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PURPLE NUTSEDGE (CYPERUS ROTUNDUS L.) MANAGEMENT IN COTTON WITH COMBINED APPLICATION OF SORGAAB AND S-METOLACHLOR

JAVAID IQBAL AND ZAHID A. CHEEMA^*

Abstract: Allelopathy can be employed effectively for weed management in different ways; one such aspect may be its utilization for reducing the use of synthetic herbicides. Considering its importance as a natural weed control approach, a study comprising two doses of sorgaab (Sorghum bicolor L. water extract) 12 and 15 L ha^-1 combined with lower doses i.e. ½ and 1/3^rd (1075, 717 g a.i. ha^-1) of synthetic herbicide (S. metolachlor) as pre-emergence spray against purple nutsedge was undertaken in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under irrigated conditions in central Punjab, Pakistan. Label dose of S. metolachlor (2.15 kg a.i. ha^-1) and untreated treatment were maintained as control. The results of two years field trials revealed that 62-92% purple nutsedge control was achieved from sorgaab application in combination with reduced doses of herbicide. Similarly purple nutsedge dry weight was reduced by 75-88% than untreated control indicating that sorgaab with lower S. metolachlor doses was quite effective in suppressing purple nutsedge

College of Agriculture, Dera Ghazi Khan and

Weed Science and Allelopathy Lab., Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan