Effect of Plant Density and Propnit Herbicide on the Weeds and Grain Yield of Sorghum

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during the spring season of 2020 in the experimental field of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences - University of Baghdad - Abu Ghraib to know the effect of weed controlling broad and narrow leaf weeds and grain yield of sorghum (Inqath cultivar). Randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used according to split plots at three replications. The main plots included three weed control treatments (spraying of propnit herbicide at the recommended dose of 450-500 ml dunum-1 and half recommended dose of 225-250 ml donum-1) and weedy and free weedy treatments. In contrast, the subplots included three plant densities (1.0×105, 1.5×105, and 2.0×105, plants ha-1). The results of the statistical analysis indicate that the spraying of herbicides Proponit at the recommended concentration recorded the lowest average density of broad and narrow leaves (7.89 7 and 2.22 plants m-2) and the highest percentage of controlling broad and narrow leaves (72.17 88.03%) and the highest percentage of inhibiting the dry weight (75.33%). As for the effect of plant density, the results indicated that there was a significant effect of plant density in most of the studied traits, where the plant density recorded 200 thousand plants ha-1, the lowest numerical density for broad leaves and the percentage of their control (4.79 plants m-2 and 69.74%), and the plant density recorded 100 thousand The plant ha-1 had the highest inhibition rate of 63.53%. The plant density exceeded 150 thousand plants ha-1, and the highest grain yield was 6.03 tons ha-1. The different combinations between the two studied factors significantly affected most of the studied traits.