Ефективні способи захисту посадок верби енергетичної від бур’янів

Abstract

The purpose of the research. To study effective methods of weed protection for energy willow plantations and to establish the energy efficiency of growing energy willow under different protection systems. Research results. The dominating weeds species in the willow stands were the following: Chenopodium album (538 g/m2,15.3%), Amaranthus retroflexus (463 g/m2,13.2%), Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) (387 g/m2, 10.9%), Solanum nigrum (341 g/m2, 9.7%), hybrid amaranthus (311 g/m2, 8.8%), and other species. Application of soil herbicide Stomp 330 EC at the dose of 5.0 L/ha provided 71.2% weed control. The increment in the biomass of willow in the first year of testing the herbicide was an average of 2.90 t/ha. Mulching willow stands with winter wheat straw (mulch layer of 12–15 cm) ensured reliable control of all weed species, including perennial ones, by 99.4% and contributes to the high increment of biomass. Conclusions. Maintainance of energy willow stands clear of weeds resulted in 3-year energy yield of 412 GJ/ha at an energy efficiency index of 8.24. At the same time, planting willow energy without the measures of weed control in the first year of vegetation resulted in energy yield of 214 GJ/ha at an energy efficiency index of 4.28.