Allelopathy, Beta vulgaris, Bio-herbicide, Brassica napus, Plant residues
Filed experiment was done to evaluate the allelopathic potential of sugarbeet and canola residues on weeds of chickpea field. Five treatments, viz. 1: Chopped residues of canola, 2: Chopped residues of sugarbeet both were separately incorporated to 25 cm depth soil, 20 days before sowing, 3: Shoot aqueous extract of canola, 4: Shoot aqueous extract of sugarbeet which were separately sprayed at post emergence stage and 5: Without any residues and spraying as control. The weed control treatments reduced the total weed cover, weed density and total dry weigh of weed. The reduction in weed density with canola and sugarbeet residues incorporated with soil were up to 42.7 and 57% respectively, at 45 days after sowing and 41% and 52.4%, respectively, at 90 days after sowing, compared to control. However, post emergence spraying of shoot aqueous extract of canola and sugarbeet, suppressed weed density up to 37.2 and 35.6% at 40 days after sowing and 56.7% and 49.2% at 90 days after sowing respectively, compared to control. Weed control treatments reduced weed cover (%), weed biomass and weeds stem length. Incorporation of canola and sugarbeet residues in soil reduced weed cover (%) by 47.9% and 57.6%, respectively, while spraying of shoot water extract of canola and sugarbeet suppressed weed cover (%) by 31.7% and 42%, respectively at 90 days after sowing. Application of canola residues and spraying shoot aqueous extract of canola increased chickpea yield by 25.4% and 39.5% respectively, while application of sugarbeet residues and shoot aqueous extract of sugarbeet decreased chickpea yield by 22% and 29.8% respectively compared to control. All nutrient elements analyzed in the leaves of weed generally were lower than control for all treatments. Incorporation of crop residue of canola and sugarbeet on weeds were more effective than spraying water extract of these plants.