Effect of some soil herbicides on the vegetative habits of almond seedlings (Prunus dulcis L.)

Zarya Rankova, Miroslav Tityanov

Abstract: A study on the effect of applying the soil herbicides metolachlor + oxyfluorfen (Metofen) and flumioxazin (Pledge 50 WP) on the vegetative habits of almond seedling rootstocks was carried out in the period 2010 – 2012 at the Fruit Growing Institute – Plovdiv. Treatment with the herbicides was applied in the second half of March, before the beginning of vegetation, immediately after planting the apricot seeds. The following variants were set: 1) Control (untreated, hand-weeded); 2) Metofen – 120 ml/da; 3) Metofen – 240 ml/da; 4) Pledge 50 WP – 8.0 g/da; 5) Pledge 50 WP – 20.0 g/da. For evaluating the efficacy of the applied herbicides during the vegetation period, weed infestation in the separate variants was reported in dynamics by the quantity-weight method, every 30th day after the date of treatment until the end of the herbicide post-effect. In August (15 – 20 August) the rootstocks were graded for quality, reporting the following biometric characteristics: stem height (cm) and thickness at the place of grafting (mm). The results give reason to assume that high doses of active substances applied suppress vegetative symptoms of seedling rootstocks of almond. Depressing influence of the active substances is well manifested on the indicator stem height and relatively weak in thickness at the place of grafting. Plants from herbicide variants have a thickness at the place of grafting 6.2 – 8.7 mm, making them suitable for grafting in the year of sowing of seeds.

Keywords: almond; herbicides; weeds

Date published: 2017-07-12