Weed management in Allium hirtifolium L. production by herbicides application

Abstract

Allium hirtifolium Boiss (Persian shallot), called “Mooseer” in Persian, as a medical and industrial species, is poor competitor against weeds. Due to high pressure on its natural habitats by harvesting for food and medicinal consumption, it is necessary to domesticate it for commercial production. There is rare information on the tolerance of A. hirtifolium to herbicide applications. In present study, the effects of 19 weed control scenario along with two weedy and weed free controls on the weeds control and yield response of A. hirtifolium were evaluated. The field experiment was conducted in two years (Autumn 2015 to Summer 2017), as randomized complete block design with three replicates. Flixweed (Descurainia sophia L.) was the dominant weed in the experimental plots in both years. Hand-weeding caused complete weed removal and resulted in the highest crop yield. Oxyfluorfen herbicide caused the highest crop phytotoxicity in both rates (180+180 and 360 g a.i. ha−1). Whereas, bentazone and oxyfluorfen produced the highest crop yield. Based on our finding, although hand-weeding had highest crop yield, post emergence application of bentazone (1200 and 1440 g a.i. ha−1), oxadiazone (360 g a.i. ha−1) and oxyfluorfen (360 g a.i. ha−1) can be suitable options for selective chemical weeds control in A. hirtifolium, due to gained acceptable yield by providing satisfactory levels of weed control and crop phytotoxicity.