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Efficacy and Economics of Herbicide Programs Compared to Methyl Bromide for Weed Control in Polyethylene-Mulched Bell Pepper

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Pratap Devkota*
Affiliation:
Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas, 1366 West Altheimer Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72704
Jason K. Norsworthy
Affiliation:
Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas, 1366 West Altheimer Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72704
Ron Rainey
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Arkansas, 2301 South University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract

In the absence of an effective alternative to methyl bromide (MeBr), weeds cause a significant economic loss in bell pepper production. A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and economics of PRE followed by (fb) POST-directed (POST-DIR) herbicide programs compared with MeBr for weed control in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) mulched bell pepper production. Imazosulfuron at 0.112, 0.224, and 0.336 kg ai ha−1 and S-metolachlor at 1.6 kg ai ha−1 were PRE-applied fb POST-DIR applied mixture of trifloxysulfuron + halosulfuron at 0.008 and 0.027 kg ai ha−1, respectively, at 4 wk after transplanting (WATP). The standard MeBr treatment (67 and 33% mixture of MeBr + chloropicrin) was applied at 390 kg ai ha−1. In addition, a weed-free (hand weeding) and a non-treated control were used for comparison. S-metolachlor-containing herbicide program controlled Palmer amaranth ≥ 90%, large crabgrass ≥ 78%, and yellow nutsedge ≥ 90%, which were comparable to MeBr. After POST-DIR herbicide application, bell pepper was injured ≥ 17% with the S-metolachlor-containing herbicide program at 6 WATP; however, the crop later recovered. Marketable bell pepper yield in plots treated with S-metolachlor (≥ 29.9 ton ha−1) was comparable to those treated with MeBr. Economic evaluation of the imazosulfuron herbicide programs demonstrated the loss of ≥ $7,300 ha−1. Conversely, the S-metolachlor-containing herbicide program was profitable with a net return of $9,912 ha−1. In addition, the S-metolachlor herbicide program generated a net profit of $173 ha−1 compared to the MeBr application. Therefore, PRE-applied S-metolachlor fb POST-DIR applied trifloxysulfuron + halosulfuron is a potential alternative to MeBr for weed management in LDPE-mulched bell pepper production given the weed spectrum evaluated in this study.

En ausencia de una alternativa efectiva a methyl bromide (MeBr), las malezas causan pérdidas económicas significativas en la producción de pimentón. Se realizó un estudio para evaluar la eficacia y los parámetros económicos de programas de herbicidas PRE seguidos de (fb) POST-dirigido (POST-DIR) y compararlos con MeBr para el control de malezas en coberturas de polyethylene de baja densidad (LDPE) en la producción de pimentón. Imazosulfuron a 0.112, 0.224, y 0.336 kg ai ha−1 and S-metolachlor a 1.6 kg ai ha−1 fueron aplicados PRE fb una mezcla de trifloxysulfuron + halosulfuron a 0.008 y 0.027 kg ai ha−1 aplicados POST-DIR, respectivamente, a 4 semanas después del trasplante (WATP). El tratamiento estándar con MeBr (mezcla de MeBr + chloropicrin a 67 y 33%) fue aplicado a 390 kg ai ha−1. Adicionalmente, un testigo libre de malezas (deshierba manual) y un testigo sin tratamiento fueron usados para fines de comparación. El programa de herbicidas que contenía S-metolachlor controló Amaranthus palmeri ≥ 90%, Digitaria sanguinalis ≥ 78%, y Cyperus esculentus ≥ 90%, lo que fue comparable a MeBr. Después de la aplicación POST-DIR de herbicidas, el pimentón sufrió daño ≥ 17% con el programa de herbicidas que contenía S-metolachlor, a 6 WATP, aunque el cultivo se recuperó posteriormente. En parcelas tratadas con S-metolachlor, el rendimiento de pimentón comercializable (≥ 29,9 ton ha−1) fue comparable al de las parcelas tratadas con MeBr. La evaluación económica de los programas de herbicidas con imazosulfuron demostró que se dio una pérdida de ≥ $7,300 ha−1. En cambio, los programas de herbicidas que contenían S-metolachlor fueron rentables con una ganancia neta de $9,912 ha−1. Además, los programas de herbicidas con S-metolachlor generaron una ganancia neta de $173 ha−1 al compararse con la aplicación de MeBr. De esta forma, el programa de S-metolachlor aplicado PRE fb trifloxysulfuron + halosulfuron aplicados POST-DIR es una alternativa potencial a MeBr para el control de malezas en producción de pimentón con coberturas LDPE, para el espectro de especies de malezas evaluado en este estudio.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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Footnotes

Current address: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907

References

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