Evaluation Of Mulching Mats Derived From Rice Straw And Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches For Weed Control
Field experiments were conducted at Universiti Putra Malaysia during 1998 under annual and permanent orchard cropping systems to evaluate oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) and rice straw (RS) mats, with and without metolachlor as preemergence herbicide, for weed control efficacy, metolachlor act...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
1999
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10445/1/FP_1999_23_A.pdf |
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| Summary: | Field experiments were conducted at Universiti Putra Malaysia during 1998
under annual and permanent orchard cropping systems to evaluate oil palm empty
fruit bunch (OPEFB) and rice straw (RS) mats, with and without metolachlor as
preemergence herbicide, for weed control efficacy, metolachlor activity and soil
nutrient status.
Under the annual cropping system, three RS mat types (1.5, 1.0, and 0.5 cm
thick) and one OPEFB mat type (1.5 cm thick), with and without incorporated
metolachlor (1.8 kg/ha) were compared for annual weed control. In the permanent
orchard system, two RS mat types (1.5 and 1.0, cm thick) and one OPEFB mat type
(1.5 cm thick) with and without incorporated metolachlor (1.8 and 3.6 kg/ha) were
compared for perennial weed control.
OPEFB mats effectively suppressed annual weed growth. Incorporation of 1.8
kglha metolachlor increased weed control efficacy. Increasing metolachlor to 3.6
kg/ha increased the efficacy of the mats for perennial weed control. However,
incorporation of metolachlor 1.8 kg/ha into OPEFB mats had no beneficial effect in
controlling perennial grass weed growth compared to mats without herbicide.
RS mats without herbicide did not effectively suppress growth of most weeds.
Incorporation of 1.8 kg/ha metolachlor enhanced suppression of annual weed growth
up to 12 weeks after treatment. At 3.6 kglha metolachlor effectively suppressed
perennial weed growth up to 16 weeks after treatment.
Root length reduction in rice seedling bioassay was used to evaluate residual
phytotoxic activity of field exposed metolachlor treated OPEFB and RS mats. At both metolachlor rates no inhibitory activity was evident in mats sampled after 8 weeks of
exposure in the field.
OPEFB mats markedly increased soil organic matter (10.6%), organic carbon
(10.6%), phosphorous (15.3%) and potassium (49.<)010) with negligible increase in
nitrogen (5.6%). Contribution by triple layered RS mats to soil organic matter (9.3%),
organic carbon (9.3%) potassium (73.8%) and phosphorous (18.7%) was greater than
contributions from single or double layered RS mats.
The results of this study showed that OPEFB mats incorporated with 3.6 kg/ha
metolachlor have excellent potential for weed control around newly transplanted trees
and shrubs. Triple layered RS mats in combination with 3.6 kg/ha metolachlor can
also be used to effectively control weeds under young perennial crops. |
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