Evaluation of the Effect of Different Herbicides for the Control of Parthenium Weed

Abstract

Parthenium hysterophorus L., is a noxious annual weed rapidly spreading across the cropped and non-cropped and has become a major threat to cropped and noncropped areas. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different herbicides against parthenium weed at its mixed population of different growth stages in non-cropped area. The experiments were laid out in accordance with RCBD with three repeats of ten treatments. Herbicides used in the experiments were RoundUp 54SL (glyphosate) @ 2.5 l ha-1, Maxtrol 38SC (atrazine) @ 1200 ml ha-1, Sencor 70WP (metribuzin) @ 625 g ha-1, Gesapax combi 80WP (ametryne+atrazine) @ 2.5 kg ha-1, Clean Core 50EC (acetochlor) @ 250 ml ha-1, Gramaxone 20SL (paraquat) @ 1250 ml ha-1, Stomp 330 EC (pendimethalene) @ 2500 g ha-1, Premextra Gold 720 SC (atrazine+s-metolachlor) @ 2000 ml ha-1, and Sodium chloride (common salt) @ 5% solution and untreated control. Statistical analysis of the data showed that different herbicide treatments had significant effect on the mortality of parthenium weed. The post emergence herbicides, glyphosate and ametryne+atrazine at rossete stage provided 97% & 82% and at bolted stage 96% & 60% mortality of parthenium weed at 4 Weeks After Spray (WAS). Among the pre-emergence herbicides pendimathaline and atrazine proved best with 10 & 16 plants m-2 respectively and inhibited the regeneration of weeds for a longer period of time. It is recommended that a mixture of glyphosate (non-selective herbicide) in pendimethalne or atrazine at their recommended doses can be used on noncropped areas for effective control of Parthenium weed.

Keywords

• herbicides
• parthenium
• weed control

References

1. DR.MUHAMMAD ARSHAD) Associate Professor Department of Agr.Entomology University of Ageiculture,Faisalabad, [e-mail]
2. DR. ZAIN-UL-ABIDIN) Associate Professor Department of Agr.Entomology University of Ageiculture,Faisalabad, [e-mail]