INVASIVE Solanum elaeagnifolium CAV. WEED CHEMICAL CONTROL WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ADDITIVES

Abstract

Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. is an invasive perennial weed that causes a high degree of loss in crops productivity, and it is difficult to control. Therefore, some experiments were conducted to optimize the efficacy of the used herbicides via some additives and other herbicides against S. elaeagnifolium. In the fig fields, the efficacy of glyphosate showed better control when applied with additives and other herbicides that could be ranked as follows; fluroxypyr ≥ pyraflufen-ethyl ≥ metribazine ≥ bromoxynil-octanoate. Applied glyphosate with additives can sever as a substitute to other herbicides combination in the early growth to give a better weed control, while glyphosate with pyraflufen-ethyl, fluroxypyr, and metrabzine in the presence of additives delayed the revegetation times of weed from 70 up to 85 days. Application in August was proved to reduce the fruiting and subsequently their future infection of S. elaeagnifolium. Accordingly, these mixtures of herbicides led to remarkable timing reduction effects in soil microbe’s counts and activity diminished within four weeks after application whereas, fungi were the most restrained microorganisms to herbicides treatments. Among the selective herbicides, pyraflufen-ethyl, and fluroxypyr could be used to suppress the weed growth in the emergency of growing Triticum aestivum and Zea mays respectively. Finally, promoting the effectiveness of the herbicides was profitable by choosing the proper time of application and the suitable mixtures, thus must be devoted to integrated program for better weeds control.