Preliminary study for testing the significance of butyl–iso–butyl phthalate in ‎controlling faba bean broomrape

Abstract

Due to deleterious impacts of broomrapes against the host plants, its combating is essential for sustaining crop productivity. Thus, two-year field trail was conducted at El Nubaria experimental farm, National Research Centre, Egypt, on two faba bean genotypes (Misr-3 and Sakha-1) to investigate the importance of butyl-iso-butyl phthalate as an activator for broomrape germination in comparison to glyphosate and unweeded. Findings revealed that glyphosate in 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons in addition to butyl-iso-butyl phthalate in 2016/17 season caused significant reductions in broomrape biomass and numbers of broomrape-infected faba bean plants plot −1 compared to the unweeded. Plots of Misr-3 genotype treated with butyl-iso-butyl phthalate in both season as well as plots of Misr-3 or Sakha-1 sprayed by glyphosate in the first season achieved the maximum seed yield of faba bean. Since butyliso-butyl phthalate exhibits suicidal germination of broomrape seeds, it can be exploited as an effective and helpful tool in integrated management programs of broomrape in faba bean fields.