTM) is the combination of physical (mulch) and chemical (herbicide) weed control methods. This experiment was conducted to investigate the possibility of using mulch and herbicide treated mulch (HTM) to increase the efficiency of herbicides in saffron weeds management. The objectives of this study were to compare the effect of herbicides alone and in combination with mulch on weed control and also determine the influence of herbicide placement (on soil surface, under mulch or herbicide-treated mulch) on weed control and phytotoxicity of saffron.
Materials and Methods
Field experiments were conducted during the growing seasons of 2016 and 2017 in Khorasan Razavi, Iran. Two field of 4-year-old saffron that had not received herbicide applications for at least two years in two different climates were chosen. The treatments consist of trifluralin (EC48%) at 1200 g i.a.ha^-1, pendimethalin (EC33%) at 1485 g i.a.ha^-1 and metribuzin (WP70%) at 525 g i.a.ha^-1 were applied in three method: 1) Directly to soil: herbicides were applied before crust crushing directly in soil. 2) Under the mulch: herbicides were sprayed with an electric knapsack sprayer after crust crushing directly in soil, then the soil surface was covered with a layer of wood chips mulch with a depth of 3 cm. 3) Herbicide treated mulch: mulch of wood chips were pretreated with herbicides by placing the mulch on a plastic sheet at the depth of 3 cm above and herbicide was sprayed on top of the mulch and evenly mixed and allowed to dry for 48 hours before applying them to field. The non-treated control with and without mulch and also treatment of hand weeding was included for comparison
Results and Discussion
There was no severe phytotoxicity to saffron after treatments application according to EWRC, slight injuries observed in all plots ranging from 1 (No damage) to 2 (Very little damage including slightly yellowing). Metribuzin herbicide induced more phytotoxicity symptoms on saffron compared to two other herbicides, but it was better to weeds control and increasing saffron yield. Treatment of metribuzin mixed with mulch in both fields after hand weeding were the best treatment to decreasing of weeds dry weight and improvement of yield components of saffron. Treatment of metribuzin mixed with mulch compared with control caused 85% and 87% reduction of weed dry weight in both fields, also this treatment compared with control increased dry weight stigma to 2.5 times and 2 times. It seems that after metribuzin, pendimethalin herbicide has better efficiency for use in saffron fields. Although, treatment of mulch without herbicide, is not prevented weed growth, but had more effective on increasing of saffron yield compared to weedy check, especially in field 1(region of Kashmar). Therefore, the use of mulch in warm and dry areas has better effect on saffron yield improvement. Considering that the cultivation of saffron is carried in semi-arid regions of Iran such as Khorasan, the correct application of plant residues in semi-arid regions can have a direct effect on the amount of organic matter in the soil, which leads to an increase in flower yield. Generally the pre-mixed mulch with herbicide, in addition to improving the herbicide efficiency, increased saffron yield. This results indicate that the proper combination of herbicides with mulch layer as thin as 3 cm can provide acceptable weed control. According to the result, one suggested way to weed management in saffron could be the combination of herbicide (Metribuzin) with mulch.

