Articles
PLASTIC MULCHING FOR WEED CONTROL AND WATER ECONOMY IN VINEYARDS
Article number
536_28
Pages
245 – 250
Language
Abstract
An extensive study was conducted to examine the effect of weed control methods in the vineyards.
The experiment was carried out in the newly reclaimed lands in the Western desert of Egypt.
The weed control treatments included hoeing, plastic mulching, straw mulching, and herbicides like Round up and Touch down.
The obtained results indicated that plastic mulching is very effective to control all weeds and reduced water loss by evaporation.
Water saving was more than 50 % compared to herbicides or hoeing treatments.
Straw mulching was also useful and not expensive especially if the material was available in the farm to reduce transportation cost.
Use of herbicides was effective in reducing the percentage of weeds but not recommended because environmental pollution and water loss from the barren soils is high.
Repeated hoeing increased weed cover percentage, damage the fibrous roots and increased water loss.
Although cost of weed control with plastic mulching is apparently high, about L.E 600 /feddan, against L.E 500 for herbicides and L.E 300 for hoeing, it can be used for two seasons if carefully handled.
Water saving is most important in the desert areas especially in the vineyards using drip irrigation from deep wells, and water becomes the most expensive factor of production in such areas.
It could be recommended to use plastic mulching in the infected vineyards for its economy, control of weeds, to protect the environment from pollution and most importantly to save water and increase the net income of the grower.
The experiment was carried out in the newly reclaimed lands in the Western desert of Egypt.
The weed control treatments included hoeing, plastic mulching, straw mulching, and herbicides like Round up and Touch down.
The obtained results indicated that plastic mulching is very effective to control all weeds and reduced water loss by evaporation.
Water saving was more than 50 % compared to herbicides or hoeing treatments.
Straw mulching was also useful and not expensive especially if the material was available in the farm to reduce transportation cost.
Use of herbicides was effective in reducing the percentage of weeds but not recommended because environmental pollution and water loss from the barren soils is high.
Repeated hoeing increased weed cover percentage, damage the fibrous roots and increased water loss.
Although cost of weed control with plastic mulching is apparently high, about L.E 600 /feddan, against L.E 500 for herbicides and L.E 300 for hoeing, it can be used for two seasons if carefully handled.
Water saving is most important in the desert areas especially in the vineyards using drip irrigation from deep wells, and water becomes the most expensive factor of production in such areas.
It could be recommended to use plastic mulching in the infected vineyards for its economy, control of weeds, to protect the environment from pollution and most importantly to save water and increase the net income of the grower.
Authors
A. Hegazi
Keywords
weeds, irrigation, plastic, vines
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