Herbicide Screening and Application Method Development for Sustainable Weed Management in Tagetes erecta L. Fields

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Agronomy
• Weed Science

Background:

• Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) is a valuable crop facing significant yield losses (up to 60%) due to weed competition.
• Effective weed management is crucial for the industrial cultivation and economic viability of marigold.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify safe and highly efficient herbicides for marigold.
• To assess the impact of herbicides on dominant weeds and marigold crop safety.
• To provide a practical basis for large-scale marigold cultivation through optimized weed control strategies.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of 11 pre-emergence and 13 post-emergence herbicides across three field trials.
• Assessment of agronomic practices, including plastic mulch, in conjunction with herbicide applications.
• Field experiments designed to measure weed suppression, crop phytotoxicity, yield, and lutein content.

Main Results:

• Pre-emergence herbicides (pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen) combined with plastic mulch achieved 85-99% weed suppression, increasing marigold yield and lutein content.
• Post-cultivation soil treatment with metolachlor · oxyfluorfen · pendimethalin improved weed control and yield with crop safety.
• Post-emergence herbicides (haloxyfop-P-methyl, fomesafen) effectively reduced specific weed types and enhanced crop yield.

Conclusions:

• Region-specific weed management strategies are recommended, integrating herbicides and agronomic practices for optimal marigold production.
• Plastic mulch combined with pre-emergence herbicides is suitable for high-value production zones.
• Tailored approaches for arid lands and labor-abundant regions are proposed to enhance productivity and sustainability.