Weed Management in Cocoa Nursery
By: Shylaja P V.
Contributor(s): George Thomas C (Guide).
Material type:
Item type | Current location | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
KAU Central Library, Thrissur Theses | 630 SHY/WE (Browse shelf) | Available | 171818 |
MSc
Experiments were conducted during 2000-2001 at the College of
Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur with the objective of
suggesting appropriate weed management strategies involving solarization,
fumigation, biofertilizers and herbicides for cocoa nursery. The investigation
consisted of two experiments. In the first experiment, solarization at different
intervals (15, 30 and 45 day) and fumigation were compared together with
biofertilizers (Azospirillum, V AM, Azospirillum + V AM). Seven pre-emergence
herbicides were screened in the second experiment along with weed free and
untreated control.
The major weeds of the nursery area were broad leaf weeds.
Solarization for 30 and 45 days and fumigation were very effective in controlling
weed growth and biomass of weeds. The temperature at 5 cm depth was 7-9.5°C
more than the non-solarized soil. Solarization for 30 and 45 days and fumigation
reduced the population of fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes considerably.
Increases in the availability of some nutrients - available P, exchangeable K, Ca
and Mg - were also observed as a result of solarization for 30 and 45 days. Organic
carbon, total nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen were unaffected.
Biofertilizers seems to have no appreciable effect on weed population
and growth. ,.
Solarization for 30 and 45 days and fumigation increased the growth of
cocoa seedlings. Increased growth of seedlings resulted in early selection of
seedlings for budding from this treatments. Biofertilizers also had significant
influences on growth parameters of cocoa and earliness in attaining collar girth of
buddable size. Certain growth characters showed interaction effects between
solarization and biofertilizers. Solarization for 45 days and Azospirillum + V AM
was found to be a superior combination influencing collar girth at all the stages.
Among the pre-emergence herbicides tried, diuron (2.0 kg ha"),
oxyfluorfen (0.3 kg ha") and pendimethalin (1.5 kg ha") were the most effective in
weed control. Atrazine (2.0 kg ha"), oxyfluorfen and pendimethalin had effect ori
better growth of seedlings. The maximum number of recovery of stock seedling
was from oxfluorfen applied plots; and it also had least effect on soil
microorganisms. Alachlor (2.0 kg ha") and metolachlor (1.5 kg ha") were the
worst in terms of reduction in microbial population.
There are no comments for this item.