INFLUENCE OF SOIL SOLARIZATION AND PLANT RESIDUE INCORPORATION ON WEED DYNAMICS AND PERFORMANCE OF CROPS
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Date
1999-08-30
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UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES GKVK BANGALORE
Abstract
The increasing weed menace and decreasing soil health being the major deterrents
in sustainable agricultural production, field experiments were conducted at Main Research
Station, UAS, Dharwad during 1993-94 to 1995-96 to investigate the effects of i. kind
and nature of polyethylene and placement heights on soil temperature, ii. kind and
thickness of polyethylene and duration of solarization and iii. solarization and plant
residue (viz., Glyricidia loppings, wheat straw or redgram stalks at 5t/ha) incorporation
on weed growth and performance of crops, and iv. pre-incorporation residue (viz., wheat
straw or cotton stalk at 5t/ha) inoculation (cattle dung or Phcmerochaete chrysosporium)
on crop performance using randomised block design. Forage bajra, grain maize, soybean
and wheat were the test crops.
Polyethylene tarping of moist soil during summer months was effective in raising
soil temperature. Thinner transparent polyethylene (TP 0.05 mm) was more effective
than thicker (0.10 or 0.125 mm) transparent or black polyethylene particularly when
placed close to the soil surface. Residue incorporation, at times reduced the magnitude
of rise in temperature.
These temperature changes influenced weed seed bank and dominant weeds such
as Ageratum conyzoides, Trianthema portulacastntm and Commelina benghalensis were
considerably controlled with TP 0.05 mm for 60 days. Solarization for shorter period
was either not effective or stimulatory in some weeds. Among monocots, Denebra
retrqflexa, Digitaria sangiiimlis, Panicum isachne and Cypenis rotundiis though
decreased with intensive solarization (TP 0.05 mm for 50, or - for 60 days) found to
be more resistant to high temperature effects. Plant residues though increased weed
intensity in the first flush, resulted in substantial reduction in weed growth in
subsequent flushes.Consequent to control of weeds and other growth influences summer soiarization
with TP 0.05 mm for a period equal to or more than 50 days increased succeeding
crop yields and such effects lasted over two consecutive seasons. Plant residues @ 5t/ha
incorporated at the beginning of soiarization mineralized rapidly and improved yield of
following crops. Green and pre - treated dry residues (natural biologically active dung
slurry and decomposer Phanerochaete chrysosporium) improved the yields of immediate
crops while untreated dry residues were particularly effective on the second crop grown
in succession during the year.
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