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puniasatbir@gmail.com
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Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana 125 004
Orobanche aegyptiaca, Sulfosulfuron, Ethoxysulfuron, Tomato
Egyptian broomrape (Orobanche aegyptiaca) is the most troublesome root holoparasitic weed cause severe damage to tomatoes grown in Mewat and Bhiwani areas of Haryana. In the present study, efficacy and selectivity of two sulfonylurea herbicides, viz. sulfosulfuron and ethoxysulfuron, neem cake, pendimethalin/metribuzin in conjunction with metalaxyl were tested in controlling on tomatoes grown under field conditions. Sulfosulfuron and ethoxysulfuron applied as post-emergence at 30, 60 and 90 DAT were more selective to tomato and controlled the parasite more effectively. Neem cake or metalaxyl were not found to inhibit growth of Orobanche aegyptiaca. No herbicide residues were observed in tomato fruits and soil at harvest. No residual carry over effect of these herbicides was observed on succeeding sorghum crop planted 2 months after harvest of tomato crop. It was concluded that post-emergence application of ethoxysulfuron at 25 g/ha at 30 DAT followed by at 50 g/ha or sulfosulfuron at 50 g/ha at 30 and 60 DAT, provided 85-90% control of Orobanche in tomato without any adverse effect on crop with yield increase of 46-58% as compared to untreated check.