Weeds and Root Parasite Broomrape Nutrient Uptake in Oriental Tobacco Crop

Tsveta Hristeva, Teodora Dekalska, Radka Bozhinova

Abstract: Field trial in tobacco crop was conducted to estimate losses of available nutrients, caused by weeds ant the root parasite broomrape. Tobacco plants were grown on Rendzic Leptosols in conventional grown system. Weed population density and composition, as well as broomrape infestation in the plot were quantified. Based on macroelements content in the dry weight of the aboveground biomass, nutrient uptake per da for both tobacco and weeds were calculated. Five dominant weed species were observed in the study, which were highly competitive in the accumulation of potassium and less competitive in the accumulation of calcium. The nutrient uptake of tobacco plants per da was: N – 3.14 kg; P – 0.28 kg; K – 3.08 kg; Ca – 4.82 kg and Mg – 0.99 kg; the total mineral uptake of the weed species per da was N – 1.05 kg; P – 0.11 kg; K – 1.66 kg; Ca – 0.53 kg and Mg – 0.25 kg. Amongst the weeds in the experimental terms, the root parasite broomrape (genus Phelipanche) and perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis L.) showed the highest content of macroelements.

Keywords: broomrape; macroelement losses; tobacco; weeds

Date published: 2017-07-12