EFFECTS OF VARIETY AND PRE-EMERGENCE HERBICIDES RATES ON WEED CONTROL AND YIELD OF GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogaea L.) IN YOLA, NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA
Keywords:
Butachlor, Groundnut, “KAMPALA”, Metolachlor, Pendimethalin, SAMNUT 23Abstract
Field trial was conducted during the 2017 and 2018 rainy seasons at the experimental farm site of the Department
of Crop Production and Horticulture, Moddibo Adama University of Technology, Yola to study the effects of
weed control treatments on the control of weeds in two groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) varieties. The
experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with SAMNUT 23 and “KAMPALA” groundnut varieties assigned
to the main plots and three rates of pre-emergence herbicides applied in the sub-plots plus supplementary hoe
weeding (SHW) at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS), and weed-free check and weedy check as controls. The
treatments were replicated three times. The results showed that SAMNUT 23 variety recorded significantly higher
seed yield/plot, seed yield/ha and 100 kernel weight than “KAMPALA”. Similarly, weed parameters measured
had statistically similar number of broad leaves, grasses and sedges, total weed density, weed dry weight, weed
control efficiency and weed index between the two groundnut varieties. Application of pre-emergence herbicides
treatments showed significant differences among the weed control strategies used. Weed free check recorded
significantly the lowest values for weed population, weed dry weight and highest weed control efficiency
compared to weedy check treatment that recorded the lowest values for these parameters at all crop growth stages.
Among the pre-emergence herbicides rates, Metolachlor at 0.75,1 .0, 1.25 and Pendimethalin at 1.0 kg a.i./ha +
SHW at 6WAS were the treatments that gave more efficient weeds control. Based on the results, both SAMNUT
23 and KAMPALA varieties of groundnut can be profitably grown in the study area and Metolachlor at 0.75,1 .0,
1.25 and Pendimethalin at 1.0 kg a.i./ha + SHW at 6 WAS can be used as an alternative to two-hoe weeding (weed
free check) for effective weed control in groundnut in Yola, Nigeria
