Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at Department of Crop production Experimental Farm, Federal College of Forestry, Afaka, and Kaduna, Nigeria to investigate the application of pre-emergence herbicide followed by manual weeding as an integrated weed management control system on growth and yield of turmeric.  The experiment was carried out between 2019 and 2020 cropping/rainy seasons. Turmeric was subjected to ten weed control methods using randomized complete block design with three replications. Data were collected on weed samples on the experimental field, plant height and weight of rhizomes harvested per hectare. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the mean separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT).The result showed that the major weeds recorded were: Acanthospermum hirspidum, Achyranthes aspera, Amaranthus spinosus, Ageratum conyzoides, Synednella nodifora, Tridax procumbens, Dactyloctenum aegyptium, Corchorus biflorus,  Eleusine indica and Cyperus rotundu The result also revealed that the integrated weed management system of combining pre-emergence and manual weeding had significant effect (P< 0.05) on the weight of weed collected. Plant height was also significantly (p<0.05) affected by the application of pre-emergence herbicide and manual weeding at 4 and 12 WAT.  The result showed that yield in term of weight of rhizomes produced per hectare was also significantly (p<0.05) affected by the application of pre –emergence herbicide followed by manual weeding at harvest with highest yield recorded for turmeric plants that were treated with pre emergence Metolachlor at the rate of 1.0 litre per hectare plus one supplementary hoe weeding at 4 WAT. The study therefore recommend the use of Metolachlor at the rate of 1.0 litre per hectare followed by one supplementary hoe weeding at 4 WAT  for farmers in the ecological zone of study area.

Key Words: Pre-emergence herbicide, Manual weeding, Weed samples, Crop height, Yield, Turmeric