Melaleuca cajuputi leaf and branch extracts decreased weeds growth and weeds density in corn field.

Abstract

Products from organic agriculture were accepted for food safety, less environmental impact, enrich nutrition and probably more tasty than products from chemical agriculture. Plant natural products which are numerous sources for allelopathy effect were interested to discovery new herbicides for organic agriculture. Plant which mostly found in fresh water mangrove forest, Melaleuca cajuputi, was used to determine the reduction of weeds. The result indicated that these extracts inhibited all tested weed species. Thus, this experiment was focused on the effect of Melaleuca cajuputi leaf and branch extracts on the reduction of weeds growth and weeds density in corn field. Eight weed species; Vernonia cinerea , Merremia hederacea , Cyperus rotundus , Ipomcea aquatic , Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Rottboellia cochinchinensis , Amaranthus viridis and Commelina diffusa in corn field experiment were evaluated. Melaleuca cajuputi leaf and branch extracts of 10 and 15% were applied in field soil for 7 days before corn seeds growing and were sprayed every 7 days on soil surface until 60 days. Weeds dry weight and weeds density were evaluated at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days. The result showed that Melaleuca cajuputi leaf and branch extracts decreased weeds growth and weeds density. The highest growth and density reductions were found at 15% of Melaleuca cajuputi leaf extract. The mixture of Melaleuca cajuputi leaf and branch grind at the concentration of 4 kg/9 m 2 showed less reduction on weeds growth and weeds density than 15% of Melaleuca cajuputi leaf extract. However, Melaleuca cajuputi leaf and branch extracts and grind not affected to corn growth and productivity. Keywords — Melaleuca cajuputi ; weed reduction; corn field; allelopathy