Evaluating the Integrated Effect of Herbicide Band Application and Cultivation on Weed Control and Yield of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

To evaluate the effect of herbicide band application and cultivator on weed control, yield and yield components of potato, an experiment was conducted using factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications at Research Field of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran during 2015. Experimental factors included cultivator at two levels (with and without cultivator application) and herbicide treatments at six levels, including 1. Pre plant herbicide application (Pendimethalin) + broadcast application of post emergence herbicide (Metribuzine), 2. Pre plant herbicide application (Pendimethalin) + band application of post emergence herbicide (Metribuzine), 3. Pre plant herbicide (Pendimethalin) alone, 4. Broadcast application of post emergence herbicide (Metribuzine) alone, 5. Band application of post emergence herbicide (Metribuzine) alone, and no herbicide treatment. The results showed that application of Pendimethalin + broadcast or band application of Metribuzine reduced total weed density and total weed biomass and increased tuber weight, tuber number and total biomass of potato. The highest tuber yield was observed in Pendimethalin + broadcast (41 ton ha-1) and band application of Metribuzine (36 ton ha-1), and the lowest tuber yield was observed in no herbicide (16 ton ha-1) and Pendimethalin alone (18.75 ton ha-1). It was concluded that interaction of cultivator and herbicide application had no significant effect on total weed density, total weed biomass and tuber and biomass yield of potato, due perhaps to inadequate repeat of cultivator application.