Weed management in onion using chemical, non-chemical, and manual methods

Abstract

SummaryWeed management studies in onions grown from seedlings were conducted during 2006 and 2007 at the National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan. Applications of pendimethalin at 0.825 l a.i. ha–1, or oxadiazon at 0.240 l a.i. ha–1, 2 d after transplanting (DAT) seedlings were evaluated alone, and in combination with one manual weeding, for their effects on weed competition and bulb yields. Other weed control treatments included the application of rice straw mulch 2 weeks after transplanting (WAT) combined with one manual weeding at 9 WAT, or a newspaper and rice straw mulch applied 2 WAT. Compared to the weed-free situation, competition with weeds caused reductions in bulb yields of 62% and 68% during the first and second year, respectively. Polygonum plebejum, Amaranthus viridis, Cyperus rotundus, and Coronopus didymus were the dominant weeds recorded in the field. Mulching reduced weeds by 56 – 60% compared to the chemical weed treatments. Compared to the weed-free treatment (four manual weedings at monthly intervals), which is a traditional method to control weeds in onion, bulb yields increased significantly under the rice straw mulch or when treated with pendimethalin in combination with one manual weeding at 9 WAT. The latter two treatments, on average, resulted in the highest increases of 26 t ha–1 and 24 t ha–1 in bulb yields with net returns of US$ 1,522 ha–1 and US$ 1,486 ha–1, respectively over the non-treated control.