Allelopathic efficiency of orange fruit waste as a natural bioherbicid in controlling canarygrass and cheeseweed infested common bean plants.

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the bioherbicidal properties of orange peelsagainst canary grass and cheeseweed mallow and the response of common bean plants.Two successive pot experiments were conducted with twelve treatments. The first fourtreatments were applied by incorporating of orange peels powder with the soil surface atsuccessive rates (10, 20, 30 and 40 g/pot) one week pre-sowing of common bean. Inthe other corresponding four treatments, the orange peels powder was incorporated withthe soil surface at the same rates but directly at the same time with sowing of commonbean seeds. Additionally, four untreated control treatments were applied for comparison.The recorded results revealed the inhibitory allelopathic effects of orange peels powderon both weeds with direct relationship between the orange peels rate and it's inhibitoryeffects. However, the pre-sowing treatments were more effective than the others whichapplied at the time of sowing. Orange peels at 40g/pot at one week pre-sowing gave thehighest inhibitory effect on both weeds. This superior treatment subsequently recordedthe highest growth parameters and yield traits of common bean. Estimated phenoliccompounds, flavonoids and essential oils in orange peels may be responsible for thisinhibitory effect.