Effect of herbicides for weed control in saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

Study confirmed that herbicides including manual weeding showed significant differences for fresh flower weight (g), saffron yield (kg ha^-1), number of radical leaves/hill, radical leaf length (cm), corm yield (g m^-2), number of daughter corms/mother corm and weight of daughter corms/mother corm (g), when compared with the control (no weeding). Manual weeding was found to be the best method for controlling the weeds with regard to morphological, corm related traits and saffron yield without any residues in the saffron product However, in terms of expenditure, it is a costly, time and labour consuming which could negatively affect returns to growers.
Among the herbicides used in this experiment, metribuzin (560 g a.i. ha^-1) before sowing was found good in controlling the weed population.
Ioxynil (after harvest in spring 750 g a.i. ha^-1) and ethafluralin soil incorporated (1320 g a.i. ha^-1) before forking have also proved effective in controlling the weeds as is evident from the saffron and corm yields, as well as in terms of daughter corm formation.

IV International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Technology

A.M. Iqbal, B.A. Ellahi, F.A. Nehvi, S.S. Sameer, S. Naseer, G. Ali, S.A. Nagoo, A. Arshid, N.A. Dar

weeds, yield, control, saffron

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1200.17