COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SOME WEED CONTROL TREATMENTS ON DIFFERENT WEEDS GROWN IN ANNA APPLE ORCHARDS

This study was carried out during two succes-sive seasons 2005 and 2006 on Anna apple trees budded on Balady apple rootstock, grown in sandy soil at (4 x 4m) apart under drip irrigation system, in a private farm at El-Khatatba, Monofia Gover-norate. A comparative study of some weed control treatments have been studied on Anna apple trees with its associated weeds. The tested weed control methods were using different colours of polyeth-ylene for mulching (green, blue, red, black and transparent), rice straw mulch, hand hoeing twice and two herbicides (Glyfosinate and Glyphosate) comparing with unweeded (control). All weed control treatments revented a significant reduction in fresh and dry weight of annual broad-leaved weeds, annual grasses, perennial and total weeds as compared with un weeded. The most effective treatments in decreasing fresh and dry weight of annual broad-leaves weeds were rice straw mulch-ing, followed by black polyethylene mulch and Glyfosinate. While, rice straw, black polyethylene and Glyphosate treatments were the most effective in decreasing fresh and dry weight of grass and total weeds. Also, the highest decrement in fresh and dry weight of perennial weeds were obtained by rice straw mulching and Glyphosate treatments. Moreover, results showed a remarkable improve-ment in growth, nutritional status of apple trees and yield (kg/tree). Also, physical and chemical properties of the fruits were improved. The most pronounced treatment developed under such study on the growth reduction of different grown weeds, meanwhile increased the apple tree growth, fruit yield associated with higher fruit quality was in rice straw mulching, black polyethylene mulching, Glyphosate treatments followed by hand hoeing twice treatment.Finally, it could be concluded that soil mulch-ing with rice straw can be used as a method for weed control in apple orchards. This method de-veloped such advantages over herbicides, polyeth-ylene mulch and hand hoeing in this concern. The possibility of using rice straw mulch for their many positive effects such as low coasts, in har-mony with ecosystem without no harmful residual effect especially for exported fruits and for pro-ducing safe fruits for human nutrition. In addi-tions, soil mulch with rice straw improving growth, leaves mineral contents as well as pro-duced higher yield and better quality of apple fruits.