Influence Of Winter Cover Crops On Weed Control And Tomato Yield
2007
Ranjbar, M., Tehran University; | Samedani, B., Plant Pests and Diseases Research Institute. | Rahimian, H., Thehran University | Jahansoz, M. R., Thehran University | Bihamta, M.R., Thehran University .
Establishment of cover crops before the main crop seems to be proper approach to a sustainable agriculture. In a field experiment, the effect of Winter cover crops on weed control of tomato was investigated from the 2000 to 2001 growing seasons. The experiment was split plot based on a complete randomized block with three replications. Cover crops were considered as the main factor with three levels (rye monoculture, hairy vetch monoculture and a mixture of hairy vetch + rye) and the mulch management (herbicide + mulch, harvest, and harvest + mulch) with two hand-weeding were placed in subplots. For comparison, a control treatment was arranged aside the experiment. There was no significant difference between cover crops and control in terms of grass weeds biomass, but they could control redroot pigweed and common purslane. As, 80 days after planting of tomato, in the harvest + mulch treatment of rye, vetch and mixture of rye and vetch the percentage of common purslane density was 91, 82 and 64 respectively. The percentage of common purslane biomass was 98, 79 and 100 respectively, the percentage of redroot pigweed density was 87, 75 and 75 respectively and the percentage of redroot pigweed biomass was 100, 88 and 97 respectively. Maximum tomato yield was in the harvest + mulch rye, and mixture. These treatments increased tomato yield by over 200%. Generally, the results of this research showed that use of winter cover crops with suitable management is a good weed management system in tomato fields which increases efficiency of input and bring us closer to sustainable agriculture.
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