Effects of reduced metribuzin rate compared to cultivator and hand hoeing on potato weeds in conventional and conservation tillage systems

In recent years, weed scientist have paid more attention towards integrated weed management and application of reduced rate of herbicides to prevent environmental pollution. To examine the effect of reduced metribuzin on potato, a field experiment was conducted on a strip split plots based on complete randomized blocks. Design horizontal factor was two tillage systems (conservation, conventional) and vertical factor consisted of 6 weed control treatments (1-full rate herbicide, 2-reduced rate herbicide, 3-hand hoeing, 4-cultivator, 5-combination of 1 and 3, 6- combination of 2 and 4). Results showed that the highest weed number and weed biomass was in cultivator treatment and the lowest grasses was observed in cultivator+ reduced herbicide treatment both in conventional and conservation tillages; in this treatment potato had the highest vegetative growth and performance. Weed biomass of broad leafes and grasses was relatively lowest in reduced herbicide than full rate herbicide. Leaf area, height and branching pattern of potato was negative correlated with weed number and biomass. Generally, integration of cultivator + reduced rate herbicide was most successful practices in weed management of potato production.