Nonchemical weeding of medicinal and aromatic plants

Abstract

The biomass of weeds remaining at harvest was also measured. Results show a high sensitivity of coriander, fennel, and psyllium crops to the presence of weeds. Stale seedbed excessively delayed sowing time, thus inducing negative effects on crop seed yields. As a consequence, seed yield was 40-90 % lower than in the untreated plots. On the other hand, mechanical weeding, flaming, and biodegradable mulch reduced weeds by 50-95 %.

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World

“…Most experiments carried out on MAPs suitability to field conditions have confirmed the importance of a weeds removal as complete as possible: de la Fuente et al (2003) stated that on coriander, especially under poor soil conditions, weeding had a greater effect than did N fertilization, whereas weeds were found to lower seed yields (40-90 %) in coriander, fennel and psyllium (Carrubba and Militello 2013), herbage and oil yields (30-50 %) in mint (Singhania 2001), herb yield and oil content (60-70 %) in rose-scented geranium (Kothari et al 2002).…”

“…Other works, additionally, emphasize the variability of MAPs response to mechanical weeding in dependence on environmental factors, as found e.g. in Echinacea (Kristiansen 2003), coriander, fennel and psyllium (Carrubba and Militello 2013). Hence, generalizing the outcomes of the various trials is a bit difficult.…”

“…This inconvenience could be solved by the recourse to irrigation (Bond et al 2003), a solution that however cannot be suggested in all those areas where facilities for irrigation are lacking. This is probably the reason why in coriander, fennel and psyllium grown in a Mediterranean environment, the stale seedbed technique gave unsatisfactory results: weeds did not emerge until the first rainfalls in autumn, and the necessity to wait for a complete weeds emergence before destroying them, forced crops sowing time to an excessive delay, carrying out negative effects on seeds yield (Carrubba and Militello 2013).…”

Effect of mulching on soil and water conservation -A review

“…Biodegradable mulches: Carrubba and Militello, (2013) presented some environmentally friendly techniques for weed management, which proved to be efficient to increase seed yields of coriander, fennel and psyllium. Although biodegradable films used in experiment positively affected yields, they were not capable to suppress weeds.…”

Experimental methods applicable in cultivation of medicinal plants

“…Suzbijanje korova i drugih štetočina u lekovitom bilju se najčešće vrši nehemijskim merama. Zbog velike ograničenosti u korišćenju pesticida, problem suzbijanjaštetočina u navedenim usevimaje velik [1], pa će se zbog toga gajenje lekovitog i aromatičnog bilja u budnoćnosti sve više oslanjati na proizvodnju po principima organske proizvodnje [2].…”