Evaluation of some herbicides efficacy for weed control in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

The lack of herbicides for broadleaf weed control is one of the most important challenges of chickpea production in Iran. Field experiments were conducted in Lorestan, Kermanshah, East and West Azerbaijan to evaluate weed control and chickpea response to application of some herbicides in 2006. There were four replications at each site and treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design. The experimental treatments in this study were post emergence application of lentagran (2.5 l/ha), pre emergence application of simazine plus prometrin (0.800 plus 0.830 kg/ha, respectively), simazine (0.800 kg/ha), prometrine (0.830 kg/ha), pre emergence application of fomesafen (1 l/ha), post emergence application of fomesafen (1 l/ha plus nonionic surfactant sitogit 1:1000), preplant incorporation (1 l/ha), preemergence (1 l/ha) and post emergence (0.7 l/ha) application of Imazethapyr, preplant incorporation (2.5 l/ha) and post emergence (2.5 l/ha) application of pendimetalin, and weed hand-weeded control. Imazethapyr in all manner of application in spite of acceptable weed control (80% reduction of weeds density) had seriously injury effects on chickpea plants. post emergence application of lentagran, preemergence application of fomesafen, simazine and simazine plus prometrin were preferable herbicide treatments with minimum injury on chickpea and effectively control of weed species. Preemergence application of fomesafen in the meanwhile of relatively appropriate weed control had not unacceptable phytotoxy effects on chickpea, so by limitation of chickpea herbicides, preemergence application of this herbicide can be promising. Fomesafen exhibited the potential to provide a relatively considerable weed control level in chickpea (88% reduction of weeds biomass). These results indicate that fomesafen is an effective herbicide for control of several broadleaf weeds with less injurious to chickpea. Imazethapyr treatments caused unacceptable chickpea injury.