Efficacy of Herbicides against Broad-spectrum Weed Floras and Their Effect on Non-target Soil Micro-organisms and Productivity in Sugarcane (Saccharum sp.)

Abstract

Weeds pose a major challenge at the initial stages of sugarcane and when uncontrolled cause high yield losses. This study was undertaken to define a better and cost-effective weed management strategy. Field experiment was carried out at District Seed Farm (C Unit) of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal, India (22°97'N latitude and 88°43'E longitude with the 9.75 meters above the mean sea level) under natural weed infestations in sugarcane in 2017–2018 and 2018-19. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of herbicides on weed floras, non-target soil organisms and productivity of sugarcane (cv. CoS 98231). The pattern of nutrient uptake by weed species was also itemized. The treatments were comprised of four doses of Atrazine 50% WP (1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 kg a.i. ha-1), Trifloxysulfuron-Na (10% OD) 30 g a.i. ha-1 and weedy check within a randomized complete block design, replicated four times. The results revealed that among the tested herbicides, the utmost dose of Atrazine was most efficient against grassy as well as broadleaf weeds. The higher weed control efficiency (> 60%) and cane yield (85.41 t ha-1) were recorded from treatment received Atrazine 4000 g a.i. ha-1 followed by its lower doses. Owing to an efficient controller of diversified weeds same herbicide treated plot removed the least amount essential primary nutrients irrespective of all weed species. Herbicides did not show any phytotoxicity symptoms on sugarcane throughout the observation period. Based on overall performance, the Atrazine 50% WP (4000 g a.i. ha-1) may be considered as the best substitute for others post-emergent herbicide against the complex weed floras in sugarcane.

Herbicide Management for Sustainable Sugar Cane (Saccharum officinarum l.) Production in Sudan

“…Weed species and habitat are the major criteria required for weed management in the field. The experimental results from Table (3) showed that there was a significant difference in average values between treatments in all growth parameters; (plant height, no of tillers/m 2 and no…”

“…In the initial stages of sugarcane development, it takes about 30 to 45 days for complete germination, and another 60-75 days for developing full canopy cover. This provides ample opportunity for weed to occupy the vacant spaces between rows and offer serious crop weed competition [3]. Weeds have been estimated to cause 12 to 72% reduction in cane yield, depending upon the severity of infestation [4].…”

“…Weed management methods are time consuming and expensive due to increased labor costs [5]. However, with the scarcity of manual labor and intensive crop production, introduction of chemical weed control was necessary to be introduced that replaced traditional weed control measures and more effective in controlling weeds without any adverse effect on cane quality and is time saving [3,6,7].…”

Effects of Film Mulching on Plant Growth and Nutrients in Artificial Soil: A Case Study on High Altitude Slopes

“…The content of extractable phosphorus (EP) was measured using the molybdenum-antimony anticolorimetric method (sodium bicarbonate extraction method) [40]. The extractable potassium (EK) was extracted with ammonium acetate and measured by flame photometry [41].…”

Effect of Post Emergence Herbicides on Weed Management in Transplanted Kharif Rice (Oryza sativa L.) and Their Residuality on Soil Microorganisms

“…For taking weed biomass, the destructed weed samples were first washed in clean tap water, then sun-dried and hot-air oven-dried at 70°C for 48 h, and weighed. Weed control efficiency (WCE) was worked out using following equations [8,9] respectively:…”