An experiment studied the effect of mulches and
herbicides on weed population, fruit yield, and quality in peach trees. Covering soil with black polythene
resulted in 100% control of weeds at six weeks after treatment (WAT)
during both the years of study. Weed control efficiencies with
treatments having diuron herbicide did not differ
significantly from black polythene at 6 WAT. Atrazine and pendimethalin
were the next most efficient and did not differ significantly from each
other. Application of straw mulch (8 cm, 15.5 t ha
− 1) resulted in high weed control efficiencies at 6 WAT, decreasing somewhat at 12 WAT. In
both years highest fruit yield (69.3 and 67.9 kg tree
− 1,
respectively) was recorded with straw mulch (8 cm). Conclusively, plastic and straw mulches can be used as an
effective chemical-free alternative to manual or chemical weed control
in peach.
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