Weed Management in Edamame Soybean Production

Area of Science:

• Agronomy and Crop Science
• Weed Science
• Horticulture

Background:

• Weed infestation is a major limiting factor for soybean and edamame productivity.
• Chemical weed control is the predominant strategy, necessitating rational herbicide application.
• Edamame, a nutritious vegetable soybean, requires effective weed management for optimal yield.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of different herbicide treatments on edamame varieties (Chiba Green, Midori Giant).
• To assess weed control effectiveness and its influence on pod yield and biomass.
• To provide practical weed management strategies for edamame production in the Western Balkan region.

Main Methods:

• Field study conducted over 2022-2024 growing seasons with two edamame varieties.
• Treatments included: pre-emergence herbicides (H1), pre- and post-emergence herbicides (H2), and an untreated control (H0).
• Evaluated pod yield, biomass, and weed dry biomass across treatments and seasons.

Main Results:

• Growing season significantly influenced pod yield, with higher yields in 2022.
• Midori Giant variety demonstrated higher average pod yield than Chiba Green.
• Herbicide treatment H2 (pre- and post-emergence) drastically reduced weed biomass and significantly increased pod yield compared to the control (H0).

Conclusions:

• Pre-emergence herbicides can effectively manage weeds under favorable conditions.
• Combined pre- and post-emergence herbicide application enhances production security by extending weed control.
• Weed diversity positively correlated with yield in the Midori Giant variety, highlighting complex interactions.