Keywords

Herbicide-treated mulches

Physical and chemical integrated management

Metribuzin

Pendimethalin

Trifluralin

20.1001.1.20084749.1401.36.1.8.0

Subjects

Weed

Abasspoor, M., Norouzzadeh, S., & Torabi, H. (2011). Evaluation of the efficacy of some herbicides new saffron fields, 7^th Congress of Iranian Horticultural Science, Isfahan, Iran. (In Persian with English abstract)
Abbasi, E. (1996). The effect of different herbicides on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) weeds. M.Sc., Thesis. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
Abbasian, M., Bazobandy, M., & Soohany Darban, A.S. (2013). Effect of Application Single and mixed herbicides on weeds and weight saffron corm at Nishapur. Journal of Weed Ecology 1(1): 9-20. (In Persian with English abstract)
Azizi-Zohan, A.A., Kamgar-Haghighi, A.A., & Sepaskhah, A.R. (2009). Saffron (Crocus sativus ) production as influenced by rainfall, irrigation method and intervals. Arch. Agronomy Soil Science 55: 547–555.
Behnia, M.R. (1992). Saffron Crop. Tehran University Press, Tehran, pp: 151.
Case, L.T., & Mathers, H.M. (2006). Herbicide Treated Mulches for Weed Control in Ornamentals. Journal Environment Horticulture 24: 84-90.
Danga, B.O., & Wakindiki, I.I.C. (2009). Effect of placement of straw mulch on soil conservation, nutrient accumulation, and wheat yield in a humid Kenyan highland. Journal Tropical Agriculture 47: 30–36.
Foroughifar, H., & Pour Kasmani, M.E. (2002). Soil Science and Management. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Press, Iran. 336 pp.
Gresta, F., Lombardo, G.M., Siracusa, L., & Ruberto, G. (2008). Saffron, an alternative crop for sustainable agricultural systems. A review, Agronomy for Sustainable Development 28: 95–112.
Iranian Ministry of Agricultural Statistics, Plant Potection Organization. (2020). List of important pests, diseases and weeds for major agricultural products, pesticides and recommended methods for control them. Available at: http://maj.ir (visited 5 February 2020).
Iranian Ministry of Agricultural Statistics. (2017). Department of Planning and Economy. Available at: http://maj.ir (visited 5 September 2018).
Izadi-Darbandi, E., & Hosseini evari, Z. (2016). Study of Flora and structure of weed communities of saffron fields in Kashmar and KhalilAbad counties. Journal of Saffron Research 4(2): 249-265. (In Persian with English abstract)
Koocheki, A., Gholami, A., Mahvadi Damghani, A., & Tabrizi, L. (2007). Organic Field Crop Handbook (Translated). Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Press, Iran. 385 pp. (In Persian)
Koocheki, A., Seyyedi, S.M., & Gharaei, S. (2016). Evaluation of the effects of saffron-cumin intercropping on growth, quality and land equivalent ratio under semi-arid conditions. Scientia Horticulturae 201: 190–198.
Kumar, R., Singh, V., Devi, K., Sharma, M., Singh, M.K., & Ahuja, P.S. (2009). State of Art of Saffron (Crocus sativus) Agronomy: A Comprehensive Review, Food Reviews International 25: 44–85.
Limon-Ortega, A., Govaerts, B., & Sayre, K.D. (2008). Straw management, crop rotation, and nitrogen source effect on wheat grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency. European Journal of Agronomy 29: 21–28.
Mathers, H. (2003). Novel methods of weed control in containers. HortTechnology 13: 28-31.
Mathers, H.M., & Case L.T. (2010). Microencaspsulated herbicide-treated bark mulches for nursery container weed control. Weed Technology 24: 529-537.
McGimpsey, J.A., Douglas, M.H., & Wallace, A.R. (1997). Evaluation of saffron (Crocus sativus) production in New Zealand. New Zealand, Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science 25:159- 168.
Molina, R.V., Valero, M., Navarro, Y., Guardiola, J.L., & Garcia-Luis, A. (2005). Temperature effects on flower formation in saffron (Crocus sativus ). Science Horticulture 103: 361–379.
Monzon, J.P., Sadras, V.O., & Andrade, F.H. (2006). Fallow soil evaporation and water storage as affected by stubble in sub-humid (Argentina) and semi-arid (Australia) environments. Field Crop Research 98: 83–90.
Norouzzadeh, S., & Delghandi, M. (2006). Chemical weed control in saffron. In: Proceedings of the 17^th Iranian Plant Protection Congress, Karaj, Iran.
Padarloo, A.A., Izadi Darbandi, E., Rashed Mohassel, M.H., & Feizi, H. (2018). Study of flora and structure of weed communities of saffron (Crocus sativus ) fields in the Khorasan Razavi province. Saffron Agronomy & Technology 6(3): 339-353. (In Persian with English abstract)
Rahimian, H. (1993). Evaluation of some herbicides in weed control of saffron fields. Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Mashhad, Iran.
Rashed Mohassel, M.H. (1992). Weeds of South Khorasan saffron fields. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology 6: 118-135.
Rezvani Moghaddam, P., Khorramdel, S., Amin Ghafori, A., & Shabahang, J. (2013). Evaluation of growth and yield of saffron (Crocus sativus ) affected by spent mushroom compost and corm density. Journal of Saffron Research 1(1): 13-26. (In Persian with English abstract)
Rezvani Moghaddam, P., Koocheki, A., Molafilabi, A., & Seyyedi, S.M. (2013). The effects of different levels of applied wheat straw in different dates on saffron (Crocus sativus ) daughter corms and flower initiation criteria in the second year. Saffron Agronomy Technology 1: 55–70. (In Persian with English abstract)
Sadeghi, B. (2008). Sustainable cropping of saffron in Iran. Research Report. Research Institute for Food Science and Technology, Korassan Razavi. (In Persian)
Sadrabadi Haghighi, R., & Ghanad Tosi, M.B. (2016). The Effect of Pre-emergence Application of some Common Herbicides on Weed Population, Vegetative Growth, Flower and Corm Characteristics of Saffron (Crocus sativus ). Journal of Plant Protection 30(1): 118-126. (In Persian with English abstract)
Shabahang, J., Khorramdel, S., Amin Ghafori, A., & Gheshm, R. (2013). Effects on management of crop residues and cover crop planting on density and population of weeds and agronomical characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Journal of Saffron Research 1(1): 57-72. (In Persian with English abstract)
Somireddy, U. (2012). Effect of Herbicide–Organic Mulch Combinations on Weed Control and Herbicide Persistence. Ph.D dissertation. Columbus, OH: Ohio State University. https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ (visited December 24 2018).
Soufizadeh, S., Zand, E., Baghestani, M.A., & Sheibany, K. (2006). Integrated Weed Management in Saffron (Crocus sativus), 2nd International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Technology, Mashhad, Iran.
Soufizadeh, S., Zand, E., Baghestani, M.A., Kashani, F.B., & Nezamabadi, N. (2008). Integrated Weed management in saffron (Crucos sativus). Proceeding of the Second International Symposium Saffron Biology and Tecnology. July 5-8.
Srivastava, R., Ahmed, H., Dharamveer, D.R.K., & Saraf, S.A. (2010). Crocus sativus A comprehensive review. Pharmacogn Rev 4(8): 200-208.
Weber, J.B. (1990). Behavior of dinitroaniline herbicides in soils. Weed Technology 4: 394–406.
Zare Hosseini, H., Ghorbani, R., Rashed Mohassel, M.H., & Rahimi, H. (2014). Effects of weed management strategies on weed density and biomass and saffron (Crocus sativus) yield. Saffron Agronomy & Technology 2(1): 45-58. (In Persian with English abstract)