EFFECT OF SOME MULCHING METHODS AS POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE MEASURES ON BROOMRAPE, ANNUAL WEEDS CONTROL AND PRODUCTIVITY OF TWO FABA BEAN CULTIVARS

Two field experiments were conducted in a naturally infested field with annual weeds and broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt, during 2018/19 and 2019/20 winter seasons. The aims of this work were (1) investigate the performance of two cultivars of faba bean (Giza 843 and Sakha 3) under some weed control treatments [mulching with the rice straw, mulching with the sorghum straw, mulching with the black plastic, mulching with the white plastic, mulching with the blue plastic, stomp extra at rate 1.5 L/fed + Round up at rate 75 cm 3 /fed, (hand hoeing + hand pulling) twice and untreated check) (2) Effect of some weed control treatments on annual weeds and broomrape, faba bean yield and its components. The results indicated that the cultivar Giza 843 decreased exhibited the lowest dry weight of broadleaved, grassy and total annual weeds by 27.2, 20.8 and 20.9 %, respectively as compared to Sakha 3. It also, decreased broomrape spike length, number of spikes/ plant and dry weight of spikes/m 2 by 30.9, 38.5 and 38.3 %, respectively. In addition, it scored the highest values of yield and its components, compared to the cultivar Sakha 3. Moreover, all weed control treatments significantly decreased dry weight of total annual weeds and broomrape, and increased yield components in both seasons. The highest values obtained for faba bean yield (ardab./fed.) yield were detected for mulching with sorghum straw and mulching with black plastic for nine weeks, followed by stomp extra + Round up, mulching with rice straw, mulching with blue plastic and mulching with white by 71.8, 68.9, 67.9, 66.1, 64.2 and 60.9 %, respectively compared to the control treatment. The interaction between faba bean cultivars and weed control treatments exerted a significantly integrated impact on annual weeds and broomrape characters which was reflected on increases in yield faba bean and its components. From the results of correlation analysis, the dry weight of total annual weeds and broomrape biomass negatively correlated with faba bean yield and its components. These results indicated that in soil infested with annual weeds and broomrape, it is better to grow the cultivar Giza 843 with the application of weed control treatments such as mulching with the sorghum straw, or mulching with black plastic for nine weeks or stomp extra at rate 1.5 L/fed + Round up at rate 75cm 3 /fed. These practices gave the highest reduction in annual weeds and broomrape density and increased faba bean yield and its components and improved faba bean productivity.