| Abstract |
The influence of mulching and herbicides on weed density and yield of chilieswas investigated in a two years experiment at the University of Agriculture, Peshawar. The pre-emergence herbicides (Dual gold and Stomp) were applied either alone or in combination with mulches of wheat's straw, transparent polyethene, and black polythene in comparison with weedy check. The mulching and pre-emergence herbicides significantly affected the growth and yield of chili and the weeds� density, fresh and dry biomass. The least plant height (72.65 cm), branches per plant (52.29) and yield (3.21 t ha-1) of chili in control plants increased and were the maximum of 84.55 cm, 59.41, 52.33 and 4.51 t. ha-1 with the application of Stomp. The mean across mulches revealed the least plant height (67.57 cm), branches per plant (45.44) and yield (3.21 t. ha-1) in control plants that increased to the maximum of 86.43 cm, 66.32, 53.86 and 4.51 t. ha-1 with black polythene mulch treatment. By contrast, the mean weed density (47.35 m-2), weeds� fresh weight (1366.45g) and weeds� dry matter (27.53%) in control plots decreased with pre-emergence herbicidesand was the minimum of 24.81 m-2, 610.52 g and 25.19% accordingly in plots treated with Stomp. The mean across mulches revealed that the density (63.35 m-2), fresh weight (1401.08 g) and dry matter (29.13%) of weeds in control plants declined to the least of 16.82 m-2, 64.63 g and 20.01% with black polythene mulch treatment, respectively. The interaction of mulches and herbicides significantly affected the yield, weed density, weeds fresh weight and weeds dry matter percentage. The minimum yield (1.92 t. ha-1), but the maximum weeds density (97.81 m-2), weeds fresh weight (249.56 g) and weed dry matter (31.39%) were recorded in control plants. By contrast, Black Polythene Mulch+ Stomp treatments resulted in the highest yield (5.91 t. ha-1) and the least weeds density (9.78 m-2), weeds fresh weight (373.63 g) and weeds dry matter percentage (17.55%).
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