The effects of integrated and single management method on weed biomass and density and tomato yield

Although, various weed control methods have been developed, weeds pose a permanent threat to the crop production. A field study was conducted in 2004 at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Research Field to evaluate the effects of different weed managements and their integration on weed density and biomass and tomato yield. The experiment was designed as a strip plot based on complete randomized block design with three replications. Treatments were two tillage systems (reduced and conventional) and six weed management methods (herbicide, rotary cultivator, handweeding, herbicide plus rotary cultivator, herbicide plus handweeding, and handweeding plus rotary cultivator). The herbicide, handweeding, and rotary cultivator treatments were applied 2, 3, and 6 weeks after transplanting, respectively. The highest and lowest amounts of tomato yields were obtained in herbicide plus rotary cultivator and rotary cultivator, respectively. Density and biomass of broadleaved weeds was affected by different weed managements, and they were controlled by handweeding and its integration with herbicide better than other treatments. Different weed managements had no effect on grass weeds density, except by the end of growing season. Handweeding treatment and its integration with herbicide, also, controlled grass weeds better than the other treatments In conclusion, integrated treatments in comparison with single treatments decreased weed density and biomass and increased tomato yield. The least weed control and tomato yield was obtained in rotary cultivator treatment

Allelopathic Effects of Four Chickpea Cultivars on Vegetative Growth of Sunflower and Corn under Controlled Conditions

Abstract In order to study the effects of four chickpea cultivar (Cicer arietinum L.) on vegetative growth of sunflower (Helianthus annus) and corn (Zea mays), two separate experiments was conducted at Research Greenhouse of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2005. Experiments were done in a factorial arrangement of treatments with two factors based on completely randomized design with 4 replications. Factors included chickpea cultivars (Karag12-60-31, Filip 84-482, Gam, ILC 482, and no residue control) and planting date of corn and sunflowers within root residues of chick pea (seeds planted simultaneously, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after harvesting of chickpea shoots). Seeds of corn and sunflower were planted within root residues of chickpea. Results showed that root residues of chickpea cultivars influenced height and shoot weight of sunflower significantly. The lowest sunflower height was obtained when they were planted within root residues of Flip and ILC cultivars, which decreased 13.7 and 11.1% relative to control, respectively. Planting date of sunflower within root residues of chick pea cultivars had a significant effect on sunflower leaf area, shoot weight, and its root/shoot ratio. So that, lowest leaf area, shoot weight, and also highest root/shoot ratio was obtained in third planting date. Results showed that lowest plant height, leaf area, root weight, shoot weight, and also highest root/shoot ratio of corn (6 weeks after planting) was obtained after planting within chickpea cultivars, Gam and ILC. Also the effect of corn planting date was significant. The lowest root and shoot weight, and root/shoot ratio of corn was obtained in the earliest corn planting date. Therefore, corn plants showed more sensitive than sunflower after planting within chickpea cultivars, and the highest inhibitory effects resulted in the earliest corn planting date. Keywords: Pea cultivars, Integrated management, Crop rotatio