Paper Details

Effect of saffron residue on redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) and small bind weed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) control

Rouhollah Sohrabi, Bahram Mirshekari, Farhad Farahvash

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/4.4.126-130

Int. J. Biosci. 4(4), 126-130. February, 2014. (PDF)

Abstract:

In a rotational sequence, when an allelopathic plant is left as a residue or mulch, especially in minimum-tillage systems could control subsequent weeds growth. To study effect of saffron residues on redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) and small bind weed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) control an experiment was conducted under laboratory and green house conditions in a CRD with factorial arrangement at three replications. Studied treatments were leaves, corms and leaves+corms extracts in different concentrations (0, 1%, 2%, 3% and 4%). Statistical analysis of the results was carried out by MSTATC software and LSD was used for comparison of means. Extract of corm, leaves and corm plus leaves caused 24%, 24% and 53% reduction in final germination percentage of both weeds, respectively, compared to an un-primed check. These reduction values of seed germination have been probably arisen from effect of saffron allochemicals on enzymes activities responsible for germination. Redroot pigweed rate of germination affected more than small bindweed by concentration of saffron extract. At the higher extract concentration (4%), germination rate in redroot pigweed decreased up to 77%, but only 51% in small bindweed. Saffron extract could intensively decrease seedling dry weight of redroot pigweed (39%) rather than small bindweed. Seedling dry weight in Convolvulus was greater than Amaranthus, especially when the seeds were treated with saffron corm plus leaves extract. The farmers that rotate summer crops after saffron could incorporate saffron residues in the soil, and this can be use in controlling of some dominant weeds as an effective way in integrated weed management strategies.