Effect of Weeds Management on Seed and Oil Yield of Spring Safflower Cv. Sofeh Under Rainfed Conditions in East Azerbaijan Region

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Msc Graduated student, Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Department of Crop Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Department of Crop Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Ahar Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

4 PhD Student, Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

10.22084/ppt.2025.30242.2144

Abstract

Introduction
Weeds compete with agricultural plants for nutrients, soil moisture, and  sunlight, leading to a reduction in the yield of these crops. In addition to the use of herbicides as a chemical method for weed control, the application of mulch and  cover crops are effective non-chemical methods for managing weeds. The present study was conducted with the aim of the effect of different weed control methods on the seed and  oil yield of Sofeh spring Safflower.
 
Materials and  methods
This experiment was conducted in 12 treatments in the form of a rand omized complete block design with four replications. The experimental treatments consisted of 12 different approaches to weed management, including various herbicides, manual weeding, cover crops, and  straw and  stubble mulch. These treatments included: 1. Lack of weed control, 2. Hand  weeding once in the rosette stage, 3. Cover plant Vicia ervilia, 4. Cover plant Vicia villosa, 5. V. ervilia and  V. villosa cover plant, 6. Straw and  stubble mulch, 7. Use of trifluralin herbicide, 8. Trifluralin + Haloxyfop-R-methyl, 9. Trifluralin + Phenmedipham, 10. Haloxyfop-R-methyl + Phenmedipham, 11. Twice manual weeding before stem elongation, 12. Complete weed control.
 
Results and  discussion
There was a significant increase in seed yield and  oil percentage, and  the highest increase with 107% was obtained in the complete manual control of weeds. The highest increase in the number of seeds per plant (284.8) was obtained under the effect of full manual weed control treatment. The highest percentage of oil was obtained in the trifluralin + fenmedipham herbicide treatment compared to the absence of weed control. In the full manual control treatment, oil yield was higher compared to no weed control. The highest seed yield with 783.3 g/m2 was obtained in the complete manual control of weeds. According to the findings of this research, among the different methods of weed control, trifluralin herbicide + phenmedipham, haloxyfop R-methyl herbicide + phenmedipham, manual weeding twice before stem elongation, V. villosa + V. ervilia, straw and  stubble mulch and  complete manual control of weeds had a significant effect on yield. Weed control caused a significant increase in oil yield due to the increase in seed yield and  oil percentage.
 
Conclusions                                    
Based on the results of this study, straw and  stubble mulch increased seed yield by 16.5%, while the cover crop of V. villosa + V. ervilia resulted in a 63.9% increase in the number of seeds. Additionally, a single manual weeding at the rosette stage, along with the cover crop of V. villosa and  straw and  stubble mulch, resulted in increases of 19%, 14.6%, and  13% in oil percentage, respectively. In this study, the oil percentage was one of the traits that exhibited the most significant changes in response to different weed control treatments, likely due to its sensitivity to various factors, including seed yield. Overall, complete weed control increased oil percentage by 36.2%, oil yield by 97.2%, seed yield by 107%, and  the number of seeds per plant by 194%. However, the weight of one hundred seeds ultimately increased by only 7.3% as a result of the treatments, indicating that among the yield components, the most resistant and  sensitive traits to weed competition are the weight of one hundred seeds and  the number of seeds, respectively. To ensure the reliability of the results and  for a more accurate assessment, it is recommended that the effects of the treatments be repeated in the second year. Furthermore, additional weed management strategies should be tested to introduce simple, cost-effective, and  practical management methods to farmers instead of relying solely on herbicides. To better understand  how weed control affects seed yield, oil yield, and  other important agronomic traits of safflower, it is suggested that future studies also examine physiological traits. Given the significant effects of cover crops and  mulch observed in other research, investigating the impact of various mulches at different quantities and  exploring other effective cover crop species would be beneficia.
 
Acknowledgements
Thanks and  appreciation are expressed to the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, for their sincere cooperation.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Volume 17, Issue 1
June 2025
Pages 37-54

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