Abstract
Background:
Thermal weed control is a viable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly emerging alternative to highly challenged and unsustainable chemical weed control.
Objective:
To find out the most suitable pre-sowing soil solarization durations for effective weed control and soil fertility enhancement in sesame crop.
Methods:
A field study was conducted during the summer season of 2016 and 2017. Different soil solarization treatments were applied, including 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 weeks before sowing (WBS) of sesame by spreading transparent polythene sheets.
Results:
The temperatures of solarized soil at 10 cm depth were 8-10 oC more than the control. The soil NPK and organic matter contents were gradually increased with increasing solarization durations. The highest soil nitrogen (0.71%), phosphorus (9.63 ppm), K (166.2 ppm), and organic matter content (1.12%) were observed with the longest soil solarization for 12 WBS. Different solarization durations provided 23 to 64% weed control efficiency and up to a 34% rise in sesame yield.
Conclusions:
Based on the current findings, soil solarization for 12 WBS by polythene sheets is an effective alternative to the chemical weed control method with additional positive effects on soil fertility and sesame yield.
Keywords:
Thermal weed control; Non-chemical weed control; Polythene sheet
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