Validation of the utilization of a specific spray machine to apply general herbicide (Glyphosate) for controlling weeds in chickpea farms in dry land areas of Iran

Weeds are a serious problem of chickpea cultivation in rain-fed areas of Iran and economic feasibility of crop production is mostly challenged by the method of control. In this study, two types of weed control strategies which are common in the country, including hand removing and hand removing + mechanical application, were compared with application of general herbicide (Glyphosite) using a specific spray machine under a minimum tillage system. The trial was carried out in the farms of five ha each, along with a two-ha weedy control at Dry land Agricultural Research Institute (DARI), Maragheh, Iran during cropping season 2018-2019. Chickpea cultivar “Adel” was sown under no - tillage system in planting arrangements of 17.5 × 52.5 cm using a direct drill machine followed by routine operations such as pesticide or fertilizer applications during the growth season. Three patches of 10 m2 of each treatment were randomly chosen as blocks and measurements were conducted on four randomly chosen 1 m2 samples as replications inside them. Data arranged as completely randomized blocks design were analyzed. Results showed that although higher yield indices belonged to hand removing or hand removing + mechanical applications, a powerful economic feasibility could be obtained by application of Glyphosate using the spray machine. It may be inferred from this study that in the absence or under situations where application of selective herbicides is non-economic, farmers can apply relatively in-expensive general herbicides to control weeds using this machine and gain acceptable income.